Best Practices for Conducting Factory Acceptance Tests

The Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) is the standard way for a customer to verify the equipment they purchased will operate as intended. The FAT will validate the operation of the new machine and make sure all needs of the application are met, usually prior to shipment from the original equipment manufacturer to the customer’s facility.

FATs are performed in a variety of ways to ensure site acceptance upon arrival of the new equipment. For 50 years, Morrison has been setting industry standards for performance of factory acceptance tests, paving the way for what customers should expect. Below are some best practices we’ve come to implement throughout the years.

Customers and manufacturer should both set FAT expectations up front so there are no surprises down the line. Just as much as you want to make sure you can perform all the customer is asking you to do, the customer also wants to make sure they know up front what to expect you to be able to do. This is highly important for those mid-build check ins.

Note what the system is currently capable or not capable of doing up front, so everyone comes to the table knowing what to expect. If the customer is going to want to see you run at a certain speed, you’ll be able to make sure you can accommodate that request. Have these conversations before FAT for optimal performance, and even present a typed agenda so your customer knows what to expect for the duration of their visit. And we mean even down to them knowing when lunch is and what room they can leave their items in. It’ll make your teams’ lives easier too.

2. Lights, Action, Video!

Whether you’re conducting an FAT or not, every piece of equipment you run should have video taken of it. There’s so much use to this, from troubleshooting later to sharing with your prospects.

At Morrison, a video of every system is sent to our customers prior to breakdown and shipment. This allows us our customers to validate before shipment and know exactly what they can expect to arrive to their facility.

If you are performing an in-person FAT, it should still be a best practice to capture video. This will allow you to share with the customer so they have a reference of optimal operation down the line, and it allows your service team to have a benchmark should sometime happen with operator changes and you need to help the customer recalibrate.

3. Know Your Guests

This one seems like a no-brainer, but it is important to note. Know who is coming from the customer to your site for the Factory Acceptance Test so you can adapt your FAT to what each title needs. Every attendee likely has a different item to validate, and you want to be able to best assist them on site and make sure you can perform all they will be asking for at the machine.

COVID-19 changed the way many of us come together, especially at manufacturing facilities. Video has been an incredibly useful tool for FATs, and adapting to new technology sooner rather than later makes it easier to integrate it into your FAT offerings. At Morrison, we can perform remote FATs through the use of our remote service technologies such as the Hololens and Microsoft video conferencing via Teams. You can read more about these services here, but simply put, the combination of the two allow us to bring customers to the machine in a virtual setting and highlight the points of validation easier.

5. Prepare! Always Pre-FAT.

The adage practice makes perfect absolutely applies to your factory acceptance test. The day before a live FAT, bring all the players to the table to mock how the FAT will go right at the equipment. Having your team aligned ahead of time on what role everyone will play makes the customer experience better on the day of the actual FAT. These pre-FAT’s allow your team to work out kinks that are natural in such situations and will make you better prepared for the day.

6. Discuss Spares and Service

Having your customer in an FAT setting is an optimal time to discuss spare parts and service. Wear components fail and having those spare parts on hand ahead of time makes downtime less for your customers. Use the FAT as a time to highlight these items and prepare a list of spare parts they’ll want to purchase that you can ship with the machine to their facility before install.

As well, you’ll want your service team to be aligned with the customer if you are performing install. This allows all parties to be better prepared at install and set expectations on both sides needs, making your service team more successful in the long run. Discuss what training the customers’ technicians will need and you’ll be able to come prepared at install. If your customer is performing the install, this is a great opportunity to chat best practices since you’re the expert of your equipment.

7. Communicate Internally

Let all parties know in your company who will be arriving and when. If your company is like ours, we get excited all around when customers are visiting. We want to put our best face forward and like knowing what to expect. Send out calendar invites and communicate company-wide when you’ll have an FAT. Everyone from office staff preparing NDA’s and COVID forms to the shop team cleaning the floor will make for a better on-site experience for your visitors.