The Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) is a major project milestone where the equipment and/or system demonstrates that the system design and manufacturing meets the contract or purchase order specifications of the customer. The specific tests and inspections that comprise a FAT are determined by the equipment being tested.

Users of Process Equipment know the “trials and tribulations” of installing and starting-up process equipment. Most processes involve using a combination of components that may require electrical wiring, compressed air, plumbing, dry bulk handling, liquid addition and PLC controls. Each system has its own requirement that many times has only been tested on a small scale. 

Equipment is purchased, engineered, and fabricated to meet the requirements of the system based on the best available data. Until the equipment is installed and running it is impossible to work out all the “bugs”. Installing equipment on site with contractors for electrical, plumbing, rigging, and controls is a delicate balancing act with the end goal to have equipment fully operational by a critical date. The larger the process system the more potential for problems. These problems may be minor, but since contractors are on site and waiting for a fix, many man-hours can be lost to minor issues. Time = money. Hence the value of the “FAT”.