Factory acceptance test checklist for metal ceilings and cladding systems

Verify a written FAT test plan or inspection and test plan (ITP) exists and has been agreed by buyer and supplier before testing begins.

Without an agreed plan the pass/fail basis is disputable; testing to an unapproved plan invalidates the acceptance.

Verify the test plan lists each test, its acceptance criteria, the sequence, and the sign-off point for each stage.

A plan without explicit acceptance criteria per test lets marginal results pass unchallenged.

Verify the current buyer specification, purchase order and approved drawings are on hand at the test location and match the equipment presented.

Testing against a superseded spec or drawing revision is a common cause of accepted-then-rejected equipment.

Verify the revision numbers of the reference documents on the floor are the latest issued and that no open change requests affect the scope under test.

Uncontrolled or outdated document revisions defeat the purpose of witnessing against them.

Verify the utilities required for the planned tests — electrical supply, compressed air, water, cooling or fuel as applicable — are available and connected at the works.

Missing or under-rated site utilities routinely stall or truncate a FAT after attendees have travelled.

Verify the supplier utility supplies match the values needed by the equipment and the test plan in voltage, frequency, pressure, flow and quality.

A supply present but at the wrong parameters (e.g. voltage or air pressure) prevents valid performance testing.

Verify the supplier personnel needed to run the test — operators, and the responsible engineer or quality representative — are present and available for the duration.

Absent competent personnel forces improvised testing or rescheduling; confirm a supplier representative can authorise sign-off.

Verify all attendees have received the site safety induction and are issued the required personal protective equipment before entering the test area.

Un-inducted attendees on a live works floor are a safety and liability exposure and may be removed, halting the FAT.

Verify emergency arrangements for the test area — exits, assembly point, first aid and the site emergency contact — have been briefed to attendees.

Energised or pressurised acceptance testing carries real hazards; attendees must know the response before it is needed.

Verify a valid, in-date calibration certificate is available for every measuring instrument that will be used to judge FAT results.

Results measured with an uncalibrated or expired instrument are not defensible; check the calibration date has not lapsed.

Verify each test instrument's calibration is traceable to a recognised national or international standard and its accuracy is adequate for the tolerances being checked.

An instrument coarser than the tolerance it verifies cannot confirm conformity; traceability chain should be stated on the certificate.

Verify blank FAT result sheets or a witness record aligned to the agreed test plan are prepared to log outcomes and signatures as testing proceeds.

Recording results after the fact from memory weakens the acceptance record; capture readings and sign-offs live.

Verify a documentation transmittal or index list is provided and that every document it references is physically present in the pack.

An index with missing referenced items is the most common way an incomplete pack passes unnoticed. Tick each line against a physical document.

Verify the compiled test and inspection report covering the witnessed FAT results is included, signed and dated by the supplier.

This is the record the buyer relies on post-shipment. Confirm it is compiled into the pack; the underlying test results are witnessed and judged in the relevant technical modules, not here.

Verify material and component certificates required by the purchase order are present, legible and cross-referenced to the items they cover.

Presence, legibility and traceability into the pack only. Certificate content versus grade/thickness spec is verified in the materials module (mat), not here.

Verify operation and maintenance manuals are included and cover installation, operation, routine maintenance and troubleshooting.

A common shortfall is an operation-only manual with no maintenance or fault-finding sections.

Verify as-built drawings are included and reflect the unit as inspected, including any changes made during manufacture.

Supplied drawings are frequently the original design set, not as-built. Check revision markings against modifications observed on the unit.

Verify a spare-parts list is included and that each line carries a manufacturer part number sufficient to reorder without further enquiry.

Descriptions without part numbers, or internal codes the buyer cannot order against, make later replacement dependent on the supplier.

Verify recommended commissioning and first-service spares are identified in the spare-parts list and reconciled against what is being shipped with the unit.

The document side of the spares check. Physical presence of shipped spares in the crates is confirmed in the packing module (pack).

Verify the warranty terms are stated in writing, including duration, start-date basis, coverage and any exclusions or conditions.

A warranty whose start date, scope or conditions are undefined is difficult to enforce after shipment. Confirm against the purchase order terms.

Verify all deliverable documents are provided in the language required by the purchase order.

Manuals or certificates supplied only in Chinese are a frequent finding. Confirm the required language, and whether bilingual or translated copies were agreed.

