Control Panel FAT and Testing in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Control Panels Company carries out control panel FAT in Saudi Arabia as part of every build, testing each panel in its Dammam workshop to IEC 61439 routine verification before it ships. The test covers inspection, wiring, protective circuits, insulation and operation, and ends in a signed test record. Testing is included in the build price, and your inspector is welcome to witness it.
What you receive: a written proposal with the test scope, standard, witness points, lead time and price within one working day of receiving your panel specification or inspection and test plan. Request a quotation
What is a control panel FAT?
A factory acceptance test (FAT) is the check carried out on a finished panel in the workshop, before it leaves, to prove that it is built to the drawings and the standard and that it works. It is the last point at which a fault is cheap to fix. A wiring error found on the workshop bench costs an hour. The same error found on site, with the plant waiting, costs a shutdown.
This page covers the hardware FAT: the physical and electrical verification of the assembly. Functional testing of PLC logic, HMI screens and SCADA signals is carried out by the automation integrator who writes the software, either at the integrator's own FAT or at site acceptance.
Control panel FAT: what we test
| Test | What is checked | Standard | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inspection of the assembly | Component ratings, make and type against the BOM, labels, torque marks, enclosure condition | IEC 61439-1/-2, routine verification | Included in build time |
| Clearances and creepage | Insulation distances at busbars, terminals and device connections | IEC 61439-1/-2 | Included |
| Protective circuit | Continuity of earth bonding between exposed conductive parts and the PE bar | IEC 61439-1/-2 | Included |
| Wiring check | Point-to-point verification of power and control wiring against the schematics | IEC 60204-1, where specified | Included |
| Dielectric properties | Power-frequency withstand test, or an insulation resistance measurement where the standard allows | IEC 61439-1/-2 | Included |
| Mechanical operation | Doors, locks, withdrawable units, interlocks and shutters | IEC 61439-1/-2 | Included |
| Functional check | Control circuits, indications, emergency stops and protection devices operated with simulated inputs | Customer specification | Included |
| Test record | Signed record with instrument details and results | IEC 61439-1 | Included |
FAT is carried out in-house to IEC 61439 routine verification, and customer or third-party inspectors are welcome to witness it.
How do you do a FAT on an electrical panel?
The sequence matters, because live tests come only after the de-energised ones pass.
- Pre-test review. The test engineer receives the approved drawings and the inspection and test plan.
- Visual and mechanical inspection. Equipment, ratings, labels, terminal tightness and door operation are checked against the BOM.
- Wiring and protective circuit. Every connection is rung out against the schematic, and earth continuity is measured.
- Insulation and dielectric test. The main circuits are tested at the stated voltage, with sensitive electronic devices isolated first.
- Energisation. The panel is powered from a test supply and control voltages are checked.
- Functional test. Starters, interlocks, alarms, indications and protection trips are operated and recorded.
- Punch list and retest. Any defect is corrected and the affected tests are repeated.
- Sign-off. The test record is signed, and the panel is released for packing.
Design verification, such as temperature rise and short-circuit withstand, is done once per design and does not repeat for every panel. Routine verification, as above, applies to each one.
What is the difference between FAT and SAT?
FAT happens in the workshop before delivery. Site acceptance testing (SAT) happens at the plant after installation, with real cables, field devices and the live process. FAT proves the panel; SAT proves the panel in its place. A clean FAT shortens the SAT because wiring and protection are already verified, leaving site time for the field work and for the control logic.
What should the FAT report contain?
A useful report lets someone who was not there see exactly what was tested. Ours records:
- the panel name, drawing numbers and revisions;
- the inspection and test plan reference;
- each test, its acceptance criterion and the measured result;
- the serial numbers and calibration dates of the instruments used;
- the defects found, how they were closed and the retest result; and
- the names and signatures of the tester and any witness.
The record travels with the panel and forms part of the handover documents. For vendor-listed work, it can be submitted against your own inspection and test plan.
Who carries out panel testing in Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Control Panels Company has worked in Saudi Arabia since 2000 and is approved by Saudi Aramco, SABIC and the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu. We have worked on projects for all three, and we hold ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certification. Our our Dallah Industrial workshop in Dammam builds more than 150 panels a month.
Every panel type we build goes through the same discipline: LV switchboards, MCC panels and PLC and automation panels, as well as batches built from your drawings under panel build to print. We respond to Eastern Province site visits within one working day and deliver to every region of Saudi Arabia.
Factory acceptance test questions
Who provides control panel FAT in Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Control Panels Company provides factory acceptance testing from its Dammam workshop, on panels built there or on panels you send for verification. Tests follow IEC 61439 routine verification, and customers, consultants and third-party inspectors are welcome to witness.
What affects the cost of panel FAT?
For panels we build, testing is included in the price. For separate verification, the factors are panel size and number of circuits, the tests your specification requires, the number of witness days, special test voltages and the report format. Send your inspection and test plan and the proposal sets out each element.
How long does a panel FAT take?
A simple panel can be tested in a few hours. A large switchboard or MCC with many feeders takes longer because each circuit is checked and recorded. The time is shown in the proposal, and we schedule it around your inspector's availability so the witness does not wait.
What does a FAT report mean?
A FAT report is the written record of the factory test. It lists the checks, the acceptance criteria, the measured results, the instruments used and any defects and their correction. When signed by the tester and the witness, it is the evidence that the panel was accepted for shipment.
Can you test panels built by someone else?
Yes. Send the drawings and the test requirements. We inspect, test and report on the panel, and list any non-conformances against the standard. Corrections can be made in our workshop after your approval, followed by a retest and a revised record.
Can I witness the test remotely?
Yes. A remote witness can follow the test on a live video link while our engineer carries out each step, and we capture photographs of the readings for the record. Many customers prefer to attend in person for the final energisation and functional steps.
Looking for control panel FAT in Saudi Arabia? Send us your panel specification or inspection and test plan and receive a quotation within one working day.