Pre-Shipment Inspection for Machinery from China: FAT vs PSI, Checklist and Process

Most problems with machinery bought from China are preventable — but only before the balance is paid and the crate is closed. Once a machine is at sea, fixing a wrong voltage, a missing safety interlock or a PLC that was never programmed for your product means remote troubleshooting, flying an engineer, or paying a local technician to rework it.

This guide explains how to inspect machinery before it leaves the factory: the difference between a factory acceptance test (FAT) and a pre-shipment inspection (PSI), where AQL sampling does and does not apply, a practical checklist, and a step-by-step process you can put into your purchase contract.

FAT vs PSI: Two Different Gates

For consumer goods, "pre-shipment inspection" usually means sampling finished, packed cartons. Machinery is different. You are usually buying one or a handful of units, each of which must work, not just look right. That is why machinery buyers use two gates.

| | Factory acceptance test (FAT) | Pre-shipment inspection (PSI) | | --- | --- | --- | | Question answered | Does the machine perform to the agreed specification? | Is the right, complete machine packed and ready to ship? | | Timing | When assembly is complete, before final packing | After FAT, when the machine is packed or being packed | | Main checks | Functional run, output and accuracy, safety functions, controls, configuration | Serial numbers, configuration match, spare parts, tools, documents, packing, marking | | Units checked | Every machine individually | Every machine individually; accessories may be sampled | | Typical outcome | Pass, fail, or pass with listed punch-list items | Release for shipment, or hold until issues are corrected |

A FAT without a PSI leaves a gap: the machine you saw running is not necessarily the one that ends up in the crate, and parts that were on it during the test are sometimes removed. A PSI without a FAT is worse: a beautifully packed machine that has never been run with your product.

Some buyers also add a during-production inspection for long-lead or custom projects — typically when the frame, major machined parts and electrical cabinet are built but before final assembly. It catches material and build errors while they are still cheap to fix.

Where AQL Fits — and Where It Doesn't

AQL (Acceptance Quality Limit) sampling comes from ISO 2859-1 (and equivalents such as ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 and China's GB/T 2828.1). ISO 2859-1 states that it is intended for a continuing series of lots of discrete products from one producer and one process. You inspect a random sample of a lot and accept or reject the whole lot based on the number of defects found.

That logic does not fit a single packaging line or three CNC machines. A sample of one out of one is not a sample. For machinery:

• Each machine gets a full, individual check against the FAT protocol and the PSI checklist.
• AQL sampling is appropriate for items in the same shipment that do come in quantity: spare parts kits, change parts, moulds or format parts in larger numbers, consumables, cartons of fittings, or a run of identical small machines.
• If you use AQL for those items, the purchase order should name the standard and edition, the inspection level and the AQL per defect class (critical, major, minor), so the inspector and supplier apply the same rules.

If a quotation offers "AQL inspection" for a single complex machine, ask exactly what will be tested. You want function and specification, not a cosmetic sample.

Before the Inspection: Set It Up in the Contract

Inspection is only as good as the criteria behind it. The work starts when you sign the contract:

1. Technical specification as an annex. Capacity (units per hour or kg per hour), accuracy or tolerance, materials of contact parts (for example 304 or 316L stainless steel), voltage, frequency and phase, control system brands, and safety features.
2. Acceptance criteria. For example: "Run for 60 minutes continuously at rated speed with the buyer's product, rejection rate below the agreed value." Use your own numbers — the point is that they are written and measurable.
3. Test materials. Who supplies the product, containers, packaging film or raw material for the test, and how much. A filling machine tested with water tells you little about a viscous sauce.
4. Right to inspect. The buyer or a nominated third party may inspect at FAT and before shipment, with a defined notice period.
5. Payment linked to inspection. Balance payable after a passed FAT and satisfactory PSI. Our supplier deposit risk calculator shows how much you have exposed at each stage.
6. Compliance documents. If you sell or use the machine in the EU, CE marking requires a Declaration of Conformity and technical file under the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, which the EU Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 replaces from 20 January 2027. Other markets have their own requirements. Specify what the supplier must deliver.

If you have not yet verified the supplier itself, do that first — a factory audit in China answers whether the company can build the machine at all.

Machinery Pre-Shipment Inspection Checklist

Below is a practical checklist structure. Adapt it per machine type; our FAT checklist generator creates a downloadable starting list for common machinery categories.

A. Documents and identity

• Nameplate present, with model, serial number, voltage, power and year matching the contract.
• Serial numbers of major components (motors, PLC, HMI, servo drives, compressors) recorded.
• Brands of key components match the quotation — substitutions of PLCs, servos, pneumatics and bearings are common and should be approved in writing.
• Manuals, electrical and pneumatic diagrams, spare parts list and PLC program backup available, in the agreed language.

