Stage 1: site preparation, before the container lands
- Layout drawing. Agree the machine positions, coil storage, run-out and material flow with the vendor before shipment; a coil line with run-out needs 12–15 m in a straight line, a U-shape line about 14.5 × 5 m, a spiral machine 3 m of run-out plus coil access.
- Floor. Level concrete rated for the machine and the coil: a full coil line weighs 16 t and a loaded decoiler carries 8,000 kg on a small footprint. Ask for the point loads.
- Power. Three-phase supply at the voltage and frequency on the machine plate (380 V 50 Hz standard, 415 V in Australia, 60 Hz markets by order), with a dedicated breaker per machine and an isolator within reach. A 40 kW line and a 22 kW spiral machine need their own circuits.
- Air, water and extraction. Clean dry compressed air at the stated pressure for pneumatic folders and clamps; cooling water for flying slitters; downdraft extraction or filtration for plasma.
- Lifting and access. A forklift or crane rated for the heaviest crate (a spiral machine mainframe is about 3 t, a plasma table up to 2.3 t), door clearance for the largest crate and a clear route to the position.
- People. Name the operators and the maintenance person who will attend every day of commissioning; training given to whoever is free that day does not stick.
Stage 2: unloading, positioning and levelling
Photograph every crate before opening and note any transit damage on the delivery note. Remove packing, rust-preventive film and transport brackets. Position each machine to the drawing, level it on its feet or anchors (a spiral machine or roll former that is out of level makes crooked duct), align the decoiler, feeder and run-out with the line, and bolt down what the manual says to bolt down. Keep the transport brackets; you will want them if the machine ever moves.
Stage 3: connections and first power-up
An electrician connects the supply and checks phase rotation before the first start; a motor running backwards on a roll former damages tooling in seconds. Connect air, water and extraction, check every guard and emergency stop, then power up the controller and confirm the I/O screen sees every sensor and drive. Only then does the first blank go in.
Stage 4: commissioning runs
Each machine is cycled on your coil, not the vendor’s: parameters for your gauges are set and saved, roll and head sets are checked for alignment, and the parts from the factory acceptance test are reproduced. This is where a coil line’s software path is proven again on your network and your printer, and where a spiral machine’s strip width and tension are set for the coil you actually buy. Expect one to two days per major machine; a full rectangular shop with a coil line, formers, folders and plasma is typically a five-day commissioning.
Stage 5: operator and maintenance training
Operators run real production under the engineer’s supervision: job set-up, gauge and diameter changes, head and roll changes, clearing a jam, daily checks. Maintenance staff learn the lubrication schedule, blade and consumable changes, the PLC screens and where the backup lives. Ask for a written checklist per machine and keep the engineer’s contact details on the machine.
Stage 6: site acceptance test and hand-over
The site acceptance test repeats the FAT criteria on your floor: the same three sizes or diameters, timed, measured and test-fitted against your existing duct, signed by both parties. Any punch list carries an owner and a date. You receive the manuals, wiring and hydraulic diagrams, PLC backup, spare-parts list with part numbers and the first spares kit, and the warranty clock starts on the signed record. From here the shop runs on its own, with remote support for questions.
What to settle in the contract
- Number of commissioning days on site, who travels, and what happens if the site is not ready on the agreed date.
- Whether commissioning is in person or by guided video, and the conditions for each.
- Who provides the electrician, the lifting and the consumables for the test runs.
- The site acceptance criteria (copied from the FAT) and the payment, if any, tied to sign-off.
- The spares kit included, and delivery time for stocked wear parts afterwards.
- Remote support hours and language.
How Taokron commissions
This is our own practice, so read it as a vendor’s description. Taokron is an Australian supplier that has built HVAC duct machinery since 1995, with 5,000+ machines in 100+ countries. Every line ships with a layout drawing and a site checklist agreed before the container leaves, is commissioned on site or by guided video with the buyer’s named operators present, and is signed off against a site acceptance test that repeats the factory test on the buyer’s coil. Commissioning days and the spares kit are written into the quotation, and the engineering team stays reachable by WhatsApp and email afterwards. See our installation, commissioning and after-sales page for the service terms.
Ask for a quotation with commissioning days and site criteria written in →
FAQ
How long does commissioning a duct line take?
One to two days per major machine on a prepared site. A full rectangular shop with a coil line, flange former, folders and a plasma table is typically five days; a single spiral tubeformer with fittings machines two to three days. An unprepared site adds days, so settle the site checklist first.
Can commissioning be done remotely?
For many machines, yes, by guided video with a local electrician and the buyer’s operators; the site acceptance test is run the same way with the camera on the instruments. A full coil line is normally commissioned in person.
What must the buyer have ready?
Level floor rated for the loads, three-phase power at the plate voltage and frequency with a dedicated breaker, clean compressed air, water for slitters, extraction for plasma, lifting rated for the heaviest crate, door clearance, and the named operators present every day.
What is a site acceptance test?
The factory acceptance test repeated on your floor: the same parts at the same sizes and gauges, timed, measured and test-fitted, signed by both parties, with any punch list dated. It confirms the machine survived transport and works on your power and coil.
What documents should I receive at hand-over?
Operating and maintenance manuals, wiring and hydraulic diagrams, the PLC program backup, the lubrication schedule, a spare-parts list with part numbers and prices, the first spares kit, and the signed site acceptance record that starts the warranty.
Does Taokron include commissioning?
Yes. Commissioning days, the site checklist, the spares kit and the site acceptance criteria are written into the quotation; commissioning is on site or by guided video depending on the machine and the market.
