What Should Be Included in a Packaging Machine Factory Acceptance Test (FAT)?

Introduction

A packaging machine factory acceptance test (FAT) gives the buyer and supplier a chance to verify the agreed machine scope before shipment. It cannot reproduce every condition at the buyer’s plant, but it can expose gaps in functions, product handling, pack quality and documentation while corrections are still easier to manage. The test should follow a written, project-specific plan rather than a generic demonstration.

What is a packaging machine FAT?

A FAT is a witnessed test at the supplier’s facility, usually after assembly and before dispatch. The buyer, supplier and relevant technical teams compare the machine’s demonstrated performance with the purchase specification and agreed test protocol. Record observations, deviations, corrective actions and sign-off responsibilities. Site acceptance after installation is a separate step and should not be treated as a substitute for FAT.

Five key areas to check

1. Machine functions

Check the functions included in the order: start-up, stop, operating modes, alarms, safety-related responses, recipe selection, changeover steps and interfaces to specified upstream or downstream equipment. Demonstrate how operators respond to typical faults. Confirm which functions can be tested at the supplier’s facility and which must wait for site integration.

2. Product test

Run representative buyer-supplied product where practical, using the agreed formats and operating conditions. Observe feeding, handling, dosing or transfer, depending on the machine’s role. Note bridging, spillage, damage, contamination risks or unstable flow. If production product is unavailable, document the substitute and the limits of what that test proves.

3. Packaging performance

Use agreed packaging materials and pack formats. Inspect pack formation, fill consistency, seals or closures, coding position and presentation where applicable. Check samples during sustained operation, start-up and changeover, not just the first acceptable pack. Record rejects, stoppages and the conditions under which samples were produced. Any measurements and pass/fail limits must come from the agreed project requirements.

4. Documentation

Review the documents promised in the order, such as operating and maintenance instructions, electrical and pneumatic drawings where applicable, spare-parts information, software or recipe backup arrangements, and the FAT record. Check revision numbers and identify documents still due before shipment. A successful demonstration does not close a missing-document item.

5. Acceptance criteria

Compare results with the buyer–supplier protocol, not an assumed industry threshold. Define what counts as a pass, what evidence is required, who approves deviations and whether an open item blocks shipment or can be closed later. Exact FAT criteria should be agreed by the buyer and supplier according to the project requirements before testing begins.

FAT checklist

What should be confirmed before FAT?

Agree the test scope, sample product and packaging materials, formats, run duration, measurement methods, required witnesses and decision authority. Confirm that supplied materials reflect intended production use and that utilities or connected equipment needed for testing are available. Circulate the protocol in advance so a missing sample or disputed criterion does not consume the FAT visit.

Common FAT mistakes to avoid

Do not accept a short demonstration as evidence of sustained performance, test only the easiest format, or leave deviations as verbal promises. Avoid signing off against criteria introduced after the test. Record untested site-dependent functions explicitly, assign each open item an owner and due date, and state whether it must be resolved before dispatch.

FAQs

Is FAT the same as site acceptance testing?

No. FAT checks the machine before shipment; site acceptance checks installation and operation under the buyer’s site conditions.

What if the actual product cannot be sent to the supplier?

Agree a representative substitute and document the testing limitation. Plan how the unverified product behavior will be checked later.

Can a machine ship with open FAT items?

Only if the buyer and supplier agree which items may remain open, how they will be resolved and whether any affect shipment approval.

Conclusion

A packaging machine FAT is most useful when it follows a clear sequence: machine functions, product test, packaging performance, documentation and acceptance criteria. Written evidence and explicit shipment decisions reduce purchasing disputes and project-delivery risk. Before scheduling FAT, ask the supplier to review the protocol against your product, packaging materials and planned line interfaces.