Trial and acceptance guide
A practical framework for sample selection, process trials, factory acceptance, site commissioning and repeatable production release.
Trial preparation
A useful sample trial or factory acceptance test proves the proposed machine against defined products, production film, operating conditions and pass/fail criteria. The test should not be used to discover basic requirements that could have been agreed beforehand.
Include the largest envelope, heaviest pack, least stable group, smallest product, most heat-sensitive item and strictest presentation standard. One product may represent several extremes, but the matrix should show which risk each sample covers.
Provide labelled reels or sleeves for setup, optimisation, sustained running, gaps, restart and changeover. A short unlabelled strip cannot prove reel handling, tracking, splice policy or steady production.
Agree seal condition, shrink finish, side opening, corner appearance, product condition, sleeve position, output duty and defect limits before the formal run. Use an approved pack or annotated photographs where judgement could otherwise be subjective.
State warm-up, first-off, normal loading, sustained duration, production gaps, controlled faults, restart, product changes and cooling/downstream checks. Record the product, film, recipe, actual speed where verified and every deviation.
| Sample group | Reason for inclusion | Test evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal high-volume pack | Establish the main production recipe and normal loading | Accepted finish, sustained good-pack output, settings and retained sample |
| Largest loose-film or group envelope | Challenges seal clearance, aperture, guides and transfers | No contact or catch; seal and shrink remain within standard |
| Heaviest or densest pack | Challenges conveyor support, thermal load and cooling | Stable transfer, tunnel recovery and acceptable product condition |
| Least stable group | Challenges collation, guides, airflow and discharge | Pattern remains controlled before, through and after shrinking |
| Most heat-sensitive product/label/closure | Defines the lowest product tolerance within the range | No unacceptable deformation, marking, adhesive or closure effect |
| Alternative film or supplier material | Confirms whether a separate recipe or approval is required | Material identity retained and result accepted under defined conditions |
| Changeover pair | Represents the most demanding format or material transition | Documented change, first-off approval and return to stable output |
Acceptance stages
Each stage answers a different question. The exact scope belongs in the quotation and agreed acceptance document; the framework below helps avoid assuming that one short supplier test proves every site condition.
| Stage | Primary purpose | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-trial readiness | Confirm samples, film, scope, safety, utilities and acceptance criteria are available | Approved test plan, product/film matrix and responsibilities |
| Supplier sample trial | Assess process route and develop an application-specific proposal | Trial record, photographs/video where authorised, settings and open technical points |
| Factory acceptance test (FAT) | Demonstrate the agreed machine scope before shipment under available factory conditions | Signed test results, deviations, open-action list, manuals/documents and retained references |
| Site installation/commissioning | Confirm access, services, assembly, interfaces and operation in the final environment | Installation checks, line-interface tests, safety review, recipes and training records |
| Site acceptance/production release | Demonstrate agreed operation with site materials, staff and line conditions | Accepted packs, sustained run, restart/changeover evidence and formal sign-off |
Freeze products, film, test states, defect limits, roles and records.
Capture actual conditions, accepted output, defects, interventions and deviations.
Assign every open item, owner, due condition and evidence required for closure.
Retain recipes, samples, training and sign-off for repeatable production.
A run video can demonstrate general operation but may not show actual settings, all defects, product condition or test duration. Keep the written test data and retained samples as the primary evidence.
Record every product, film, setting or hardware change made after the plan was approved. State whether the result remains within scope or requires a separate test before shipment or site release.
An unresolved factory condition should not disappear from the project record. Assign ownership and define the evidence required at site, especially where factory utilities or adjacent equipment could not reproduce final production.
Enough to set up, establish an accepted pack, run the agreed sustained condition, test gaps/restart and cover product extremes. The required quantity depends on the machine and test plan; agree it before shipping samples.
Yes, wherever possible. Film supplier, construction, gauge, width, perforation and reel behaviour can affect sealing and shrinking, so an unlabelled substitute weakens the evidence.
Not necessarily. Factory conditions may not reproduce final conveyors, services, operators, environment or upstream/downstream machines. Define what is proven at FAT and what remains for commissioning or site acceptance.
Assess whether dimensions, weight, stability, film, heat sensitivity or acceptance have changed. A material change may require a controlled new trial or recipe rather than automatic release.
Application review
Send the product matrix, labelled production film, approved pack standard, required output, test states and sign-off responsibilities so Lancing can define a representative trial and acceptance scope.