What this is
What is a Factory Acceptance Test Record?
What is a Factory Acceptance Test Record?
A Factory Acceptance Test Record is the evidence that new equipment met its acceptance criteria at the supplier's works before it left the building. It covers functional tests, rated output, cleaning and changeover, and the safety and documentation the supplier owes you. It is signed by both your engineer and the supplier's representative before the equipment ships.
How is a FAT different from a SAT?
A Factory Acceptance Test happens at the supplier's premises, before the equipment ships, and proves the machine as built. A Site Acceptance Test happens after installation at your site, with your services connected and your product running, and proves the machine as installed. A clean FAT with an open punch list still needs a SAT to confirm the punch list was actually closed.
Who needs to attend a Factory Acceptance Test?
At minimum, an engineer from your side witnessing in person or remotely, and a representative from the supplier running the equipment. Where a quality or food safety requirement applies, whoever owns cleaning validation should also see the strip-down and clean before it is accepted, not just take the supplier's word for it.
Scope
When is a factory acceptance test record required?
This record proves the equipment before it leaves the supplier's building. Using it to test installation, or to record commissioning decisions, blurs work that belongs to the templates either side of it.
Use this template when
- New equipment or a modified line has been built and is ready to test before shipment
- A new record is needed; each one gets its own ID in the form FAT-2026-000
- You are running the Capital Projects and Commissioning programme and this is the pre-shipment step
- The equipment specification (MNT-091) sets the acceptance criteria this test will check against
- A linked record needs this one to exist: links Asset, Vendor
Do not use it for
- Pre-Commissioning Checklist, which confirms a new installation is complete and safe before it is energised or run on your site.
- Site Acceptance Test Record, which records testing of new equipment once installed at your site.
- Equipment Specification Record, which defines the acceptance criteria this test checks, rather than the test result itself.
- Installation Progress Record, which tracks the physical build on site, not the pre-shipment test at the supplier.
- Anything outside KnowMaintain, which belongs in the workspace that owns that process
Compliance mapping
Which ISO 55001 cl.8.3 requirements does this satisfy?
ISO 55001 cl.8.3 expects new or modified assets to be verified against their acceptance criteria before they are relied upon. The clause map below shows where that expectation lands in the form.
| Clause | Requirement | Where it lands |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 55001 cl.8.3 | The asset's identity, site and vendor are established before testing begins | Header |
| ISO 55001 cl.8.3 | Attendance and an agreed test protocol are confirmed before the test runs, not reconstructed afterwards | Header |
| ISO 55001 cl.8.3 | Each test is checked against a stated acceptance criterion and a pass or fail recorded | Tests |
| ISO 55001 cl.8.3 | Output, product representativeness and operating conditions are verified, not assumed | Performance verification |
| ISO 55001 cl.8.3 | Guarding, safety functions and conformity documentation are confirmed before the asset is accepted | Safety and documentation |
| ISO 55001 cl.8.3 | Manuals, spares and software are confirmed present so the asset can be maintained once it arrives | Safety and documentation |
| ISO 55001 cl.8.3 | A scored outcome and an explicit shipment decision close the record | Outcome |
What it does not cover
- Tested With Our Product Or Simulant, which recorded a pass on water rather than the product the equipment will actually run.
- Test Protocol Agreed In Advance, which was answered No, meaning the acceptance criteria were negotiated on the day rather than fixed beforehand.
- Witnessed By Us, which was answered No for a test result later disputed by the site team.
- Accepted For Shipment, which was marked Yes over an open punch list with no closure date attached.
- Conformity Declaration Available, which was left No with the equipment already released to ship.
Global
Factory Acceptance Test Record requirements by country
A Factory Acceptance Test sits under whichever machinery safety regime governs the country the equipment is bought into, not the country it is built in.
Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, replacing Directive 2006/42/EC
Requires a Declaration of Conformity and CE marking before machinery is placed on the market, covering guarding, safety functions and the technical file.