B. Visual and build quality

• Welds continuous and cleaned; no sharp edges on operator areas.
• Contact parts in the specified material. Ask for material certificates; a handheld XRF check can be added where material grade matters.
• Surface finish of contact parts as specified (relevant for food, pharma and cosmetics equipment).
• Fasteners tight and secured, guards fitted, no loose wiring.
• Electrical cabinet tidy, wires labelled, cable glands sealed, protective earth connected. Wiring practice can be compared against IEC 60204-1, the common reference standard for electrical equipment of machines, if your contract cites it.

C. Dimensions and configuration

• Overall dimensions and weight within the agreed range (matters for your site layout and container loading).
• Interfaces: infeed and outfeed heights, conveyor direction, connection sizes for air, water and power.
• Options and change parts delivered for every format you ordered.

D. Functional test (FAT)

• Dry run: all motions, sensors and actuators work; no abnormal noise, vibration or leaks.
• Wet or production run with your product and packaging, at rated speed, for the agreed duration.
• Output measured: speed, accuracy (for example fill weight or volume, cutting tolerance), reject rate — recorded against acceptance criteria.
• Changeover between formats performed and timed if relevant.
• HMI: language, recipes, alarms and user levels work as specified.

E. Safety functions

• Emergency stop buttons stop the machine as expected from every position.
• Guard door interlocks stop hazardous motion when opened.
• Warning labels and signage present.
• Pressure relief and overload protection where applicable.

F. Packing and shipment (PSI)

• The machine that passed the FAT (by serial number) is the one being packed.
• Parts removed for transport are labelled and listed.
• Spare parts, tools and wear parts packed and counted against the packing list.
• Moisture protection suitable for sea freight; machine secured to the crate base; crate strong enough for lifting points used.
• Shipping marks and handling marks correct; packing list matches crate contents.

The Inspection Process, Step by Step

1. Agree the protocol with the supplier at least a week before the test — they need to prepare materials and staff.
2. Supplier confirms readiness in writing, with photos showing the machine fully assembled and powered.
3. Inspector attends (you, your engineer, or a third party). Witnessing should be independent: the inspector chooses what to test and when, rather than watching a demo.
4. Run the FAT against the checklist. Record videos of each test with a visible timestamp, and measured values.
5. Issue a punch list of non-conformities, each classified (critical, major, minor), with an agreed fix and deadline.
6. Verify the fixes — by re-inspection for critical items, or by photo/video evidence for minor ones if agreed.
7. Run the PSI when packing: serial numbers, completeness, documents, crate and marking.
8. Release the balance payment only after the report confirms pass and fixes are closed.

On complex lines, it is also wise to keep a copy of the PLC program and HMI backup before shipment, so a local technician can restore it if something goes wrong during commissioning.

Common Failures Found at Machinery Inspections

From the type of issues buyers commonly report, these come up again and again:

• Wrong voltage or frequency for the destination country.
• Component brands substituted without notice.
• Machine runs at rated speed only with ideal material, not with the buyer's actual product.
• Safety interlocks bypassed during the factory's own testing and not reconnected.
• Missing change parts, spare parts or documentation.
• PLC program password-locked with no handover.
• Crate not suitable for the shipping route, leading to corrosion or transport damage.

All of these are cheap to fix at the factory and expensive to fix after arrival.

Filling and Bottling Lines

Filling, capping and labelling equipment is particularly sensitive to test conditions. Insist on testing with your real containers, caps and a liquid close to your product's viscosity and foaming behaviour, and measure fill accuracy across a meaningful run rather than a handful of bottles. If you are still specifying the line, iBottling publishes practical buyer information on filling and bottling equipment.

Doing It Remotely

If you cannot travel, you have three options:

• Supplier-run video — cheapest, but the supplier controls the camera. Acceptable only for small, standard machines and low-risk orders.
• Live video with an independent inspector on site — the inspector runs the checklist and you watch and ask for specific tests.
• Fully delegated third-party inspection — the inspector follows your protocol and reports with photos, videos and measured values.

For anything custom or high value, an independent person physically at the machine is the difference between evidence and a sales demo.

Next Steps

1. Generate a checklist for your machine type with the FAT checklist generator.
2. Make sure the supplier itself is verified — see our factory audit guide or book a supplier background check.
3. Request a quote for an independent pre-shipment inspection and FAT witness for your machine. We quote per project based on machine type, test duration and factory location.