A factory acceptance test is the buyer's chance to see a machine work before it leaves the supplier's floor — while the people who built it are standing next to it, the parts bin is a few steps away and a fix costs an afternoon rather than a site visit. It is usually written into the purchase order, run against a test procedure both sides agreed in advance, and ends with a decision: ship it, ship it with a short list of things to finish on site, or test it again. This checklist follows the order an FAT actually runs in: who is present, the paperwork, the build, the safety devices, the functional tests one by one, the controls, a performance run if the order calls for one, and a punch list that keeps must-fix items apart from the rest. You can fill it in here and download a finished PDF without creating an account.
FAT or SAT — which test is this?
A factory acceptance test happens at the supplier's works, before shipping, usually on temporary utilities, simulated signals and test material. A site acceptance test (SAT) happens after the equipment has been installed at the buyer's plant, connected to the real utilities and the real control system, running real product.
The two are not alternatives. The FAT catches build and logic problems where they are cheapest to fix; the SAT proves the machine still works after shipping, installation and connection to everything around it. Tests that cannot be done at the works — a full-rate run with your own product, a handshake with a plant system the supplier cannot reach — are marked here as deferred to site, so they become the first items on the SAT rather than being forgotten.
Agree the procedure before you get on the plane
The FAT should be run against a written test procedure that the buyer approved beforehand: which tests, in what order, with what acceptance criteria. Without one, the test turns into a demonstration of whatever the supplier is comfortable showing. The readiness section asks whether that procedure exists and was agreed, and whether the supplier ran its own dry run first.
Ask for the document package ahead of time too. Reviewing drawings, certificates and the I/O list in the hotel the night before is much better than flicking through them on the shop floor.
Write down the actual result, not just a tick
Every functional test in the list asks for what was expected and what actually happened. "Conveyor stops when guard opened — stopped within one second, fault shown on HMI, would not restart until reset" is evidence. A bare "pass" is an opinion. If a test fails, the form asks what went wrong and which punch item will fix it, so the failure and its fix stay linked.
Speak while you walk, and the document writes itself: say "test seven, low-level alarm, expected alarm at twenty percent, got it at twenty-two, pass" and the entry fills in.
A punch list that decides the shipment
Most FATs find something. The question is which findings block shipment. Category A items are ones the machine must not leave the works with — a safety device that does not work, a failed functional test, missing certificates the buyer needs for installation. Category B items can reasonably be finished after installation — a label, a cosmetic touch-up, a screen tweak. Each item gets an owner and a target date.
The release decision at the end follows from the list: no open A items, release; open A items, retest. Recording it this way makes the decision hard to fudge on a Friday afternoon when everybody wants the crate closed.
Common questions
What should a factory acceptance test checklist include?
Equipment and order details, attendees, the documents reviewed, a visual and dimensional check, the nameplate, guarding and safety devices, each functional test with its expected and actual result, I/O and control checks, a performance run if the order specifies one, a punch list with categories and owners, the release decision and signatures from buyer and supplier.
Who attends a factory acceptance test?
Usually the buyer's project or process engineer and someone from the team that will run and maintain the equipment, with the supplier's project manager, controls engineer and quality lead. Some buyers also send a third-party inspector. The form lists everyone present and what they were there for.
What is the difference between FAT and SAT?
An FAT is done at the supplier's works before shipping; a site acceptance test is done after installation at the buyer's site. The FAT proves the machine was built and programmed correctly; the SAT proves it still works once installed and connected to real utilities, product and plant systems.
What happens if the equipment fails the FAT?
The failures go on the punch list as category A items with an owner and a date, and the equipment is not released. Depending on what failed, the buyer may witness a repeat of the failed tests only, accept evidence such as a video, or require a full retest.
Can I re-check only the items that failed?
Yes. In the ReportWalk app, start a re-inspection from this test and only the failed checks come back, each asking whether it is fixed, with a photo — useful for the retest visit or the first day of the SAT. Re-inspections are free.