Separate FAT, installation, commissioning and site acceptance
| Stage | Main question | Typical location |
|---|---|---|
| FAT | Does the ordered machine meet factory-test criteria? | Supplier factory |
| Installation | Is the equipment placed, assembled and connected correctly? | Buyer site |
| Commissioning | Can the installed equipment start, adjust and operate with site utilities? | Buyer site |
| SAT | Does the installed system meet agreed site-acceptance criteria? | Buyer site |
| Handover | Can the buyer operate, maintain and support the machine? | Buyer site |
IEC 62381 distinguishes FAT and site acceptance concepts for industrial automation. Adapt the stages to the actual machine and contract rather than using the names without a defined scope.
Complete a site-readiness review before shipment
Approve the layout, service access, foundation, floor loading, anchors, ventilation and environmental controls. Confirm voltage, frequency, control power, compressed air, water, steam, gas, cooling, drainage, extraction and network requirements.
- Door, corridor, elevator and turning dimensions
- Delivery vehicle access and unloading area
- Crane, forklift, rigging and lifting-point plan
- Foundation cure and anchor readiness
- Power capacity, grounding and isolation
- Utility quality, pressure, flow and connection
- Dust, temperature, humidity, washdown or hazardous-area conditions
- Space for operation, cleaning and maintenance
Share photos and measurements with the supplier, but use qualified local professionals for structural, electrical, gas, pressure and safety work.
Create an installation responsibility matrix
Write who supplies every person, tool, material and approval. Separate physical installation from supervision. A supplier technician may supervise local labor without accepting responsibility for rigging, electrical work or civil work.
| Task | Possible buyer scope | Possible supplier scope |
|---|---|---|
| Unload and indoor move | Crane, rigging team and access | Lifting instructions and supervision |
| Position and anchor | Foundation and local labor | Layout check and machine alignment |
| Utility connection | Licensed local trades | Connection requirements and verification |
| Assembly | Labor and common tools | Special procedures, tools and supervision |
| Commissioning | Material, operators and site utilities | Settings, test run and technical correction |
| Training | Participants and language support | Operation and maintenance instruction |
| Acceptance | Approve criteria and sign decision | Provide records and close supplier findings |
Put the matrix in the RFQ and purchase documents, not only in later travel emails.
Inspect delivery condition before installation
Match packages to the packing list and record visible damage, moisture, corrosion, shock indicators and missing items before unpacking or signing an unqualified receipt. Follow the insurer, carrier and contract notice process when damage is found.
Confirm machine identifiers, accessories, loose parts, tooling, control cabinets, spares and documents. Preserve packaging until the initial condition is documented.
Verify installation before energizing
Follow manufacturer instructions and qualified local requirements. Check level, alignment, anchors, guards, lubrication, mechanical connections, electrical terminations, grounding, utility connections and safe isolation. Replace damaged or missing safety components before operation.
Do not let schedule pressure turn commissioning into the first installation inspection.
Run commissioning in controlled stages
- Inspect installation and confirm utilities before energizing.
- Verify control power, I/O, sensors, actuators, alarms and safe states.
- Run unloaded or at reduced risk where appropriate.
- Introduce representative material and establish stable settings.
- Measure output, quality, rejects, scrap and downtime.
- Test changeover, cleaning, restart and fault recovery.
- Complete the agreed site-acceptance run and record open issues.
Commissioning evidence should identify settings, software version, material and operating conditions. A successful first start does not prove sustained performance.
Make training and handover measurable
List who needs operator, maintenance, electrical, controls and safety training. Define language, duration, practical exercises and records. Training should cover normal operation, changeover, cleaning, fault finding, safe isolation and preventive maintenance.
- Final manuals and as-built drawings
- Passwords, software backups and license records where included
- Maintenance schedule and lubrication plan
- Spare-parts and consumables inventory
- Supplier and local-service contacts
- Open-issue list and temporary operating restrictions
- Signed training and handover record
The buyer remains responsible for local competence, safe use and destination obligations.
Confirm spares, warranty and support after handover
Separate commissioning spares, recommended operating spares, wear parts and consumables. Record part numbers, prices, lead times and whether equivalent local parts are acceptable. Confirm warranty start and how installation delay affects it.
- Fault-report information the supplier needs
- Remote support hours and response route
- Permission and security for remote access
- Who pays parts freight, labor and technician travel
- Replacement-controller and software recovery process
- Escalation when the machine cannot meet acceptance criteria
Compare these terms before award using How to Compare Machinery Quotes from China.
Control commissioning failures and open issues
Record each finding, effect, temporary control, owner, due date and retest. Separate buyer site-readiness issues from supplier equipment issues. Do not sign an unconditional acceptance when critical performance or safety criteria remain open.
Contractual remedies, retention and warranty effect require project-specific legal review. This guide does not define those rights.
Commissioning completion decision
Complete handover only when the agreed installed tests, documents, training, spares and critical corrections are closed or formally controlled. The China Sourcing Workspace can organize local project notes and milestones without sending supplier data to CN Sourcing Tools analytics.
Return to Mechanical Equipment Sourcing Strategies for the complete sourcing workflow.
Copy-ready workflow
Copy Installation and Commissioning Checklist
- Approve final layout, foundation, loading and service clearances.
- Confirm site power, air, water, drainage, extraction and network readiness.
- Plan delivery access, unloading, lifting, rigging and indoor transport.
- Assign buyer, supplier and local-contractor responsibilities in writing.
- Confirm installation tools, instruments, consumables and specialist labor.
- Record technician days, travel terms, delays and extra-day rates.
- Define dry run, product trial, output and site-acceptance criteria.
- Prepare operators, maintenance staff and safety participants for training.
- Receive manuals, drawings, software backups, passwords and spare parts.
- Create an open-issue list with correction, retest and final handover status.
- Record warranty start, support contacts and escalation process.
FAQ
What is machinery commissioning?
Commissioning checks and adjusts installed equipment with the real site utilities, controls and material so it can be tested and handed over for operation.
Does factory acceptance testing replace commissioning?
No. FAT occurs before shipment at the supplier. Commissioning verifies installation and operation in the buyer's real site conditions.
Who should install machinery imported from China?
Responsibilities vary. Define supplier supervision, qualified local trades, rigging, utilities, safety and buyer labor in a written responsibility matrix.
What documents are needed at machinery handover?
Common deliverables include as-built drawings, manuals, component and spare-parts lists, software backups where included, training records, test results and an open-issue list.
When should the machinery warranty start?
There is no universal answer. Agree the event, duration, exclusions and effect of shipping or site delays in writing before ordering.
Sources & Further Verification
Use these sources to verify the material responsibility, customs, operational or buyer-risk statements on this page. Destination rules and provider schedules can change. CN Sourcing Tools is not affiliated with the publishers.
Work equipment and machinery FAQs - equipment installers
UK Health and Safety Executive
Installers and users have distinct duties, and safe installation should follow manufacturer instructions and site risk controls.
Open sourceIEC 62381:2024 - Factory acceptance test, site acceptance test, and site integration test
International Electrotechnical Commission
Factory acceptance and site acceptance are separate activities that require documented procedures and acceptance criteria.
Open sourceBuying new machinery
UK Health and Safety Executive
Machine instructions, safety information and suitability for intended use should be reviewed before equipment is placed into service.
Open sourceMachine Guarding
U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Machine guarding must protect workers from hazardous moving parts and should be assessed before production use.
Open sourceOptional page feedback
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This checklist is general sourcing preparation. Machinery installation, electrical work, rigging, safety, commissioning and acceptance require qualified local professionals and project-specific requirements.