Which products should be chosen as the representative trial set?
Choose products because each represents a handling extreme: smallest base, largest envelope, greatest mass, highest centre of gravity, lowest stability, softest underside, most difficult sensor target or most vulnerable finish. The controlling samples may come from different stock keeping units, and one product rarely represents every design risk.
Record the reason each sample is included so the trial remains traceable when the product range changes.
Which product states should be included in a conveyor trial?
Include the states that exist at the point being conveyed: empty, part-filled, filled, uncapped, capped, labelled, warm, chilled, wet, dusty or otherwise process-affected where relevant. Product behaviour can change significantly between operations, particularly for bottles, flexible packs and loads with moving contents.
Do not test a final stable pack if the conveyor is actually required to handle an earlier, less stable state.
What observations should be recorded during conveyor testing?
Record the sample identity and state, conveyor settings, guide positions, speed, product pitch, load condition and each operating sequence tested. Observe normal flow, transfers, controlled stops, loaded restart, blocked-line response, accumulation where applicable, sensor detection, scuffing and any operator intervention.
Video can support the record, but written acceptance criteria and noted deviations are needed to make the result repeatable.
When is a conveyor trial not representative of production?
A trial is not representative when samples differ materially from production, when only one easy format is used, when the conveyor is tested empty or at an unrealistic setting, or when stops, transfers and recovery states are omitted. It is also incomplete if site interfaces, environmental conditions or connected-machine behaviour control the result but cannot be reproduced at the factory.
Record those limitations and carry the remaining checks into site acceptance rather than treating the factory trial as final proof.
