Identity and traceability
Check the nameplate against the quotation and purchase contract. Record manufacturer, complete model, serial number, manufacturing year and physical address. If the serial number cannot be verified, investigate before sending money.
Documents and ownership
Confirm the seller has authority to sell the machine, that the included accessories are listed, and that export and import requirements can be met. Available manuals, electrical diagrams, maintenance logs and controller backups reduce future service risk, but they may not exist on older equipment.
Visual and mechanical condition
Inspect missing guards, corrosion, excessive repairs, signs of impact, hydraulic hoses, cylinders, electrical cabinets, wiring changes and fluid leakage. Pay special attention to moving axes, bearings, slides, pumps and machine-specific high-wear areas.
Test the machine in a useful way
A switch-on video is not a production test. Agree a specific test method related to the actual application. For CNC equipment this may include spindle operation and a measured test cut. For injection molding it may include clamp and injection cycles under load. For presses it may include a measured pressure hold where safe and appropriate.
Record what was not tested
Every report should separate observed facts, seller statements and untested elements. Write down alarms, defects, consumables, missing tools and restrictions. If a test cannot be completed, determine the commercial implication before proceeding.
Acceptance before dispatch
Attach the agreed inspection records to the contract and clearly define warranty exclusions, packing, dismantling, loading and damage risk under the agreed delivery term.