A Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) should prove the agreed machine configuration with identified bottle samples before shipment. A Site Acceptance Test (SAT) should then confirm the installed machine, utilities, controls, transfers and downstream response in the real line. Neither test should rely on a short demonstration alone; the buyer and supplier should agree measurable conditions, permitted interventions and evidence before testing begins.
Acceptance testing
What should a bottle unscrambler FAT and SAT prove?
Define bottle samples, sustained runs, stop/restart checks, changeovers and evidence for bottle unscrambler factory and site acceptance testing.
Direct answer
The practical answer in brief.
Technical guidance
Agree the test basis before the machine runs
Bottle sample register
List each bottle format, sample identity, material and any known production variation. Mark the boundary samples that are most likely to challenge stability, orientation or surface condition.
Machine configuration
Record fitted parts, guide settings, sensor positions, software or recipe identifier, outfeed arrangement and any temporary trial equipment.
Acceptance point
Define where acceptable bottles are counted or observed: at the unscrambler outfeed, after a transfer conveyor or at the downstream machine infeed.
Permitted intervention
State which operator actions are normal replenishment and which count as a stoppage, manual correction or failed recovery.
Technical guidance
Evidence to retain from the test
Continuous video
Show the bottle route, outfeed and relevant controls during normal running, backup and restart. Do not use isolated clips as the only proof.
Event log
Record faults, jams, tipped bottles, manual interventions, settings changes and the action taken.
Bottle-condition record
Use pre- and post-trial photographs for decorated or presentation-sensitive bottles, following the established scuffing guide.
Open-items list
Identify every unresolved action, owner and required closure evidence before shipment or final site acceptance.
Decision aid
What FAT and SAT should each confirm
| Check | FAT focus | SAT focus |
|---|---|---|
| Bottle handling | Representative samples run through the supplied machine configuration | Production bottles run through the installed transfers and downstream interface |
| Controls | Machine functions, agreed simulations and recorded alarms or signals | Real I/O, backup, restart and interaction with retained line equipment |
| Changeover | Parts, settings, sequence and repeatability on the agreed format change | Operator access, storage, site procedure and repeatability after installation |
| Safety and access | Machine guards, supplied safety information and intended intervention points | Complete-line risk assessment, installed interfaces, isolation and site procedures |
| Documentation | Trial record, final settings, drawings and open items | Installed records, training, handover, closed actions and support contacts |
Buyer questions
Questions to resolve before the route is accepted.
What should be agreed before a bottle unscrambler FAT starts?
Agree the bottle set, machine configuration, handover point, test sequence, run conditions, evidence format, permitted interventions and acceptance criteria before the FAT begins. Also record which parts of the real line are simulated. This prevents a successful demonstration under one condition being interpreted as proof for untested bottles or downstream behaviour.
The purchase specification and FAT sheet should use the same definitions.
How long should the bottle trial run?
There is no universal duration that proves every bottle unscrambler application. The run should be long enough to expose replenishment, recirculation, downstream backup, restart and the bottle variation expected in production. Agree a duration or bottle quantity that is proportionate to the duty, then state the conditions that would require the sequence to be repeated.
A short uninterrupted burst is not a substitute for the agreed sustained test.
Which events should be included in the FAT?
Include normal start, controlled stop, downstream backup, restart, representative replenishment, the critical changeover, alarm or fault indications that can be tested safely, and the agreed jam-recovery demonstration. For presentation-sensitive bottles, include the bottle-condition inspection. The exact list should reflect the supplied scope and avoid unsafe simulated interventions.
The event log should show whether the machine recovered without undocumented adjustments.
What should the SAT recheck after installation?
The SAT should recheck bottle flow through the real transfer, utility supply, controls signals, downstream backup, stop and restart, operator loading, access, guarding interfaces and the agreed production formats. It should also confirm that shipping, installation or site conditions have not changed the successful FAT settings. Any remaining actions need a named owner and closure evidence.
Use the site-survey guide to verify the installed conditions.
Related guidance
Continue the specification process.
Bottle sample testing
Continue with this related specification or integration resource.
Orientation video evidence
Continue with this related specification or integration resource.
Bottle-condition trial
Continue with this related specification or integration resource.
Changeover acceptance
Continue with this related specification or integration resource.
Next step
Send the bottle and line details for a practical shortlist.
Use the existing enquiry route with bottle dimensions, photographs or samples, target sustained output, downstream machinery and available layout information.