Ultrasonic Welder Site Acceptance Test: 12 SAT Checks

An ultrasonic welder site acceptance test should prove that the delivered machine is undamaged, correctly configured for the project, safely installed, supported by stable utilities and capable of producing repeatable accepted parts at the customer’s site. A successful factory acceptance test does not remove the need for SAT. Shipping, installation, plant utilities, local safeguarding, production material and operator practices can all affect the final result.

This 12-point ultrasonic welder SAT checklist is written for standard vertical ultrasonic plastic welding machines. It covers the handover from arrival inspection to production release. The purchase specification, approved acceptance protocol, machine nameplate, project drawings and model-specific Jfortune documentation always take priority.

Table of Contents

FAT vs SAT: What Is the Difference?

Test	Where it happens	Main purpose	Typical evidence
Factory Acceptance Test (FAT)	Supplier’s factory before shipment	Confirm the machine and project tooling meet the agreed build and functional requirements	Configuration record, functional tests, sample results, photos, videos and open-item list
Site Acceptance Test (SAT)	Customer’s production site after installation	Confirm shipping condition, site readiness, installed safety, utilities, production parts and handover	Receiving inspection, utility checks, safety test, first-off and repeatability results, training and signed release

The SAT should not simply repeat every FAT item. It should verify what could have changed after factory testing and what can only be proven at the production site. Examples include transport damage, grounding, compressed-air stability, final guarding interfaces, production material, upstream and downstream equipment, operator access and recipe control.

Ultrasonic Welder SAT Checklist

Check	Acceptance evidence	Owner	Status
1. Receiving inspection	Packing condition, photos, delivered-item list and damage record	Customer receiving / Jfortune	Open / Pass / N/A
2. Configuration and documents	Nameplate, serial numbers, tooling IDs and approved revisions match	Jfortune / Project engineer	Open / Pass / N/A
3. Site and utility readiness	Foundation, electrical supply, grounding, air and environment verified	Customer facilities	Open / Pass / N/A
4. Safety integration	Risk review and functional test of installed safeguarding	Customer safety / Jfortune	Open / Pass / N/A
5. Machine condition	Fasteners, cables, hoses, motion and physical condition inspected	Jfortune / Maintenance	Open / Pass / N/A
6. Stack and tooling	Approved converter, booster, horn and fixture installed and aligned	Jfortune / Process engineer	Open / Pass / N/A
7. Manual and dry cycles	Repeatable motion, sensing, return and recovery with ultrasound off	Jfortune / Customer	Open / Pass / N/A
8. No-load acoustic check	Approved system check completes without abnormal response	Jfortune	Open / Pass / N/A
9. First-off parts	Production material passes the agreed appearance and performance tests	Quality / Process engineer	Open / Pass / N/A
10. Repeatability evidence	Agreed consecutive sample set passes with recorded process data	Quality / Jfortune	Open / Pass / N/A
11. Recipe and data control	Access, backup, restore, alarm limits and record ownership verified	Process / IT / Quality	Open / Pass / N/A
12. Training and handover	Training, manuals, spares, open points and signatures completed	Customer project lead / Jfortune	Open / Pass / N/A

1. Inspect the Machine Immediately After Arrival

Inspect the shipping container before it is moved or opened. Photograph punctures, water exposure, crushed corners, broken indicators and abnormal tilt. Compare the package count with the shipping documents. If impact or moisture damage is suspected, preserve the packing and follow the agreed carrier and supplier notification process.

After unpacking, check the machine frame, generator, column, actuator, worktable, guarding, controls, cables, connectors, air preparation components and loose accessories. Do not energize visibly damaged equipment. Record missing or damaged items on the receiving report rather than relying on an informal message.

2. Match the Delivered Configuration to the Approved Project

Record the machine model, serial number and nameplate frequency. Verify the converter, booster, horn and fixture identification against the approved project record. Confirm that the part drawing, tooling drawing, electrical documentation, pneumatic diagram, software or recipe revision and acceptance protocol are the versions agreed for SAT.

A threaded connection alone does not prove acoustic compatibility. If an acoustic component or tool ID differs from the FAT record, resolve the discrepancy before testing. The same rule applies to replacement sensors, valves or controller versions that could affect the approved sequence.

3. Verify Site and Utility Readiness

Confirm that the floor, bench or support structure is suitable and that the machine is level, stable and secured as specified. Provide working space for part loading, safe maintenance and emergency access. Protect cables and hoses from sharp bends, crushing, hot surfaces and operator walkways. Do not restrict generator or cabinet ventilation.

