The Importance of the Factory Acceptance Test for Packaging Machinery

While there are many steps involved in taking a packaging system from concept to production, perhaps no step is as important in moving from the manufacturer floor to the customer floor than the factory acceptance test (FAT). In general, most packaging machinery manufacturers will offer the customer the opportunity to come to the factory and see the equipment run before it is shipped to the customer facility to begin running production. Though those that offer the FAT will normally allow a customer to waive the same, there are many good reasons not to do so.

A proper FAT will require some effort from both the manufacturer and the customer. Obviously, the manufacturer will design and build the equipment, but the FAT will also require the staging and testing of the equipment in an environment that matches the customer production floor as much as possible. In order to reap the full benefits of the acceptance test then, the customer will need to supply enough product, bottles or containers, caps, labels and other packaging components to thoroughly test the line.

In addition, the customer will need to be present at the test to ensure that the equipment works as expected and desired. From filling machines and capping machines to bottle rinsers and even power conveyor systems, actually seeing the equipment work can help to identify possible issues or necessary modifications before the packaging system is up and running on the production floor. For instance, a new bottle size or type added after the initial sale of the equipment may require modification to a filling machine height adjustment or nozzle diving capability. A change in the labels may require adjustment to the labeling machine that would not have been caught before beginning production. First and foremost, the FAT is used to ensure that all of the packaging equipment works to the customers satisfaction with the customers own product and packaging components.

Once the customer sees the equipment run, they may also decide to make changes simply for convenience, rather than necessity. After viewing the actual equipment to be used, a customer may decide that additional heads on the rinsing machine or filling machine will simply make life easier at their plant. On other occasions, viewing the equipment and understanding the process may lead customers to add on clean in place programs to save time and labor on a daily basis. So in addition to ensuring that the equipment functions as expected, the FAT allows the customer to make changes or improvements on the factory floor, where they will be both easier - and cheaper - to accomplish.

Finally, the FAT allows the customer their first opportunity to learn the basics of operating their packaging equipment. Though many of the necessary settings and adjustments will be pre-set at the factory with components, like Recipe screens on filling machines, to make set up easy for the operator, understanding the set up and operation is crucial information for the packager. The ability to understand and set up the machinery will come in handy if new products and packages are introduced in the future or when employee turnover leads to training a new operator.

While not all equipment will require an FAT prior to the shipment to the customer plant, most manufacturers will encourage such as test for a majority of their individual machines and systems as a whole. Identifying and correcting problem areas, modifying machinery to meet customer needs and goals and training on the machinery is simply easier when all of the tools to make adjustments are at hand. Manufacturers and packagers working together should always be working toward a common goal, and the Factory Acceptance Test is a crucial tool in achieving that goal.