A factory acceptance test, or FAT, verifies equipment or a system at the supplier’s facility before shipment. It checks agreed functions and documentation while defects are still easier to correct.
How the control works
Approve the protocol, prerequisites, test cases, instruments, acceptance criteria and attendees before the test date. Record punch-list rules and retest expectations.
| Area | What the record should show |
|---|---|
| Control | Approve the protocol, prerequisites, test cases, instruments, acceptance criteria and attendees before the test date. Record punch-list rules and retest expectations. |
| Evidence | Retain the signed protocol, results, data, deviations, punch list, corrective actions, retest and shipment release. |
| Tradeoff | FAT does not replace installation or site acceptance. Transport, utilities and integration can introduce different failures. |
Evidence buyers should retain
Retain the signed protocol, results, data, deviations, punch list, corrective actions, retest and shipment release.
Where the term is misused
FAT does not replace installation or site acceptance. Transport, utilities and integration can introduce different failures.
Related definitions: supplier qualification, strategic sourcing, landed cost.