The Conformity Declaration Available and Guarding As Specified fields are where that evidence is checked before the equipment ships, not assumed from the supplier's brochure.
Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008, UKCA marking
Mirrors the EU regime for the UK market: a UK Declaration of Conformity and UKCA mark are required before relevant machinery is supplied.
Where equipment is sourced from an EU supplier for a UK site, confirm which mark and declaration actually apply — CE alone does not satisfy a UK-market requirement.
OSHA 29 CFR 1910 Subpart O, machine guarding, and the General Duty Clause
Sets no federal requirement for a factory acceptance test itself, but does require guards and safety functions to be in place before a machine is put into service.
The FAT is the practical mechanism for proving that OSHA-relevant guarding and safety functions exist before the equipment ever reaches the plant floor.
How to complete it
How to complete a factory acceptance test record, step by step
A record with every field answered Yes is not the same as a record that will hold up when something goes wrong on site. These are the calls that decide whether it does.
Accepted For Shipment allows 'With punch list' as a valid outcome, but that only holds if every open item has an owner and a closure date attached before the equipment leaves. A punch list with no plan to close it is a deferred fail, whatever the field says.
Attended By Us scores a remote witness lower than attendance in person for a reason. A video link catches the test running; it does not catch someone rerunning it off-camera after a failure. Reserve remote witnessing for lower-risk equipment, not for anything with a food safety or guarding stake.
A representative simulant can be a legitimate substitute for your real product where the real product is hazardous or unavailable, but the case for calling it 'representative' should be recorded, not assumed. If nobody can say why the simulant behaves like the product, treat the result as a water test.
Manuals, spares lists and conformity declarations are cheap to obtain before the equipment ships and expensive to obtain after it is running in production. Marking them 'No' and accepting anyway defers a cost onto whoever holds the maintenance plan, usually without telling them.
What auditors find
Most common factory acceptance test record findings
Patterns that show up across FAT records once you compare enough of them.
| Finding | Clause | What fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| Performance is verified on water or air, not on the product or a genuine simulant | ISO 55001 cl.8.3 | Require Tested With Our Product Or Simulant to score at the 'our product' or 'representative simulant' level before the test counts as run, and hold shipment on anything scored 'water only' for equipment where product behaviour is the whole point. |
| Test protocol agreed after the equipment already failed a first attempt | ISO 55001 cl.8.3 | Make Test Protocol Agreed In Advance a gate on scheduling the FAT date, not a box ticked retrospectively once the supplier is ready. |
| Cleaning is watched being started but not watched being finished | ISO 55001 cl.8.3 | Score Cleaning Demonstrated only where the strip-down and reassembly were both witnessed; a partial cleaning demonstration should score as Partly, not Yes. |
| Punch list items ship with the equipment and arrive with no dates attached | ISO 55001 cl.8.3 | Require Conditions Of Acceptance to name a closure date for every punch list item before Accepted For Shipment can be marked 'With punch list'. |
| Software and backups are marked Not Applicable by default rather than checked | ISO 55001 cl.8.3 | Treat Not Applicable on Software And Backups Provided as a claim that needs a reason on file, not a default for anything with a control panel. |
| Second signature is collected after the equipment has already left the building | ISO 55001 cl.8.3 | Sequence the record so both signatures are required before Status can move to Complete, not after shipment has already happened. |
Case in point
Case in point: the filler that passed on water
A filler for a viscous dairy product was tested at the supplier's works and passed every functional check — output, changeover, cleaning — all run on water because the real product wasn't available on site. Tested With Our Product Or Simulant was scored 'Water only', and Accepted For Shipment was marked Yes anyway because every other test had passed.
Three weeks after installation, the filler's rated output on the real product came in at sixty per cent of the FAT figure, and cleaning took twice as long because the higher-viscosity product fouled parts the water test never touched. The fix cost a site visit, a nozzle change and a week of lost changeover time — all of it avoidable if the FAT score had held the line it was designed to hold.