Verify the equipment nameplate details recorded in the documents (model, serial number, rating) match the physical nameplate on the unit.

Documents describing a different serial or rating than the unit indicate a mismatched or reused pack.

Verify supplier and sub-supplier contact details for technical support, spares and warranty claims are stated in the pack.

Post-shipment support stalls when the buyer has no named contact route for parts or warranty.

Verify each document carries a title, revision or issue identifier and date so the buyer can confirm they hold the current edition.

Unversioned documents make it impossible to tell later whether a superseded copy is in use.

Confirm the pack is specific to this unit rather than a generic product-family manual that omits ordered options or variants.

Generic manuals are commonly substituted for a bespoke build; they describe standard options and omit or contradict what was actually supplied.

Confirm that where an electronic pack is provided, the files open, are complete and are not password-locked or corrupted, and that any promised native formats are included.

A USB or link handed over at FAT can hold scanned-only, locked or incomplete files. Open a sample and confirm agreed formats (e.g. editable drawings) are present.

Confirm the packing specification (or packing list) and the intended transit mode and route are available before packing is inspected.

The packing method must be judged against the declared mode (sea/air/road, container vs breakbulk) and destination; without the spec the packing cannot be assessed.

Verify the packing method and materials match the specification for the declared transit mode (seaworthy export crate, container-stuffed, or air freight as applicable).

Domestic-grade packing on a long sea leg is a common failure; export/seaworthy protection is often specified but substituted to save cost.

Inspect crate and case construction for adequacy — base skids/runners, bracing, fixings and closure — so the package will withstand handling and stacking in transit.

Judge build quality only; lifting points, slinging arrangements and tilt/shock indicators are assessed under the lifting & transport module.

Verify shipping marks on each package (consignee, order/contract reference, case number, port of destination) match the packing list and commercial invoice.

Mismarked cases are misrouted or delayed at consolidation; case-number sequence must be complete (e.g. 1/8 … 8/8).

Verify the gross and net weights and outer dimensions marked on each package agree with the packing list.

Declared weights drive freight booking, container/vehicle selection and handling gear; discrepancies cause re-handling and demurrage.

Verify handling and orientation markings (e.g. this-way-up, keep-dry, sling/no-sling positions, fragile) are present and correct for the contents.

ISO 780 pictograms are conventional; confirm they are present and consistent with the packing spec rather than citing the standard on the case.

Verify all loose-supplied items — spares, consumables, special tools, counterparts and accessories — listed in the contract/packing list are physically present and identified.

Loose supply is the most common short-shipment; missing commissioning spares or special tools can stall installation at site.

Where preservation is specified, verify it is applied — desiccant with a humidity indicator in sealed barrier/VCI wrapping, VCI on bare machined surfaces, and blanking of open ports, flanges and shaft ends.

Long sea transit and storage cause corrosion on unprotected surfaces; desiccant quantity and a moisture-barrier seal are routinely skimped.

Verify fluids are handled per the shipping requirement — systems drained or protective/preservation fill applied and stated, with drain points closed and no residual leakage.

Trapped water can freeze or corrode in transit; some units ship with a preservation charge that must be documented so site does not re-drain it.

Verify wooden packaging carries a valid ISPM-15 heat-treatment (HT) or fumigation mark with the producer's registration.

Unmarked or non-compliant timber is refused or destroyed at the destination port and can hold the whole consignment; applies to all solid-wood packaging.

Verify the equipment serial/tag number, model and quantity match the nameplate, the packing list and the commercial invoice.

Serial-number mismatch between the physical unit and the shipping/commercial documents is a fraud and customs-clearance exposure and can invalidate warranty.

Witness and obtain a dated photographic record of each unit as packed — internal blocking/bracing and preservation before closing, then the closed and marked package.

Once crates are closed the internal packing cannot be re-inspected; before-close photos are the only evidence for transit-damage and short-shipment claims.

Verify the material certificate pack is complete: one mill test certificate (MTC/MTR) is present for every grade of pressure- and load-bearing material used in the build, and each certificate is legible and traceable to a heat/cast number.

Confirm certificate type meets the PO requirement (e.g. EN 10204 3.1 with an independent 3.2 where the contract calls for one). A pack that is incomplete before the FAT usually stays incomplete after payment.

Verify a material traceability list (heat-number map) is available that ties each major fabricated component to the heat/cast number and certificate covering its material.