Electrical power must match the nameplate and approved wiring documentation, including protective grounding. Permanent electrical work should be completed by qualified personnel. For pneumatic machines, verify clean, dry and adequately sized compressed air. Observe the supply while other plant equipment cycles; a static gauge reading does not prove that pressure and flow remain stable during production.

Record the measured conditions and instrument identification required by the SAT protocol. Do not apply a universal voltage, pressure or air-flow requirement to every ultrasonic welder.

4. Complete the Site Safety Review

The final installation must be reviewed against the customer’s machinery risk assessment and local requirements. Test the emergency stop, installed guards, interlocks, two-hand controls, light curtains and other safeguarding through their intended operating modes. Confirm access around the sides and rear, not only the operator position.

Verify the response to an interrupted cycle and the controlled restart procedure. Normal safeguarding does not replace hazardous-energy isolation during servicing. The customer’s lockout/tagout procedure should identify the electrical, pneumatic and any stored mechanical energy associated with the installed system.

The SAT record should state who completed the safety review and whether any open item blocks production. A machine should not be accepted for operation merely because a safety fault does not affect sample quality.

5. Inspect the Installed Machine Before Motion Testing

Check transport restraints, machine fasteners, column clamps, covers, cables, pneumatic hoses, filters, regulators and connectors. Look for loose components, oil or air leaks, pinched wiring and foreign material. Confirm that the worktable and fixture mounting area are clean and undamaged.

Restore utilities according to the approved startup procedure. Confirm normal controller startup, indicator behavior and communication with any connected automation. If an alarm appears, record its code and cause. Do not clear repeated alarms without understanding why they occur.

6. Validate the Acoustic Stack and Project Tooling

With hazardous energy controlled as required, inspect the converter, booster and horn for cracks, damaged threads, impact marks and contaminated mating faces. Confirm the approved assembly and tightening method. A horn must not be drilled, shortened, polished or otherwise modified at site without an engineering review.

Install representative production parts in the fixture and establish horn-to-part alignment in the approved manual or horn-down mode with ultrasonic energy disabled. The part should locate consistently without rocking. The fixture should support the joint while avoiding unnecessary restriction of vibration.

Check contact across the horn face and verify clearance throughout the stroke. The horn must not touch the metal fixture, clamps or fasteners. If witness marks are uneven, correct part seating, fixture level, part warpage or horn profile before parameter trials.

7. Run Manual and Dry Cycles With Ultrasound Off

Cycle the complete machine sequence without ultrasonic energy. Verify part sensing, horn approach, trigger behavior, clamp or nest movement, hold position, return stroke, part release and recovery after an interrupted cycle. Observe cables, hoses and tooling through the full motion.

The part should not bounce or shift when the horn makes contact. Machine height and approach should allow the horn to reach the assembly without bottoming the actuator or striking the part excessively. Use only the model-specific setup method; values from another machine are not acceptance criteria.

8. Perform the Approved No-Load Acoustic Test

After the mechanical checks, run the manufacturer-approved short stack or horn test with personnel clear of the tooling. Record the system response required by the project protocol. Stop if the generator reports overload, a component moves, the sound changes abruptly or the system shows another abnormal condition.

Do not repeatedly reset an overload or increase an alarm limit to obtain a pass. Recheck stack compatibility, mating faces, tightening, horn condition and unintended contact. An acoustic fault must be closed before first-off welding.

9. Produce and Test First-Off Parts

Use the production-approved resin, molded part revision and realistic part condition. A FAT performed with substitute samples may demonstrate machine function but does not prove the final product process. Load the agreed recipe or develop controlled trials if no validated recipe exists.

Record amplitude, force or regulated pressure, trigger condition, weld mode, weld time or energy, hold time and any available response data. Inspect the complete interface and apply the acceptance test defined for the product, such as appearance, dimension, pull, torque, peel, burst or leak performance.

Parameter changes should follow a documented trial plan. Review the Jfortune ultrasonic welding parameters guide for the relationship between amplitude, pressure, weld time and hold time. Do not use universal settings from an unrelated part.

10. Demonstrate Repeatability, Not One Good Part

The SAT sample quantity and acceptance limits should be agreed before the test and based on product risk, customer requirements and the quality plan. One successful sample is not evidence of a repeatable production process.

Run the agreed consecutive sample set using the normal loading method and production utilities. Record pass/fail results and relevant process responses. Where appropriate, include realistic material, cavity or molded-dimensional variation. Investigate trends such as rising peak power, changing collapse, unstable cycle time or increasing flash rather than averaging them away.