The template
The template, field by field
The form exactly as it installs. Every field, option, score and conditional rule is editable, and the links to other templates come with it.
5 sections
- Reference
- MNT-068
- Archetype
- Record
- Record ID
- FAT-2026-000
- Scoring
- Pass or fail
- Direction
- High is good
- Singleton
- No
- Basis
- ISO 55001 cl.8.3
- Links
- Links Asset, Vendor
- Tags
- Commissioning, Supplier
- Sections
- 5
- Fields
- 51
- Follow up fields
- 3
- Repeating sections
- 1
- Links out
- 4
Header
17 fieldsRecord ID*
Auto sequence. Format FAT-2026-000.
The record's own ID. Other templates point at this value.
Status*
Drives who this goes to next.
- Planned2 pts
- In progress2 pts
- Complete3 pts
- Deferred0 pts
- Open0 pts
- Closed3 pts
- Overdue0 pts
Date and Time*
Raised By*
Site*
Site ID*
Format SITE-000.
Links to FDN-001 Site ID
Area
The area within the site.
Exact Location
Drop a pin for anything hard to find.
Asset*
Asset ID*
Format AST-0000.
Links to FDN-002 Asset ID
Supplier*
Vendor ID*
Links to FDN-005 Vendor ID
Test Location*
Cheapest Place To Find Problems
A fault found at the supplier's works costs a fraction of the same fault found on your floor after installation. Send people and give them time.
Attended By Us*
- Yes3 pts
- Remote witness2 pts
- No0 pts
Our Attendees
Test Protocol Agreed In Advance*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Tests
Repeats6 fieldsTest Description*
Acceptance Criteria*
Result*
Passed*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Witnessed By Us*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Evidence
Performance verification
6 fieldsRated Output Achieved*
- Yes3 pts
- Marginal1 pt
- No0 pts
Tested With Our Product Or Simulant*
Machines tested on water and delivered for viscous dairy product are a familiar disappointment.
- Our product4 pts
- Representative simulant3 pts
- Water only0 pts
Tested At Our Operating Conditions*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Changeover Time Demonstrated
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Cleaning Demonstrated*
Watch it being stripped and cleaned before you accept it.
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Cleaning Time Acceptable
- Yes3 pts
- Marginal1 pt
- No0 pts
Safety and documentation
6 fieldsGuarding As Specified*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Safety Functions Demonstrated*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Conformity Declaration Available*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Manuals Available*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Spare Parts List Provided*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Software And Backups Provided
- Yes3 pts
- Not applicable3 pts
- No0 pts
Outcome
16 fieldsItems Assessed*
Excludes anything marked N/A.
Items Failed*
Score Percent*
Calculated on submission. High is good. N/A items leave the denominator.
Result Band*
- Pass3 pts
- Caution1 pt
- Fail0 pts
Completeness Percent*
How much of the template was actually answered. A high score on a half completed form is not a high score.
Punch List Items*
Accepted For Shipment*
- Yes3 pts
- With punch list1 pt
- No0 pts
Conditions Of Acceptance
Action Required*
Raise the action record, then enter its reference here.
- No2 pts
- Yes0 pts
Priority
- High0 pts
- Medium1 pt
- Low3 pts
CAPA ID
Format CAPA-2026-00000.
Links to FDN-014 CAPA ID
Action Owner
Engineering*
Signature*
Supplier Representative*
Second Signature*
MNT-068 · record IDs look like FAT-2026-000 · Links Asset, Vendor
Open in KnowellaRun it with agents
From a document you fill in to a programme that runs itself
The form is the easy part. Keeping FAT records tied to the right asset and vendor, and chasing punch list closure before shipment, is the work that actually slips.
Holds the Factory Acceptance Test Record against the asset and vendor it belongs to, and won't let Accepted For Shipment go through with an open punch list nobody owns.
Tracks guarding, safety function and conformity declaration evidence gathered at FAT so it carries forward into the asset's safety file rather than getting left at the supplier's works.
