From FAT to SAT: Understanding the Key Milestones of a Packaging Machinery Project

Why Do Projects Rarely Go Exactly According to Plan?

Most packaging machinery projects start with a detailed schedule.

A machine is ordered, a FAT date is agreed, shipment is planned, and a production start-up date is established.

After more than 25 years in this business, I can say that reality is usually more complex.

Between the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) and the Site Acceptance Test (SAT), several critical stages determine whether a project runs smoothly or becomes a source of delays, frustration and additional costs.

Understanding the role of each stage is crucial for proper planning and execution.

FAT: Proving the Machine Is Ready to Ship

The Factory Acceptance Test takes place at the OEM's facility before delivery.

Its purpose is to verify that the equipment has been built according to the agreed specifications and is ready for shipment.

Typical FAT activities include:

• Mechanical inspection.
• Electrical inspection.
• Safety verification.
• Functional testing.
• HMI review.
• Documentation review.
• URS compliance verification.

A good FAT identifies issues while the machine is still at the OEM's workshop, where modifications are easier and less expensive than after installation.

FAT should not be confused with production validation. The FAT objective is to demonstrate that the machine can achieve the agreed requirements under controlled conditions.

One of the most common mistakes is using FAT to redesign the machine. New requirements introduced at this stage often lead to engineering rework, delays and unnecessary discussions. Most design questions should have been clarified earlier through drawings, videos, reference visits and technical discussions.

Use Real Products

If there is one recommendation applicable to almost every FAT, it is this: test with real production materials from every supplier.

Small variations in bottle geometry, weight distribution, wall thickness, material composition or surface finish can significantly affect equipment behavior. These variations can be particularly relevant when bottles are sourced from multiple suppliers.

Testing with representative products provides a much more realistic picture of how the equipment will perform once installed.

Can FAT Be Performed Remotely?

Remote FATs have become increasingly common. They became widespread during the pandemic and have remained common ever since.

When customers already know the OEM and its equipment well, a remote FAT can be an efficient way to review machine performance while reducing travel costs and time commitments.

This is often the case at POSIMAT, where many customers operate several of our bottle unscramblers across different production sites.

However, a remote FAT cannot provide the same level of detail as a physical inspection. Machine finish, accessibility and ergonomics are always easier to evaluate in person.

Commissioning: The Most Underestimated Phase

Many people think of a project as FAT followed by SAT.

In reality, the most important work often happens in between.

After shipment and installation comes commissioning: the phase where equipment is connected, adjusted, tested and integrated into the production environment.

Typical activities include:

• Utility verification.
• Signal exchange between machines.
• Conveyor transfers.
• Safety integration.
• Parameter optimization.
• Operator training.
• Troubleshooting.

Even after a successful FAT, equipment should not be expected to perform identically immediately after arrival on site.

Transportation, offloading and installation may require adjustments. For bottle handling applications, transfer points are often among the most sensitive areas of the line. Bottles that perform perfectly during FAT may require minor adjustments after installation to ensure smooth transfers between machines. Visits by the OEM teams should be coordinated to ensure that bottle transfers between machines are properly adjusted.

Leveling, guide settings, transfer alignments and machine parameters should always be verified before production trials begin.

In many projects, commissioning is where the success or failure of the SAT is determined.

SAT: Confirming the Line Is Ready for Production

The Site Acceptance Test takes place after installation and commissioning have been completed. Its purpose is not to make the line work. Its purpose is to formally verify that the line already works.

A SAT should not become a troubleshooting exercise. By the time SAT begins, the equipment should already have been installed, integrated and stabilized.

Typical SAT activities include:

• Production speed verification.
• Product quality verification.
• Changeover validation.
• Operator acceptance.
• Final acceptance criteria review.

In many projects, the official SAT date moves several times because commissioning takes longer than initially planned.

The actual SAT can only take place once all equipment has been installed, commissioned and verified on site.

The SAT must take place with all OEM teams present at the same time.

Best-of-Breed vs Single Supplier

A common argument in the industry is that purchasing all equipment from a single supplier simplifies project execution.

Sometimes that is true.

However, many manufacturers prefer selecting the best technology for each step of the process rather than sourcing every machine from the same OEM.

In practice, experienced OEMs are accustomed to working together, and successful projects depend far more on proper commissioning, clear responsibilities and strong project management than on the number of suppliers involved.

A proven bottle unscrambler, filler, labeler or inspection system will usually contribute more to long-term performance than simply reducing the number of vendors on the project.

Experience Matters

At POSIMAT, we have participated in hundreds of FAT, commissioning and SAT activities across the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food, beverage and chemical industries.

Drawing on nearly 50 years of bottle handling experience, we have learned that successful start-ups depend as much on people as on technology.

For this reason, commissioning and SAT activities are always carried out by POSIMAT engineers, who work with the equipment every day and know the technology in depth. Unlike many OEMs that rely heavily on subcontracted service personnel, we believe direct product knowledge is essential when unexpected situations arise on site.

When production schedules are tight, experience and product knowledge often make the difference.

Conclusion

After more than 25 years involved in packaging machinery installations worldwide, I still see the same lesson repeated in every successful project: FAT and SAT are important, but what happens between them is often what determines the final outcome. Therefore, never underestimate commissioning.

The milestones matter. What happens between them matters even more.