Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT)

Ensuring Quality From Our Manufacturing Facility To Your Site

Understanding the complexities involved in turning ideas into reality, ACS places high value on precision throughout the entire process. Our Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) serves as the initial safeguard, ensuring that all customer equipment meets rigorous performance and regulatory standards before it even leaves our facility. By validating functionality, performance, and safety features with our factory acceptance test procedure, we not only ensure compliance but also proactively address any potential deficiencies, laying a solid foundation for a seamless installation experience.

We manage every aspect of the installation process, from site preparation to execution of final connections. This approach enables our clients to concentrate on their core operations without interruption. As the equipment seamlessly integrates into its operational environment, our Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) provides the ultimate validation, ensuring that performance not only meets but exceeds expectations, perfectly aligning with your needs.

ACS understands the importance of empowering our clients through comprehensive training and smooth handover processes. We offer personalized training sessions tailored to the specific needs of your team, equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to harness the full potential of the installed equipment. Our handover factory acceptance test procedure and site acceptance test procedure ensure a seamless transition of ownership, providing detailed documentation and ongoing support to guarantee continued success long after installation.

Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT)

Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) ensures that all customer equipment, machines, and controls are verified as functional and up to performance and regulatory standards before shipment. FAT is conducted at our Verona, Wisconsin, facility. This phase demonstrates equipment or machine performance and can include sample run-off and staff training.

With our team’s expansive industry experience, clients benefit from a wide range of knowledge about various industry standards while aligning with future growth and scalability goals. It involves rigorous testing to ensure that the equipment meets the specifications and requirements outlined in the design phase.

Factory acceptance testing verifies functionality, performance, and safety features, as well as compliance with industry standards and regulations. Any deficiencies or discrepancies discovered during FAT are addressed and rectified before production starts. Factory acceptance testing may include but is not limited to dimensional check-out, wiring verification, system leak checks, and control logic check-out.

Machine and Equipment Installation

Installation of custom machines and equipment often involves more complex steps than manufacturers may expect. This ranges from site preparation and rigging to placement of the new systems, integration with existing systems, and final connections of the utilities.

We make this process as customizable as the development of our clients’ equipment. Depending on client needs, ACS can scale up to cover these elements or manage facets of the installation process, such as developing scope-of-work packages and selecting contractors, holding contracts for all on-site construction, and managing on-site contractors. Our clients can focus on their day-to-day activities and keep normal operations moving smoothly while new capabilities are introduced.

ACS also provides a detailed analysis of the existing facility systems, such as electrical, compressed air, cooling water, or other controls, to confirm that the current capacity is sufficient to support the new machines and equipment. If upgrades are needed, ACS can turnkey deliver the design and construction of these new facility systems by functioning as the project construction manager. This allows the end user to work with a single firm and further differentiates ACS from a typical machine builder or systems integrator.

Site Acceptance Testing (SAT)

The Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) and the site acceptance test procedure provide an opportunity for final confirmation that custom solutions deliver on performance. This process typically involves full functional testing of the machines and equipment after they are installed and integrated with support systems. All tests conducted during the Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) are repeated after the systems are installed onsite, ensuring nothing has changed or was damaged during shipment and installation. The same ACS engineers who designed the systems and performed FAT will also lead the SAT to guarantee continuity.

At this stage, our team works with onsite engineers, operators, and managers to verify that equipment functions correctly within the specific operational environment and meets the user’s requirements. Site acceptance testing may include performance testing, calibration, integration with existing systems, and operator training. Successful completion of the site acceptance test procedure signifies that the equipment is ready for full-scale operation and acceptance by the customer.

Site acceptance testing provides all parties with final confirmation that the systems have met performance requirements, ranging from:

Installation is complete and adequate
Integration with supporting systems is appropriate
Important process parameters are achieved
Functionality is aligned with requirements
Usability is intuitive and high-quality

Training and Support

Having custom process equipment that meets all operational expectations requires solid support from the systems integration team that developed it. From its early days, ACS’ management team recognized that documentation, training, and a well-crafted support plan were fundamental for the desired performance of custom equipment and integrated production systems. Our flexible delivery process recognizes this reality and makes it an integral component of every project. Superior delivery, start-up, and ongoing training and support bring each project to a satisfactory conclusion.

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