| Folding Performance | Fold count, fold depth, material compatibility, dimensional tolerance, and product changeover time | Stable folding of the buyer’s specified mask material with repeatable dimensions and no visible creasing defects | Machine drawings, approved samples, process parameters, and a recorded factory test | Run the buyer’s own materials for a documented acceptance test before shipment |
| Production Speed | Rated speed, sustained speed, reject rate, and speed under the required product configuration | Typical quotations may state approximately 80–120 pieces per minute; the guaranteed speed should be defined under actual material and quality conditions | Signed performance specification, production video with timestamp, and test-run records | Measure good pieces per minute during a continuous trial rather than relying only on no-load speed |
| Overall Equipment Effectiveness | Availability, performance rate, quality rate, planned maintenance time, and unplanned downtime | Use a buyer-defined target, such as at least 85% OEE after commissioning; OEE is a management metric, not a universal legal requirement | OEE calculation sheet, maintenance records, alarm history, and customer acceptance data | Calculate OEE from an agreed trial period using actual good-output data |
| Quality Management | Quality system scope, inspection plan, incoming inspection, process controls, and final inspection records | A documented quality management system covering design, assembly, testing, and corrective action | Current ISO 9001 certificate from an accredited certification body, inspection forms, and nonconformance records | Check certificate validity, certification scope, issuing body, and consistency with the audited production site |
| Machine Safety | Risk assessment, guarding, emergency stops, interlocks, electrical protection, and residual-risk instructions | Safety functions documented and tested according to the destination market’s requirements | Risk assessment based on ISO 12100, electrical documentation aligned with IEC 60204-1, safety-test records, and user instructions | Inspect guards and controls during factory acceptance testing and review the complete technical file |
| Regulatory Compliance | Applicable destination-market laws, conformity assessment route, technical file, declaration of conformity, and labeling | Documentation must match the exact machine model, options, electrical configuration, and destination country | For applicable European-market machinery: CE marking, EU Declaration of Conformity, risk assessment, and technical documentation; confirm the legislation in force at delivery | Have an independent compliance specialist review documents before signing the purchase contract |
| Production Capacity | Monthly assembly capacity, key-component availability, subcontracting ratio, lead time, and current order backlog | Capacity should cover the project schedule with contingency for testing, corrective work, export packing, and logistics | Capacity plan, production schedule, component lead-time list, factory photographs, and anonymized delivery records | Conduct a production audit and confirm capacity using verifiable work orders rather than verbal claims |
| Reliability and Maintainability | Expected service life, preventive-maintenance intervals, critical spare parts, mean time to repair, and lubrication requirements | Clear maintenance intervals, accessible wear parts, fault diagnostics, and a documented spare-parts strategy | Maintenance manual, parts list with part numbers, troubleshooting guide, and recommended two-year spare-parts package | Review replacement procedures and confirm availability, pricing, and delivery time for critical parts |
| Factory Acceptance Testing | Test duration, output rate, product quality, alarm response, safety functions, and changeover results | A written FAT protocol with measurable pass/fail criteria agreed before manufacturing begins | Signed FAT report, sample approval, test videos, calibration records, and punch-list closure | Require buyer or third-party attendance, remotely or on site, before final payment |
| Installation and After-Sales Support | Installation method, training hours, response time, remote-support availability, warranty terms, and field-service coverage | Written service-level commitments, multilingual manuals, operator training, and a defined escalation process | Service agreement, training plan, warranty exclusions, response-time commitments, and anonymized reference checks | Contact at least two recent buyers with similar machine configurations and destinations |
| Commercial and Delivery Risk | Total cost of ownership, payment milestones, Incoterms, delivery schedule, packing method, insurance, and liquidated damages | Payment should be linked to design approval, FAT completion, shipment, installation, and final acceptance | Itemized quotation, contract schedule, packing specification, insurance terms, and acceptance-payment clause | Compare at least three technically equivalent offers using total delivered and operating cost |