Acceptance Testing Definition, Types, and Examples

The control panels and panel hardware are visually inspected, and observations are documented to be complete, clean, and ready for shipment to the site. All ground bonding is checked, and circuits are checked to be isolated from short circuit. Should UL 508A have been specified, fusing amperage and terminal torque requirements must be identified inside the panel enclosure; components must be UL and FM approved; and the UL 508A certification must be adhered within the enclosure. Wiring in general will be reviewed to conform to industry standards and best practices. Today’s startup and commissioning environment requires many operations personnel, trades contractors, technicians, and engineers to be on hand during this scheduled event.

It is common to find inconsistencies post fabrication since there are possibilities of misses during translation of all the user requirement specifications and purchase order commitments into design/fabrication. An example is the use of a typical coated surface instead of a stainless-steel finish for environmental chambers. The product impact could be minimal since it is strictly used for storage of the unit’s post-secondary packaging. However, there could be an impact on the cleaning procedure that might be applied on-site.

Defining The Goals In A CQV Plan & Leveraging Checkpoints

In the machinery builder’s plant, it may be difficult or even impossible to simulate both the production volume and the conditions of your product, especially for more than a few minutes. This is especially true if the product will be packed at a certain temperature, or has a certain consistency or rate of speed coming out of production. Much time, energy, and money has been spent in vain trying to address “failures” in the machine builder’s plant, only to find that the machine works perfectly once in production at the customer’s plant. Take your time on the FAT, especially with highly customized machines. Why would you take a million-dollar project and squeeze the FAT into a six-hour window? For example, high-speed testing can be difficult due to the sheer volume of product needed for the test.

• Don’t attempt to analyze UAT as a subset of system testing — at this point, the QA team is no longer concerned about the bug-free performance.
• Finding out if a prospective user rates the system as fitted to its purpose is crucial for business managers.
• Suppliers may be able to prove to the end user that their machine can perform in the manner desired during pre-sales (or pre-PO) product-testing procedures.
• Consequently, you will have to spend countless hours at the client’s site solving issues that you could have easily taken care of before shipping the control panel.
• The test plan should be prepared up front and submitted to the supplier as part of the Request for Quote .
• The contractor, at its own cost, shall provide the testing equipment/instruments/software programs necessary for performing and demonstrating the Site Acceptance Tests.

Assuming that other ends of these terminals here are connected to terminals number 1 and 2, to test this input I can put the signal simulator on the 4-20mA current mode and then connect it to the other end of these terminals. However, if the device is active, you need to look at the wiring diagram and find the best way to simulate the signal coming from that active device. A simulator is a device like this that can accurately reproduce a sensor output.

SAT stands for Site Acceptance Tests

It should attempt to include testing of as much functionality as is practical in the factory, and check of all interfaces among equipment and systems. Where possible the procedure should show pass/fail criteria or desired results for each item. 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 https://globalcloudteam.com/ 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.

If it is rejected, it may be fixed or abandoned entirely if the required fixes will prove too expensive or time-consuming. It ensures that all equipment meets the design specifications and functions properly, both individually and as a whole system. It also ensures quality, controls costs, and maintains the schedule. Therefore, testing needs to be planned at a very early stage of the project, and testing requirement needs to be written in the contract or purchase order specifications. Poor planning for the testing phase will delay the observation of nonconformities, affect the project schedule, and may cause major problems or delays.

Thermography Test of Electrical Panels

A digital output could be connected directly to an output device like a buzzer or a relay that could operate an actuator like a motor. The circuit breaker generally has a disconnect on the outside of the panel that allows you to shut off the power. Before you want to connect the cable to the main circuit breaker inside the panel make sure that you have disconnected the power using this switch.

Matt is responsible for the successful completion of controls and automation projects. He has extensive background in industrial automation and has implemented many successful projects. He has in-depth experience in controls and automation system design, as well as system testing.

What Is Factory Acceptance Testing or FAT?

Site acceptance tests are related to factory acceptance tests, in that they work by inspection and dynamic forms of testing to system components. The SAT are written by the client themselves and this verifies the functionality of the equipment being tested. The test will show whether the equipment meets, does not meet, or exceeds the expectation of performance. https://globalcloudteam.com/glossary/site-acceptance-testing/ Factory Acceptance Testing occurs at the vendor’s test facility before the completed equipment proceeds to the customer site. Not all machinery suppliers have factories set up to perform a well-rounded FAT for customers. Some will build or mock up complete systems, but duplicating a customer’s process can be very difficult and expensive.

Table 1 provides guidance on the checks and balances required when utilizing external services for commissioning. A responsibility matrix provides clarity and ensures ownership of activities, along with optimal utilization of internal and external subject matter experts. Factory Acceptance Testing is a test performed for newly manufactured and packaged equipment by the vendor prior to shipping to ensure the equipment meets its intended purpose. This optional test is performed once the design and fabrication of the equipment are complete following approved test plans as agreed with the client. The FAT ensures that the equipment meets all the client requirements as mentioned in the purchase order specifications. A QA team conducts acceptance tests to ensure the software or app matches business requirements and end-user needs.

Step Power the control panel

Although the question came from Japan, my answer is based on GAMP 5 recommendations and therefore applicable to other areas using GAMP. Factory Acceptance Testing is performed for systems that comprise novel or complex technology. A Factory Acceptance Test is a test that runs on the equipment or components before it is delivered to its intended destination. While FATs can use simulations to demonstrate how the equipment will function in its future operating environment, it may be difficult to mimic the actual operating conditions.

A fair share of software testing activities concerns the system’s functionality — designing, interpreting, and validating technical requirements the end product should meet before the release. Since developers and QA testers are mainly trained to deal with functional issues, they might miss out on whether or not the software aligns well with business requirements. The testing included in a FAT procedure should be largely derived from the performance criteria defined in the Functional Requirements Document , which is created by the project team early in the project planning process. The FRD should be the focal point for discussions when interviewing potential system integrators and should be included in the contract/purchase order package. These requirements should, therefore, be well known and understood well before time to develop the actual FAT protocol. Make an inventory of the type of failures that you’ve experienced or might experience in production, as well as expected outcomes.

Types of acceptance testing

Conducted at the contractor’s facility; such a test consists of the contractor, or the system programmer in particular, demonstrating that the program logic works correctly. With the PCLDs and PPC points lists in hand, the various processes of the design are simulated and the operations are verified. The test is usually performed with the completed panel, with the PPC and all terminations.