Scope of Work - Commissioning and Training
What you need to do before your Technical Brand Ambassador arrives, and what we do during the visit
| Service | Pearl Mini commissioning and training |
|---|---|
| Visit length | 3 days |
| Covers | Pearl Mini, plus Precision Fill and SOVDA Lift if ordered with it |
| You are responsible for | Site preparation, taking delivery, uncrating, assembly and connections |
| We are responsible for | Inspection, calibration, training and site close-out |
Booked uncrate and assembly as well? See Scope of Work - Uncrate and Assembly instead.
Before You Begin
Thank you for choosing SOVDA, we're looking forward to getting your equipment running!
With this service, you take care of everything up to the point your equipment is assembled and connected. Your Technical Brand Ambassador then visits to check the installation, calibrate your equipment and train your team.
Everything on your side needs to be finished before the visit. Work that is not complete when your Technical Brand Ambassador arrives can extend the visit, and extra days are charged (see Billing below).
For the full timeline, see the Getting Started Guide. If at any point you are unsure what is expected of you, contact Technical Service before you start.
What You Do
1. Prepare your site
Install your utilities in line with the Site Preparation Guide. This includes:
- Your air compressor and all air line plumbing, with shutoff valves
- Your electrical supply
- Anything else your installation needs, such as wall penetrations
You will need a plumber or tradesperson for the air lines, and an electrician for the compressor's shutoff, final wiring and any new circuits. These are not included in this service.
2. Take delivery
- Photograph the outside of every crate before opening it.
- Note any damage on the delivery paperwork before you sign it.
- Photograph or film the damage and contact Technical Service within 48 hours. If you do not, you may lose insurance cover.
3. Uncrate your equipment
- Photograph the contents of each crate, including anything sitting close to the crate walls.
- Remove the equipment and keep the parts organised.
- Check everything off against the packing list.
- Photograph any damage and report it to the delivery carrier and Technical Service within 48 hours.
- Once everything is unpacked and organised, photograph it all together.
4. Assemble and connect your equipment
Follow the assembly guide for each product. When you are finished, the following should all be true.
Pearl Mini. See the Pearl Mini Uncrate and Assembly Guide.
- Feet or wheels fitted, base levelled and jam nuts secured
- Main unit bolted to the base, and upper unit bolted to the main unit with the wing nuts at the rear
- Vibrator support shims removed, and fins unwrapped and fitted
- Positioned with a power socket nearby
- Air gun and air lines connected
- Connected to your network with an Ethernet cable, or with a wifi extender
Precision Fill, if ordered. See the Precision Fill Uncrate and Assembly Guide.
- Feet or wheels fitted, base levelled and jam nuts secured
- Main unit bolted to the base
- Shipping support brace inside the machine removed
- Air gun and air lines connected, and machine plugged in
SOVDA Lift, for every Lift ordered. See the SOVDA Lift Uncrate and Assembly Guide.
- Cyclone fitted, with the inlet and outlet facing the right way and compressed air connected
- Hopper in its final position, with the hopper wall cut for your roaster or Pearl Mini chute if needed
- Tubing connected from the hopper to the lower cyclone inlet, with any horizontal run longer than 3 metres (10 feet) supported
- Vacuum mounted, connected to the upper cyclone inlet and plugged in
- Control box mounted, wired to the cyclone and vacuum, and plugged in
- Tri-clamps checked for a tidy, secure seal
5. Test your SOVDA Lift
- Check the control box switches on the vacuum, opens the cyclone valve and cycles properly.
- Put 100g of coffee in the hopper, switch the Lift on and let it run a full cycle, about 45 seconds.
- Check the coffee arrives in the machine. On a Pearl Mini, look for coffee on the vibrating plate from the top rear of the machine. You will not be able to get this coffee back out until your Pearl Mini is commissioned.
6. Unlock your Pearl Mini, if asked
Your Technical Brand Ambassador may ask you to unlock the Pearl Mini software before the visit, depending on time zones. They will talk you through it. See Unlocking your Pearl Mini.
⚠️ Do not switch the Pearl Mini off between sending your code and receiving the unlock key. Switching it off resets the code and you will have to start again.
7. Pre-commissioning call
Once everything above is done, your Technical Brand Ambassador will arrange a video call to check your site and equipment are ready, including that the area is safe. If everything is ready, they will usually book your visit dates with you on the call. In some cases, an expedited visit may be possible for an additional charge.
What We Do
Inspection
- Site survey, covering safety, utilities, workspace and workflow
- Securing the workspace and checking materials, equipment and tools
- A safety briefing for your team
- Inspecting your Pearl Mini, Precision Fill and SOVDA Lift for correct installation and damage
Calibration and training
- Calibrating your Pearl Mini
- Calibrating your Precision Fill, if this option is included in your order
- Training your team to run the equipment
Site close-out
- Cleaning the equipment and workspace
- Packing up our tools
- A final safety and cleanliness overview
What This Service Does Not Include
This service does not include site preparation or assembly. That means it does not cover running or connecting air lines or electrics, installing compressors, Lifts or pipework, or assembling equipment. All utility connection points must be installed in line with the Site Preparation Guide before the visit. If they are not, additional charges may apply.
Billing
Service charge. Commissioning and training is a flat-rate charge, paid on your first invoice. It covers all labour, tools and consumables.
Travel. Travel is billed before the visit and covers flights, accommodation, transport and per diem.
Extra items. Occasionally, items outside this scope may be billed back at cost if you have not provided them.
If your site is not ready. If your side of the work is not finished when your Technical Brand Ambassador arrives and the visit runs beyond the 3 days allotted, we will issue a change order. This is charged at $1,000 per extra day plus additional travel costs, and an administrative fee of $500 may be added. Change orders must be signed and paid before work continues, and depend on technician availability.
Terms
Space and safety. We need 28 square metres (300 square feet) to stage and install your equipment. Your compressed air and electrical shutoffs must be clearly marked and easy to reach. During the visit, the work area must be used for the installation only, not for storage, and closed to the public. If the installation is in an active production area, anyone who may pass through it must attend a safety briefing with your Technical Brand Ambassador before work begins.
Tradespeople. If you need licensed tradespeople such as electricians or plumbers, you may coordinate them with us before booking so we can schedule properly. This does not make them our subcontractors.
Waste. You are responsible for disposing of leftover materials, such as crate wood and solvents.
Work outside this scope. Any extra work needs a written change order. Additional labour, travel, materials and other costs are billed to you at $1,000 per day plus travel, and we may ask for payment before the work starts.
Cancellations and delays. If the visit is delayed or cancelled because of weather, travel disruption, an unprepared site or workspace, missing parts you did not tell us about before booking, or other events beyond anyone's control, we may bill for work completed and for additional travel and labour. Your Technical Brand Ambassador's priority is a high-quality, safe installation, so they have the final say on cancelling or rescheduling.
Photos and video. We may record audio, video and photos around the installation for our records. Unless you tell us in writing before the installation starts that you need discretion, we may use them on social media and in marketing.
Local regulations and insurance. We sell worldwide, so we cannot advise on local codes or permits. Check your installation requirements with a local contractor. SOVDA equipment is CE rated from the factory, and depending on where you are, field inspections may be needed for local approvals such as UL or CSA. Check with your insurer too. You are responsible for meeting all local laws and insurance requirements, apart from insurance for work carried out by SOVDA technicians.
What's Next
Head back to the Getting Started Guide to see where this fits in your timeline. If anything here is unclear, contact Technical Service. It is much better to check now than to find a gap on the day of your visit.