Used machinery inspection checklist: what to verify before you buy

Start with clear photos of the nameplate, serial number, model designation, control and major option labels. Ask the seller to identify the legal owner, physical location and party authorized to transact. Compare those facts with the quotation, invoice and any build sheet or manufacturer records that can be obtained.

Inventory everything represented as included. Toolholders, dies, molds, probes, chip conveyors, transformers, feeders, guarding, manuals and software options can be valuable, but they should not be assumed from a photograph or a prior listing.

• Manufacturer, exact model, serial number and year
• Control model and software or licensed options
• Installed spindle, motor, pump, tooling, automation and auxiliary systems
• Current owner, physical location and seller authority
• Accessories included in the price and items specifically excluded

A powered inspection should show that the machine starts, moves and operates without unresolved alarms, but that is only a baseline. The right tests depend on the equipment: spindle condition, geometry, backlash and a test cut may matter on a machining center; ram parallelism and tooling condition may matter on a press brake; platen condition, tie bars, screw and controls may matter on an injection molding machine.

Ask for maintenance records, recent repairs, hours or cycle information where available, known faults and the reason for sale. Evidence of a recent production run can be useful, but it does not establish suitability for the buyer's different part or process.

Review guarding, interlocks, emergency stops, control reliability and energy-isolation requirements with qualified safety personnel. A machine that operated in one facility may need changes before it can be installed or used at another. Applicable requirements depend on the equipment, operation and jurisdiction.

Confirm electrical service, voltage, full-load requirements, compressed air, hydraulic or chilled-water needs, exhaust, drainage, foundation loads and environmental controls. Compare the serial-specific installation requirements with the destination before the machine is purchased or removed.

Determine who disconnects, drains, blocks, secures, rigs and loads the equipment. Measure doorways, overhead clearance, floor loading and truck access. Identify hazardous materials, anchoring, pits, foundations and connected systems that could complicate removal.

Request written removal terms and deadlines. Auction and plant-clearance schedules can be unforgiving, and a low winning price can become expensive if the buyer did not understand loading, buyer's premium, taxes, export work or late-removal charges.

Document who inspected, what was observed, what was not tested and which seller representations remain unverified. Save photos, videos, quotes, freight estimates and correspondence with the serial number and opportunity.

The final decision should state the remaining risks and who accepted them. When evidence is insufficient, the right result may be another test, a price adjustment, a contractual protection or walking away.