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Roadmap for a successful Factory Acceptance Test

Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs) are a key milestone in any new capital equipment project.

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With proper focus, detail, and team participation, a successful FAT can be the difference between a successful vertical start-up and frustration as the plant struggles for days or even weeks. Consider the following tips as a roadmap to a successful Factory Acceptance Test:

1. Provide a detailed test plan. The FAT is the time to discover failures or issues, determine reliability, verify efficiencies, and explore how the machine should handle failures. The test plan should be prepared up front and submitted to the supplier as part of the Request for Quote (RFQ). The machine will not perform as expected if the criteria aren’t specified; neither will performance be competently assessed. Clearly state in the contract all the responsibilities, accountabilities, and deliverables, in a measurable way. These must be quantifiable and agreed upon to eliminate finger-pointing. Doing so makes it easier for all parties by eliminating second-guessing. Specify how long the machine should be dry-cycled; 24 hours minimum is recommended. Specify how many packages should be produced and at what speed. Specify disposal plans for finished packages. Although you’ll pay for the FAT, most equipment suppliers will agree to a provision that if the machine fails, any subsequent test is free. Having a detailed test plan will help ensure that you don’t shortchange the FAT. Performing a brief, shallow FAT will inevitably show up as a problem in the third shift, nine months down the road.

2. Push the envelope, but use the right materials as well. In the FAT, use the materials that will be put in operation during actual production. Not using them may compromise test validity. You can stretch the system with noncompliant materials and processes to better understand operational flexibility (wildcard testing), but the most important results will be those gleaned from using the materials you actually employ in your process.

3. Engage the operators and technicians. Focus on the personnel who will ultimately be responsible for running the machines, those who “own the line.” Sending engineers isn’t sufficient; the operators will see what makes the most sense on the line. The people who will run the equipment daily are uniquely qualified to make observations beyond the specifications and recognize issues or flaws prior to delivery. Additionally, the ownership aspect is invaluable, as the best technology going into a plant is not going to work if the operators are not comfortable with it, or have no faith in it. Engaging the production team early in the process is one of the most important aspects of new equipment design. The FAT provides a structured and empowering opportunity. Do not miss this one!

4. Be smart about training. If training is provided as part of the FAT, make sure the people being trained are those who will run the line, not the engineers. Train and educate the right people.

5. Create and follow a detailed “failure script.” Make an inventory of the type of failures that you’ve experienced or might experience in production, as well as expected outcomes. Use this checklist to fully assess machine performance during the FAT. Machines have a natural backup curve that is all about early failures. Running, even dry running, is very critical; you can find leakage, electronic failures, and more, and then make sensible engineering changes. You can’t reap the benefits of testing if you don’t do the testing. Changes made at the FAT stage are the least-expensive ones; many times you don’t even pay for them.

6. Test parts replacement and changeover procedures. Test how long it takes to replace the most common wear parts. Determine how to remove a defective part and document the process in an easy-to-use format such as a One Point Lesson (OPL). Using your technicians and operators at the FAT, practice changeovers, and start-up and shut-down protocols. See where the users encounter difficulty and elicit their input and ideas. Leverage the opportunity to modify the equipment, standardize the procedures, and document in an OPL format with numerous pictures.

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