Without a component-to-heat map, heat-number trace-back on the floor is guesswork. Its absence is itself a finding.

Verify a working positive material identification (PMI) analyser (portable XRF or OES) with valid calibration and a certified reference sample is available for use during the FAT.

Check the analyser reads the reference sample correctly before trusting any part result. If no analyser is available, record that alloy grade could not be independently confirmed — do not sign it off from paperwork.

Cross-check each mill test certificate against the specified material: confirm grade/designation, and the certified chemical composition and mechanical properties (yield, tensile, elongation, and impact/Charpy where required) fall within the specified grade's limits.

A certificate that lists an equivalent-but-different grade, or that omits a required impact test, is a specification non-conformity even when the paperwork looks in order.

Perform a PMI analyser spot-check on a sample of parent material across the major fabricated components and confirm the measured alloy composition matches the grade claimed on the corresponding certificate.

This is the primary defence against grade substitution — e.g. carbon steel supplied where a low-alloy or stainless grade was specified, or a lower stainless grade (304) substituted for a higher one (316). Paper review cannot detect this. Sample coverage should follow an agreed plan; witness every reading yourself.

Trace heat/cast numbers back from the physical steel to the certificates: locate the hard-stamp or paint marking on a sample of components and confirm each traces to a heat number listed on a certificate in the pack.

Material with no transferable identity, or bearing a heat number not present in the certificate pack, cannot be shown to be the certified material. Watch for over-stamping or re-stamping of heat numbers.

Measure the thickness of key plate and the wall thickness / section size of key structural or pressure members and confirm they meet the specified nominal dimension and material tolerance.

Under-thickness plate or lighter sections than specified is a common cost-down substitution. Measure at several points; use ultrasonic thickness gauging where a face is inaccessible.

Measure the principal dimensions of key machined or fabricated components (bores, mating faces, hole patterns, critical lengths) and confirm they are within the tolerances stated on the component drawings.

Component-level dimensional conformity only; overall assembly conformance against the general-arrangement drawing is verified elsewhere.

Visually inspect a representative sample of welds for workmanship: confirm consistent profile and full fill, and freedom from undercut, overlap, visible cracks, unfilled craters, porosity clusters, arc strikes and excessive spatter.

Visual weld quality only. Weld conformance to a weld map, and non-destructive-examination records for pressure parts, are verified in their own modules and are not repeated here. Use a weld gauge for undercut/reinforcement where acceptance limits apply.

Visually inspect the applied coating/paint finish for continuity and workmanship: confirm even coverage with no runs, sags, blistering, dry spray, missed areas or exposed substrate, and confirm adhesion is sound at a spot check.

Visual coating quality only. Dry-film-thickness measurement against a coating specification is verified in the relevant structural / envelope module and is not duplicated here.

Inspect installed fasteners for grade and authenticity: confirm bolt heads carry the correct property-class marking and a manufacturer identification mark, threads and plating are clean and undamaged, and there is no sign of re-stamped, ground-off or mismatched head markings.

Counterfeit and substandard fasteners are widespread. Warning signs: blank heads on structural bolts, absent or inconsistent manufacturer marks, over-stamped grade markings, poor thread finish, and grade markings that do not match the specification (e.g. 4.8 marked or supplied where 8.8/10.9 is required). Stainless grade marking (A2/A4) applies where corrosion-resistant fasteners are specified.

On critical bolting, spot-check fastener authenticity by hardness test or PMI where feasible, and confirm the result is consistent with the marked property class or specified fastener material.

Head markings can be forged; a hardness or alloy check on a sample confirms the fastener is what it is stamped to be. Restrict to structural, pressure-retaining or safety-critical bolting.

Collect copies of the mill test certificates, the PMI spot-check report (readings with instrument and reference details), fastener certificates or conformity declarations, and any coating/paint application records generated for this equipment.

The PMI report and heat-map are the objective evidence that identity was verified, not merely certified. Retain them with the FAT pack.

Confirm no component carries a heat number that is absent from the certificate pack, and no supplied grade is a downward substitution of the specified grade justified only as an 'equivalent'.

Grade substitution and untraceable heats are the highest-consequence material fraud at FAT: they pass a paper review and only surface in service. Treat any mismatch between analyser, stamp and certificate as a hold point, not a documentation nit.

Verify the approved facade or envelope drawings, panel schedule and finish specification are on hand and match the units presented for inspection.

