What steps (electrical and otherwise) are involved in commissioning a machine?
For me, installation is completely separate from commissioning. 

A contractor or series of contractors does the installation. After the system is installed, I get called in to do the commissioning. Note that no power as ever been applied to the system at this point. 

Upon arriving at the site, I do a complete inspection. I then perform simple meter tests to ensure that there are not any obvious wiring errors. 

Only after this inspection and meter testing does power get applied to the system. 

Then comes performance testing. Every aspect of the system is tested and correct operation is confirmed. 

This is the time when system errors and not correct operation are determined. Problems that are easy to fix are corrected immediately. 

Sometimes these problems are the result of inadequate communication between customer and supplier. The fixes can be time consuming. 

When correct system operation is confirmed, we then start to run the customer product through the system. Operator training begins at this point. 

Only when correct operation and operator training is complete do we formally hand the system to be customer.

Commissioning is then complete.