Preparing the published article.
Acceptance Testing a Robot Cell: The Plan to Write First
Factory acceptance and site acceptance tests with pass and fail criteria.
Two tests, two places
| Test | Where | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Factory acceptance (FAT) | At the integrator | Prove the cell works before shipping |
| Site acceptance (SAT) | At your plant | Prove it works with your parts, people and power |
Make the criteria numeric
“Works well” is not a criterion. Write the sample size, the acceptable cycle time range, the allowed intervention rate and the duration of the run. For example: 500 parts, cycle time within 5% of the agreed figure, no more than 2 manual interventions, safety functions verified against the risk assessment.
Test the failure paths
- Stop and restart at every point in the cycle.
- E-stop from each operator position, timed and recorded.
- Power loss during a move, then recovery.
- Bad part, missing part, upside-down part.
- Network drop between robot and line controller.
Record each test with a date, the person who ran it and the result. That record is what the maintenance team will use for years.