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Buying guide

Bottle rinser FAT and SAT checklist.

Acceptance testing should prove the bottle rinser can handle real containers at the agreed speed before full production starts.

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Bottle rinser FAT and SAT checklist using Lancing LU bottle rinsing machinery imagery

Factory acceptance test

FAT checks can include bottle transfer, rinse function, controls, safety features and sample output before shipment.

Site acceptance test

SAT confirms that the installed machine works with conveyors, utilities, filler infeed and site operating conditions.

Bottle samples and changeover

Testing should include agreed bottle sizes and any critical changeover points, not just one easy container.

Handover documents

Settings, maintenance points, cleaning routines and recommended spare parts should be reviewed before sign-off.

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FAQ

Common questions.

Why is bottle rinser fat and sat checklist important?

Early checks reduce the chance of buying equipment that cannot handle the bottle format, target output or line layout once installation starts.

What should I send before requesting advice?

Send bottle photos or samples, drawings if available, material, capacity, height, diameter, neck finish, target speed and a short description of the filling line.

Can the route be shortlisted before a final quote?

Yes. A practical shortlist can normally be prepared once bottle details, utilities and the required rinse process are understood.

Traceable acceptance evidence

Turn the user requirement into recorded FAT and SAT results.

The factory acceptance test should prove the agreed machine functions under stated test conditions. The site acceptance test should then prove that the installed machine works with the site's utilities, conveyors, controls and production method. Neither test is complete if the result is only “machine ran”: the record should state the bottle format, rinse medium, test rate, duration, inspection method and any limitations or open actions.

Agree the acceptance criteria before the test. Representative formats should include the bottles most likely to challenge neck location, inversion, stability, drainage or changeover. Where the full format range cannot be run at FAT, the test plan should identify what is deferred to SAT and who is responsible for supplying the remaining bottles or change parts.

Bottle rinser factory and site acceptance test matrix
Test itemFactory acceptance testSite acceptance testEvidence to retain
Bottle handlingRun agreed sample formats through loading, rinse presentation and outfeed.Repeat with final infeed, outfeed and normal operator method.Format list, settings, photos or video and observed handling issues.
Rinse resultUse the agreed particulate, water-contact or moisture inspection method.Confirm the same result with site water or air and production handover conditions.Test method, sample count or sampling approach, results and exceptions.
Sustained outputRun at the agreed test rate for the stated period and record interruptions.Prove the accepted line rate with connected equipment and normal accumulation.Start and finish times, count, stops, causes and final accepted rate.
ChangeoverDemonstrate agreed format parts, settings and access.Repeat with site operators and storage of removed parts.Change-part list, settings sheet, tools and training actions.
Utilities and drainageConfirm machine demand against the available factory test setup.Verify electrical, air, water, extraction and drain connections at the installed location.Connection details, observations and any measured site values recorded by the project team.
Stops and recoveryDemonstrate agreed alarms, safe stops and restart sequence.Confirm recovery with the connected line and site procedure.Alarm list, restart steps and unresolved actions.

Link the test plan back to the bottle rinser URS, use the output guide to define a realistic rate and arrange sample testing before FAT where bottle handling or rinse performance is still uncertain.

FAT and SAT scope

Questions to answer before the test date is booked.

What should be agreed before a bottle rinser FAT?

Agree the sample formats, rinse method, inspection criteria, target rate, test duration, changeovers, utility assumptions and evidence to be recorded. This prevents the test being judged against unstated expectations.

Should every bottle format be tested?

The critical and representative formats should be identified in the test plan. If some formats cannot be run at FAT, record which checks are deferred to SAT and what samples or parts are still required.

What is different about the SAT?

SAT confirms the installed machine with the site's final utilities, conveyors, controls, operators and downstream handover. It closes the gap between a factory test setup and normal production conditions.

Functional acceptance matrix

Include controls, inspection and bottle status in the FAT and SAT record.

A smooth demonstration is not enough to show how the line behaves when a bottle, utility or surrounding machine is missing. Add the following challenge tests where they apply to the agreed machine scope.

Challenge
FAT evidence
SAT evidence
Technical guide
Missing or mispositioned bottle
Sensor and no-bottle-no-rinse response
Response with site bottles and normal conveyor conditions
Controls and interlocks
Utility outside permissive
Alarm, stop state and recovery logic
Site utility response under realistic demand
Air quality / water quality
Failed inspection or incomplete cycle
Bottle status, reject or quarantine sequence
Containment before filler handover
Post-rinse inspection
Residual moisture
Approved method on representative samples
Result at the real downstream handover
Moisture testing
Clean-down and restart
Access, drain, reassembly and pre-start checks
Site cleaning method and return-to-service record
Cleanability guide
Release and recovery evidence

Add format release and interruption recovery to the acceptance schedule.

FAT and SAT should include the approved pre-start/changeover record and the stop, start and fault-recovery sequence. This proves both the normal first-off bottle and the treatment of bottles caught inside the process after a planned or unplanned stop.

After FAT and SAT

Acceptance is a controlled baseline for later change—not the end of validation.

Retain the approved bottle formats, drawings, change parts, settings, utilities, software versions, test methods and results as the reference condition. A later change to the bottle, tooling, nozzle, utility, control logic, line speed or connected equipment should trigger a documented assessment of whether targeted or broader revalidation is needed.

Use the bottle-rinser revalidation and change-control guide to define the evidence after a change.