Used Robot Acceptance: What a Demonstration Must Record

A used robot can complete a short demonstration and still leave important acceptance questions unanswered. The buyer needs a record of the configuration, task, measured result and limits of the demonstration. Separating evidence from marketing claims makes it easier to decide whether the machine is ready for commissioning or needs further inspection.

Define the acceptance question first

Write down what the buyer needs to establish: power-on, motion, repeatability, payload handling, communication, a tool function or another capability. One test rarely proves all of these. Identify the robot, controller, software version, tool and workpiece, then define the start and end of the test before the seller runs it.

A test that confirms the controller starts is different from a test that measures a production cycle. A movement without a representative payload cannot prove the behavior of the intended handling task. Keep each question and its evidence in separate rows in the acceptance record.

Record the configuration used

List the robot arm and controller identifiers, tool, payload, mounting, program revision and relevant safety or operating settings. Note whether external equipment was simulated or connected. A demonstration can look successful because a seller removed a feeder wait, used a light sample or ran a different program. Those conditions are valid observations only when they are reported.

Ask for the program or configuration information that the buyer is entitled to receive, while protecting credentials and proprietary data. If the seller cannot provide it, record that limitation and agree how the buyer will reproduce the test after delivery. A video without configuration details is supporting evidence, not a complete acceptance record.

Measure repeated attempts

Agree on the number of attempts and record successful cycles, retries, stops and operator interventions. Include the shortest, longest and typical result where the measurement matters. A single best run can hide a recurring miss or a slow recovery. If a test excludes failed attempts, state the rule and retain the raw observations.

Use a representative part and fixture when possible. Record any damaged or rejected part separately from a cycle that completed. The buyer can then distinguish throughput, handling success and product quality instead of treating them as one score.

Check the evidence against the supplier's claim

For each claim in the listing, ask which test result supports it and under what conditions. A claim that a robot is “production ready” may include assumptions about integration, guarding, tooling and operator training that the demonstration did not test. Ask the seller to identify what was included and what remains for the buyer or integrator.

Where the seller cites a manufacturer specification, record the exact model and document edition. A specification for the bare arm may not apply to the tool, workpiece or completed cell. Use the manufacturer's documentation and a qualified integrator for questions about safety, compatibility and commissioning.

Plan the post-delivery check

Acceptance at the seller's location and commissioning at the buyer's site are separate events. Agree which tests repeat after delivery and what differences are acceptable. Include transport inspection, software or license verification, calibration, external signals and the actual workpiece. The buyer should not rely on the seller's demonstration as a substitute for the destination assessment.

Define who controls the work area and who can authorize a test. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and site safety procedures. Do not bypass safeguards or operate an unfamiliar robot at full speed solely to match a sales video.

Close with an open-issue list

At handover, attach the test sheet, raw results, photographs, program or configuration references and unresolved issues to the purchase record. For each open issue, name an owner, action and due date. If a claim could not be verified, say that directly instead of turning a provisional result into an acceptance statement.

For related used-robot planning, read our spare-parts support guide and browse the used equipment archive. A clear acceptance record gives both parties a shared basis for deciding what happens next.

Use the manufacturer’s inspection-plan guidance when defining service checks, and keep the original transportation instructions with the receiving record.

Resolve conflicting observations

If a demonstration record and a service report disagree, keep both documents and mark the disagreement as an open issue. Do not silently choose the result that supports the purchase decision. Ask which software version, payload, fixture, temperature and operator procedure applied to each observation. Repeat the test only after the conditions are written down, because changing several variables at once makes the new result difficult to interpret. Record the date, person responsible and instrument used for every repeat measurement. A useful handover pack lets a technician reproduce the check without relying on memory or an unlabelled video. It also gives the buyer a practical basis for a price adjustment, a repair request or a conditional acceptance. When a safety question remains uncertain, pause the test and obtain qualified advice instead of attempting an improvised workaround.