Panels are made to project-specific schedules; inspecting against a superseded panel schedule or finish reference is a common cause of site rejection.

Verify the representative panels, cassettes or units selected for inspection are drawn across the production batch rather than a single hand-picked sample.

Envelope elements are produced in volume; a supplier-selected showpiece unit does not represent the batch's dimensional or finish spread.

Measure panel, cassette or unit length, width and thickness on the sampled elements and confirm they fall within the drawing tolerances.

Out-of-tolerance panel dimensions accumulate across a run and cause joint-width drift and installation gaps on the facade grid.

Check squareness, edge straightness and flatness of the sampled panels, and confirm no oil-canning, bow or twist beyond the specified limits.

Diagonal or flatness deviation prevents flush alignment and shows as visible waviness once panels are mounted side by side.

Verify the visible face finish — colour, gloss and texture — is consistent across sampled units and matches the approved finish sample or reference panel.

Batch-to-batch colour or gloss variation is highly visible on a continuous facade and is a frequent post-delivery dispute; check units against the signed-off reference under consistent light.

Inspect the visible surfaces for scratches, dents, coating defects, edge damage and marks, and confirm they are within the agreed cosmetic acceptance limits.

Facing surfaces stay in view for the building's life; agree the defect threshold in advance rather than judging cosmetics on the floor.

Measure the dry-film thickness of the applied coating or finish system on the sampled panels at several points and confirm it meets the specified minimum.

Pass: Measured dry-film thickness at each checked point is at or above the specified minimum, with no reading below the drawing or coating-specification limit.

Under-thickness of the facade coating system shortens weathering life and voids the finish warranty; measure the applied panel finish, not any structural steel treatment covered by the structural module.

Verify the coating or finish system applied to the sampled panels — product, colour reference and number of coats — matches the specified system on the finish schedule.

A substituted coating that looks correct but is a different system will not weather or perform as specified; confirm the system identity against documentation, not appearance alone.

For glazed elements, verify the glass make-up, thickness, coating and edge condition match the specification and that the units carry no edge chips, scratches or seal defects.

Substituted glass make-up or damaged sealed-unit edges lead to early failure and are difficult to detect once the units are installed.

Verify glazing gaskets, setting blocks, structural sealant beads and drainage or pressure-equalisation paths are present, correctly seated and match the assembly detail.

Missing setting blocks, discontinuous sealant or blocked drainage paths are common assembly faults that cause glass stress and water ingress.

Verify fixing brackets, cleats, cills, carrier rails and fasteners supplied with the system match the approved fixing detail in type, material and quantity.

Incomplete or substituted fixing components stall installation on site; confirm the delivered fixing set against the detail and count, including any specified corrosion grade.

Where a project mock-up or sample assembly is available, assemble the representative units and confirm panels, joints, fixings and interfaces fit together to the specified joint widths and alignment.

A trial assembly at the works exposes cumulative dimensional and interface errors that are invisible on individual loose panels and costly to resolve on the building.

Where the contract calls for air and water-tightness testing, witness the tightness test on the representative mock-up or assembly and record the applied pressures and any leakage observed.

Pass: No uncontrolled air leakage or water penetration to the interior at the specified test pressures, with results at or within the acceptance limits stated in the specification or test procedure.

Applies only where a tightness test is specified; watch that the test rig, sequence and pressures follow the agreed procedure and that the witnessed sample reflects the production build. Cite the specific test standard only if it is named in the contract.

For operable doors and windows, cycle each sampled unit through opening, closing and locking and confirm the operation, sealing engagement and hardware function.

Pass: Sampled operable units open, close and lock without binding or excessive force, hinges and hardware operate correctly, and perimeter seals engage continuously when closed.

Binding leaves, misaligned locks or seals that fail to engage are readily found by cycling the unit and are far cheaper to correct before shipment.

For fire-rated envelope elements, verify the fire-rating documentation — test evidence or classification report — is provided and supports the declared rating and class for the elements supplied.

Fire performance cannot be judged on the floor; the declared class must be backed by documentation covering the actual specified build-up. Missing or mismatched fire-rating evidence is a legal and life-safety exposure. Do not accept a rating asserted without supporting evidence.

Collect the finish and coating records for the supplied elements — coating system data, colour or batch references and any applied-thickness records — for the acceptance file.

Coating batch and system records support warranty claims and future matching for replacement panels; capture them at acceptance while they are available.