Freeze the test configuration
Identify the machine, software revision, die drawing revision and supplied ancillaries in the protocol. List the resin, reinforcement, additives and consumables planned for the trial, including who supplies them. Record any substitution before testing. A demonstration on a convenient factory profile can show operation, but it does not automatically qualify your own section. Separate tests that establish machine functions from tests that establish performance on an agreed product. State which dies will be trialed and which will be inspected only.
Assign witnesses and measurement methods
Name the buyer representative, factory test lead and any independent inspector. Define who records results, who can approve deviations and who signs the final record. For measurements, identify the instrument, calibration evidence where required, sampling location and method. A numerical acceptance limit without a repeatable measurement method invites disagreement. If witnessing remotely, arrange visibility of instrument readings, machine identification and sample labels. Retain the underlying records rather than relying solely on an edited video or a presentation summary.
Separate readiness from production acceptance
Begin with a completeness check against the scope of supply and approved drawings. Review guards, controls, emergency stops and interlocks under a supplier-approved procedure carried out by competent personnel. Do not improvise bypasses to complete a demonstration. Check the ordered power configuration and documentation against the contract. Once readiness items are closed, move to the representative production trial. Record startup scrap separately from the samples used for acceptance so a short selected segment does not conceal the rest of the run.
Agree what product evidence is required
Define the sampling plan, run duration, dimensions, surface observations and any additional material tests before the FAT. The values are project decisions, not universal defaults. Assign sample identifiers that connect each piece to its process record and time in the run. If mechanical or other laboratory tests are required, specify the laboratory, method, specimens and reporting responsibility separately. Visual appearance and dimensional conformity alone do not establish every property of the finished composite. Retain reference samples and state who holds them.
Close deviations before releasing shipment
Use a numbered open-item register with a description, evidence, owner, due date and retest requirement. Distinguish items that block shipment from work explicitly accepted for later closure. The buyer and supplier should sign the agreed status; a verbal promise is difficult to audit after packing. Where payment depends on FAT acceptance, align the release document with the contract milestone. Keep packing inspection and transport preparation as separate checks: a successful trial does not prove that the correct accessories, backups and manuals were packed.
| Witness point | Evidence | Acceptance basis |
|---|---|---|
| Configuration | Serial numbers and drawing revisions | Signed scope |
| Functional checks | Completed supplier test procedure | Approved functions and safety review |
| Trial production | Material IDs and process record | Agreed profile and sampling plan |
| Profile inspection | Labeled samples and measurement sheets | Approved tolerances |
| Open items | Owner, due date and retest record | Written shipment-release decision |
Record your requirements and unresolved items in the downloadable procurement worksheets
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