Acceptance and handover guide

Packaging machinery FAT, SAT and commissioning

Divide testing into what can be proved before dispatch, what must be completed during installation and what can only be confirmed in the production environment.

Agree the evidence

Acceptance starts with a written requirement and representative materials.

A factory acceptance test is most useful when it verifies an agreed function under stated conditions. A site acceptance test confirms the installed system against the site-dependent parts of the requirement. Commissioning is the controlled process of installing, checking, setting up and bringing the equipment into operation; it is not a substitute for clear pass criteria.

Write each test so that the starting condition, action, expected result and record are unambiguous. Separate machine functions from production outcomes. For example, a conveyor may run correctly while the complete line still needs proof that unstable containers transfer through normal stops and restarts.

The final protocol depends on the machinery, product and contractual scope. Do not assume that a generic checklist proves suitability for every pack or regulated process.

Acceptance foundations

Approved functional and format scope
Representative normal and difficult samples
Defined utilities and operating conditions
Measurable quality checks
Trial duration and replenishment method
Fault, stop, reject and restart tests
Deviation and retest process

Test stages

Assign each requirement to the stage where it can be proved fairly.

Stage	Typical purpose	Evidence available	Do not assume
Pre-FAT review	Confirm scope, samples, protocol, responsibilities and open information	Drawings, functional description, sample list and test script	That missing samples or utilities can be recreated accurately at short notice
Factory acceptance test	Demonstrate agreed machine functions and sample handling before dispatch	Machine settings, test records, observations, deviations and actions	That every retained site interface can be represented at the supplier's premises
Installation and commissioning	Position, connect, check, set up and integrate the equipment at site	Utility checks, mechanical alignment, control interfaces and start-up records	That commissioning alone proves sustained production
Site acceptance test	Confirm agreed site-dependent functions in the final environment	Production materials, retained equipment, operators and site services	That an undefined production target can be judged consistently
Handover	Transfer operating, cleaning, maintenance and support information	Manuals, settings, spares, training records and outstanding-action list	That undocumented knowledge will remain available

Test content

Cover normal production, boundaries and recovery.

Normal sequence

Start-up, product flow, replenishment, routine checks, normal stop and planned restart using the agreed product and pack.

Format change

Change parts, settings, recipes, labels or codes; record tools, time boundaries, verification and line-clearance responsibilities.

Abnormal conditions

Starved, blocked, missing component, unreadable code, rejected pack, sensor fault, emergency stop and recovery where relevant to the agreed system.

Write acceptance criteria that can be observed and recorded.

A criterion such as “machine runs well” is not testable. Define the sample, operating condition, number or duration of observations where appropriate, allowable result and recording method. Any numeric requirement must identify the product, format and test conditions to which it applies.

List exclusions and assumptions. If production product, final labels, a retained upstream machine or a site data connection is unavailable at FAT, state which part of the requirement remains for commissioning or SAT. Open items should have an owner and a defined route to closure.

Connect the protocol to the project brief, site-preparation plan and line-interface definition so all stages use the same scope.

Record for each test

Requirement reference and test objective
Product, pack and setup used
Starting condition and operator action
Expected and observed result
Pass, fail or deviation status
Evidence such as measurements, samples or images
Action owner, retest and closure record

Control the sample set and test configuration.

List every product and packaging component used at acceptance by identity, revision and quantity. Keep test materials separate from unidentified development samples. Where the final component is unavailable, state the substitute and the limitation it creates so the remaining check is transferred explicitly to site acceptance.

Freeze the machine configuration before the witnessed test. Record software or recipe version, fitted change parts, critical settings and any temporary test equipment. If a deviation is corrected during FAT, repeat the affected test and identify whether the change alters manuals, drawings, spares or another format.

Distinguish observation from acceptance

A useful test record shows what was observed and how that observation satisfies the requirement. Photographs and sample packs can support the record, but they need a reference to the test condition. A short video without the product, format and starting state may not prove the intended duty.

After installation, retain a controlled list of outstanding items. Separate production-preventing actions from cosmetic or documentation actions, assign owners and define the evidence needed for closure. This makes handover status clear without treating every open item as equivalent.

Test governance

Approved protocol and revision
Witnesses and decision authority
Controlled sample and configuration list
Deviation classification and owner
Retest trigger and evidence
Outstanding-action register
Formal acceptance or conditional release

Next step

Agree FAT, commissioning and SAT boundaries before the test date.

Send the product, container, closure, label or outer-pack samples that represent normal and difficult production. Include the required task, current process, intended output, available space and any existing equipment that must remain.

Useful enquiry routes

Acceptance questions

Questions about FAT, SAT and packaging machinery commissioning

Each stage should prove the functions that can genuinely be assessed under its conditions.

What is the difference between FAT, commissioning and SAT?

A factory acceptance test (FAT) checks agreed functions before dispatch under the available factory conditions. Commissioning establishes the installed machine, utilities, settings and interfaces at site. A site acceptance test (SAT) checks the agreed site-dependent result after installation. The exact scope must be defined for the project.

These stages are connected but not interchangeable. A factory trial cannot prove site utilities or upstream supply, while an SAT should not be the first time fundamental sample compatibility is considered.

What products and packaging materials are needed for FAT?

FAT requires representative product and production-quality containers, closures, labels, films or cases covering the agreed formats and difficult conditions. Quantities should support set-up, normal running, planned checks and restart observations without forcing conclusions from a few ideal samples.

Agree who supplies materials, their condition on arrival and how unused or filled product will be handled. The sample-trial guide provides a preparation structure.

How should packaging machinery acceptance criteria be written?

Acceptance criteria should state the machine configuration, product and formats, operating conditions, trial sequence, required observations, measurement method, sample plan, permitted interventions and how exceptions are recorded. Criteria should assess the agreed result rather than an undefined expectation of “successful running”.

Separate machine-dependent checks from site-dependent checks, and identify any evidence that will remain provisional until production materials or connected equipment are available.

Prepare samples Build acceptance scope Discuss FAT and SAT

Acceptance traceability

Trace each critical requirement to a realistic test and challenge the abnormal states.

A successful normal run does not prove component feeding, inspection, rejection and recovery under the conditions that create quality risk.

Use the URS to identify which requirements can be checked at FAT, which depend on site utilities or connected machines, and which remain for SAT or commissioning. Record deviations and open items rather than treating them as verbal understandings.

For inspection systems, include good, failed and borderline samples plus stops between inspection and reject. For component feeders, include replenishment, low-level, blocked-track and restart conditions. The acceptance plan should define the expected line response for each challenge.

Challenge-test examples

Consecutive failed packs
Stop after inspection before reject
Low or empty component feeder
Blocked downstream and full accumulation
Incorrect or missing recipe selection
Changeover with previous material present

Should FAT test every packaging format?

FAT should test every format identified as an acceptance format when the necessary product, components and machine scope are available, or explicitly record what remains for site testing. Representative grouping can be used only when the rationale and residual risk are agreed; it should not silently omit a difficult extreme.

What is an open item after a machinery FAT?

An open item is a documented requirement, defect, document or action that was not fully closed during FAT and has an owner, target and agreed verification route. Classify whether it blocks shipment, can be completed before delivery or belongs to SAT because site conditions are required.

Packaging machine URS Inspection and reject guide Discuss acceptance scope