Sample and product trials
Prepare representative materials and measurable application criteria before formal acceptance.
Acceptance testing guide
Factory acceptance testing and site acceptance testing should confirm different parts of the project. A written protocol distinguishes what can be demonstrated before delivery from what depends on installed utilities, connected equipment, production materials and the operating site.
| Test stage | Suitable focus | Important limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Factory acceptance test (FAT) | Build completion, main functions, guards and controls, recipes, change parts, product/pack trials, alarms, documentation and agreed simulated interfaces. | Factory utilities, temporary conveyors, sample quantities and disconnected third-party equipment may not reproduce the final site. |
| Site acceptance test (SAT) | Installation, utilities, mechanical interfaces, line controls, product supply, safety boundaries, site formats, fault recovery, training and agreed production conditions. | Production schedules, unavailable materials or incomplete upstream/downstream equipment can restrict the test unless planned in advance. |
Do not duplicate every test without purpose. Use the FAT to identify build and application issues while changes can still be made efficiently. Use the SAT to confirm installation and the conditions that could not exist at the supplier’s works.
Each test should refer to an agreed requirement and state the setup, material, method, acceptance result and evidence. Separate objective criteria from observations. “Machine works correctly” is not a test; “applies the specified label to the reference pack within the agreed position, using the approved roll, for the defined test sequence” is clearer and repeatable.
Identify exclusions and assumptions. If the final bulk product is not available, name the substitute and the properties it represents. If a third-party coder is not installed, state how the interface will be simulated and what remains for SAT. Avoid converting an untested assumption into an accepted result.
Confirm quantities, delivery dates, storage, safety data and disposal for every product, container, closure, label, film or case. Assign who approves the test, who operates the machine, who records results and who can agree a deviation. List measuring instruments and confirm that the method is suitable for the required check.
Allow time for inspection, setup, test runs, format change, fault recovery, document review and action close-out. A compressed agenda that leaves only a short production run can miss the conditions most likely to affect the site.
Run the normal format and the agreed extremes. Include start, stop, pause, product starvation, downstream blockage, low material, missing component and inspection/reject conditions where they form part of the specification. Confirm that messages are understandable and that operators can recover without losing product control. Safety functions must be assessed by competent people using the agreed validation approach; a demonstration is not a substitute for the required risk assessment and validation records.
Define whether output is a short cycle, gross machine rate or acceptable finished packs over a timed run. Record setup, product, format, rejects, minor stops and operator intervention. If the agreed material quantity cannot support the duration, state that limitation. Quality criteria—fill, cap, label, seal, code or pack condition—should be checked throughout the run, not only on the first sample.
Classify each observation: accepted, action before dispatch, action at site, document update, customer input or future improvement. Record the responsible party and due date. When a change is made after FAT, assess whether it affects another function or needs re-test. Keep the approved final settings and component references with the machine documentation.
Confirm that the site will be ready: access, services, product supply, connected machinery, operators, materials and measuring equipment. Define the installation checks, interface tests and production conditions that remain. Agree how delays caused by unavailable customer materials or incomplete third-party equipment will be recorded without hiding open technical work.
Prepare representative materials and measurable application criteria before formal acceptance.
Make sure SAT is not blocked by access, utilities or incomplete interfaces.
Turn mechanical and controls interfaces into acceptance tests for the connected line.
No. A demonstration shows selected functions. A FAT follows an agreed protocol linked to the specification, records evidence and controls deviations.
Representative production material is preferable where practical and safe. If a substitute is used, document the difference and reserve affected requirements for another trial or SAT.
It may be appropriate when factory and site conditions differ. Define what FAT can prove and what depends on installed utilities, product supply, operators and connected equipment.
Record the deviation, responsibility, corrective action and re-test requirement. Do not treat an open item as passed because a possible solution has been discussed.
People able to assess the process, quality, engineering, safety, operation and commercial scope as relevant. The project should identify who can approve results and deviations.
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