If results vary, first check air stability, part seating, material condition, fixture movement, part temperature and loose tooling. Recipe limits should not be widened to hide an external cause.

11. Verify Recipe Access, Backup and Production Data

Confirm that the approved recipe has a controlled name linked to the part and tooling revision. Test the intended operator, technician and administrator access levels. Operators should be able to run the process and respond safely to normal alarms without unauthorized changes to protected parameters.

Back up the approved recipe and document where the backup is stored, who owns it and how restoration is verified. Confirm alarm limits, counter functions and process-data export only where those features are included in the project. If the machine connects to a customer network, MES or line controller, record the final interface status and any remaining cybersecurity or IT action.

12. Close Training, Spares, Manuals and Open Points

Training should cover safe startup and shutdown, correct part loading, normal machine sound, recipe selection, first-piece checks, common alarms, stop conditions, cleaning, preventive maintenance and the boundary between operator work and qualified service work.

Confirm delivery of the agreed manuals, drawings, FAT record, SAT record, software or recipe backup, recommended spare-parts list and supplied spares. Identify special tools and consumables needed for the acoustic stack and fixture.

List every unresolved item with an owner, due date and production impact. Separate cosmetic or documentation items from conditions that block safe operation or product acceptance. The customer and Jfortune representatives should sign the SAT only after the acceptance status and open-point treatment are clear.

Evidence to Retain After Ultrasonic Welder SAT

Receiving-condition photos and packing or damage report
Machine, stack, horn and fixture identification
Approved drawings, software and recipe revisions
Measured electrical, grounding and compressed-air checks
Safeguarding and emergency-stop functional-test record
Manual-cycle and no-load acoustic-check results
First-off and repeatability sample results
Final recipe, limits and backup location
Operator and maintenance training attendance
Delivered manuals, spares and special-tool list
Open-point register with owners and due dates
Signed SAT approval and production-release decision

Common Reasons an Ultrasonic Welder SAT Does Not Close

Open issue	Why it matters	Required response
Shipping damage or missing components	Configuration or reliability cannot be confirmed	Document, assess and repair or replace before affected testing
Unstable air or incorrect electrical supply	Motion and weld results may change during production	Correct the facility supply and repeat relevant tests
Safeguarding does not pass	Machine is not ready for safe production release	Close the safety issue before operation
Horn-to-part contact is uneven	Parameter tuning can hide but not correct mechanical misalignment	Correct the part, horn or fixture condition
One sample passes but the sample set varies	Repeatability has not been demonstrated	Find the source of variation and repeat the agreed run
Recipe, training or backup is incomplete	The accepted process cannot be controlled after handover	Complete the control and training evidence before closure

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the FAT report replace the ultrasonic welder SAT?

No. FAT verifies the machine at the supplier’s facility. SAT verifies transport condition, customer-site utilities, final safety integration, production material, operator use and handover evidence. The protocols can share test items, but they answer different questions.

Who should attend an ultrasonic welder SAT?

The required team depends on the project, but typically includes the customer project or process engineer, quality representative, maintenance or facilities support, safety representative where needed, trained production personnel and the Jfortune commissioning representative.

How many parts are required for SAT?

There is no universal quantity. Agree the sample size and acceptance criteria before testing based on product risk, customer requirements, destructive-test needs and expected process variation.

Can production start with open SAT items?

Only the responsible customer functions can make that release decision. Safety faults, unproven product acceptance or uncontrolled recipes should not be treated as minor documentation items. Every open point needs an owner, due date and stated production impact.

When should part of the SAT be repeated?

Repeat affected checks after significant transport or impact, machine relocation, utility changes, tooling or stack changes, software or sequence changes, safety modifications or an unexplained shift in first-off results.

Jfortune SAT Planning and Support

Jfortune can prepare a project-specific SAT protocol from the agreed machine configuration, part, joint, tooling, production interface and product acceptance requirements. Send the part drawing, resin grade, joint section, test specification, production sample plan, utility details and line-integration information before commissioning so responsibilities and evidence are clear.

For the operating sequence and maintenance logic after acceptance, read the standard ultrasonic welding machine operation guide. For the factory/site handover boundary, see the machine delivery inspection guide and Jfortune project management process. You can also review Jfortune service and support, explore Jfortune ultrasonic welding machines or send your SAT and application requirements to Jfortune.

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Ultrasonic Welder Site Acceptance Test: 12 Checks Before Production