Factory Acceptance Test

The Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) is a quality assurance process prior to the delivery of a product. After the production of the product has been completed, it is checked by the manufacturer (inspection). If no defects are found in the product or machine, it can be approved. However, if defects are found after the Factory Acceptance Test has been carried out, these must be rectified by means of subsequent performance before a new Factory Acceptance Test is performed. It is possible to carry out a FAT until it can be guaranteed that the product is free of defects. The Factory Acceptance Test is performed on the basis of an acceptance protocol in order to provide the customer with a transparent insight into the performance. In the field of mechanical engineering, the factory acceptance test is one of the essential components of quality assurance and should be carried out for every plant before commissioning.