Picks up the cleaning and product-representativeness scores from FAT and flags where a pass was earned on water or a simulant rather than the real product.
Chases outstanding attendee sign-offs and punch list items across every open FAT, and holds every write for your approval before it touches a record.
This template lives in KnowMaintain — asset maintenance. Work orders, planned maintenance, calibration, reliability and shutdowns.
Meet KnowMaintain→Glossary
Factory Acceptance Test Record definitions and key terms
- FAT
- Factory Acceptance Test. Testing carried out at the supplier's premises before equipment ships, proving the machine as built.
- SAT
- Site Acceptance Test. Testing carried out after installation at your site, proving the machine as installed and running your product.
- Punch list
- The list of open items found during a test that remain to be fixed before final acceptance is unconditional.
- Conformity declaration
- The supplier's formal statement, tied to CE or UKCA marking, that the equipment meets the applicable machinery safety requirements.
- Representative simulant
- A substitute substance used in testing that is chosen to behave like the real product on the properties the test actually depends on, such as viscosity or fouling.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about factory acceptance test record
What is the Factory Acceptance Test Record template based on?+
It is built against ISO 55001 cl.8.3, which covers the operation of assets including verifying them against acceptance criteria before they are relied upon. ISO 55001 is the international standard for getting value from physical assets across their whole life, and it underpins the maintenance templates in this library.
What sections does the Factory Acceptance Test Record contain?+
There are five sections: Header, Tests, Performance verification, Safety and documentation, and Outcome. Together they hold 51 fields, 39 of which are required.
How often is a Factory Acceptance Test Record raised?+
A new record is raised whenever new or modified equipment is ready to test at the supplier's works, before it ships. Each one is given an ID in the form FAT-2026-000, so it can be traced from the Site Acceptance Test Record and later commissioning steps.
Which programme does the Factory Acceptance Test Record belong to?+
It is part of Capital Projects and Commissioning, the programme that carries equipment from specification through to a post-project review, so it arrives with its procedures, training and spares rather than after them.
How is a Factory Acceptance Test Record scored?+
Scoring is pass or fail, with high scores good throughout. Fields like Tested With Our Product Or Simulant and Cleaning Demonstrated carry more weight than a bare Yes or No, because they distinguish a test that proves something from one that only looks complete.
Can the Factory Acceptance Test Record template be changed?+
Yes. Every field, option, score and conditional rule is editable, and the links to the Asset and Vendor records come with it. Most teams install it as it is, run it through one project, then adjust the acceptance criteria fields to match how they actually buy equipment.
Keep going
Related templates and programmes
Industries this is written for
Programmes this belongs to
Used together in Capital Projects and Commissioning
Management of Change
Makes sure a change to equipment, materials, people or process is assessed before it happens rather than after
Pre-Commissioning Checklist
Confirms a new installation is complete and safe before it is energised or run
Site Acceptance Test Record
Records testing of new equipment once installed at your site
Shutdown Plan
Plans a planned outage, covering scope, sequence, resources, permits and restart
Capital Project Safety Review
Reviews a capital project at each stage for safety, hygienic design, access and maintainability before money is committed
Equipment Specification Record
Holds the specification a new machine must meet, covering performance, safety, hygiene, energy and maintenance access
Written and reviewed by
Siddarth Singh
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Knowella
Certified Safety Professional and industrial and systems engineer with more than a decade inside food supply chain, freight and manufacturing operations. This page was written against the current text of the standards it cites, not against secondary summaries of them.
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Board of Certified Safety Professionals
- MBA, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
- MS and BS, The Ohio State University, Industrial and Systems Engineering
- Six Sigma Black Belt
Sources and last review. Reviewed 16 August 2026 against:
- ISO 55001:2014 cl.8.3 — Asset management systems, Operation
- Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 — Declaration of Conformity and CE marking
- Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 — UKCA marking
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910 Subpart O — Machine guarding
This page is general guidance, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with your jurisdiction’s regulator.