Pack identity
Identify the bottle, closure, liner, batch and fill condition. A result cannot be reproduced if the components used are unknown.
Acceptance testing
Screw Capper FAT and SAT Acceptance Guide
Factory and site acceptance tests should verify the agreed production duty with identified samples and repeatable pass/fail checks. The purpose is to prove the supplied scope and record any open actions before routine production.
Practical starting point
Test the agreed requirement, not an improvised demonstration.
The test plan should trace back to the quotation and user requirements. It should identify the pack formats, run condition, operator tasks, acceptance checks, witnesses, evidence and treatment of deviations.
- Approve representative bottles, caps, liners and filled condition.
- Define good-pack output and the timed run method before the test.
- Include normal stops, restarts, replenishment and changeover where relevant.
- Record settings, rejects, interventions and unresolved actions.
Test plan
Use FAT and SAT for different evidence.
| Stage | Typical verification | Evidence to retain |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-FAT readiness | Approved scope, samples, tooling, utilities, safety review status, test method and witness plan. | Signed test plan, sample register and list of items not available for the test. |
| FAT setup | Machine identity, supplied tooling/change parts, controls, manuals, utilities and agreed pack formats. | Configuration record, photographs and settings for each tested format. |
| FAT operation | Cap placement, bottle handling, tightening, output, stops/restarts, alarms, changeover and finished-pack checks. | Timed run sheet, reject/intervention log, accepted packs and recorded deviations. |
| Pre-SAT installation | Access, level, utilities, guarding, interfaces, conveyors, upstream/downstream handshakes and line responsibility. | Installation and interface checklist with open actions assigned. |
| SAT operation | Production components, actual operators, normal line sequence, replenishment, accumulation and site acceptance checks. | Site run record, training attendance, final settings and acceptance/deviation record. |
| Handover | Manuals, format records, maintenance information, spare/change parts and unresolved items. | Handover pack and named owner/date for each remaining action. |
Run evidence
Make every pass condition observable and reproducible.
Machine state
Record tooling, guides, clamps, head or spindle settings, cap-feed setup and line speed for each format.
Good-pack definition
Use agreed cap height, thread engagement, opening/removal check, liner or tamper condition, leakage and presentation criteria as applicable.
Interventions
Log cap refills, misfeeds, bottle handling, operator corrections, jams and resets. Output without the intervention record can be misleading.
Normal disturbances
Include stop/restart, accumulation, replenishment and a controlled recovery so the line is not accepted only under an uninterrupted demonstration.
Deviation control
Describe the issue, affected requirement, temporary disposition, corrective action, owner and evidence needed to close it.
Acceptance boundary
Do not use FAT to claim site conditions that were not present.
Factory testing can prove the machine and available interfaces with the agreed samples. Site utilities, production environment, operator workflow and the complete connected line should be verified during installation and SAT.
Prepare the test from the URS guide, sample-submission guide and changeover-validation guide. For installation scope, see screw-capper installation and commissioning.
Buyer questions
Questions about FAT and SAT
The exact test scope depends on the supplied machine, connected equipment and acceptance requirements.
What is the difference between FAT and SAT?
FAT is performed before dispatch to verify the supplied machine and available interfaces under agreed factory conditions. SAT verifies installation and operation in the real site and line environment.
How long should a capping run test last?
The duration should be agreed from the production duty and risk. It must be long enough to include normal operation, replenishment, stops, restarts and the evidence needed for acceptance; no universal duration applies.
Should every format be tested?
The plan should identify which formats require full testing and whether justified grouping is possible. Format extremes and closures with materially different handling should not be assumed equivalent without evidence.
What happens if a test point fails?
Record the deviation against the requirement, agree its disposition and corrective action, and define the evidence required for closure. Do not hide an open point inside a general pass statement.
Can SAT replace operator training?
No. SAT can include trained operators and verify the normal workflow, but training content, attendance and handover should be recorded separately.
Agree the acceptance method before the machine is tested.
Lancing can review the machine scope, samples, line interfaces and finished-pack checks so the FAT and SAT plan reflects the actual project.