THE IMPORTANCE OF FACTORY ACCEPTANCE TESTING

When trying to establish why an installation or individual products don’t perform as they should I have to consider which step of the design and delivery process has failed. Very often the problems are created in the early stages of design. The operational requirement document is the key to getting a project set on the right track. However, there are many other stages in the project delivery process that can negatively impact the end result if due diligence is not paid at the right time.

Whether you are designing  a complex system that involves new technology, high levels of integration, multiple levels of programming or a system that you have deployed many times before it is important to consider the role of the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) in the project delivery process.

A factory acceptance test is a documented procedure that is carried out prior to system deployment to determine whether the system will operate to its performance specification. This test procedure should cover all aspects of the system functionality under all scenarios.

Many of the systems that I review have obviously not been fully tested prior to deployment. When I am asked to evaluate a system to determine "what went wrong" I often receive a project history that lists problem after problem during installation, commissioning and then through the defects period. I don't think that I have ever visited a system that has suddenly started to play up.

When I look in to the details of such a project history, I find that the installer had problems getting system A talking to system B or that a certain piece of equipment struggled to achieve what it was there to do. Camera 27 has never had a usable image etc. etc. All of these problems could have been eliminated prior to installation with a good factory acceptance test.

The FAT does not only eliminate the risk of design or interface issues, it is an opportunity to pre-program systems and let engineers get familiar with the project long before it hits site. After a good factory acceptance test a project installation should be smooth without unexpected problems. This fact does not only ensure that the system meets its operational requirements or performance specification, it has the potential to save a lot of money. Installation programmes can be reduced, on site commissioning can be reduced and loads of expensive time and resource used up by reacting to problems can be eliminated.

Spending a little time and money on a factory acceptance test prior to installation can save you a lot of time and money during (and after) installation.

Of course, the FAT is only part of the project design and delivery process but in my experience it is one that reaps many benefits if carried out correctly.