Robot Shipping Handover: How to Record Damage and Missing Items

A robot can arrive at a destination with packaging damage, a loose accessory or a missing document. The receiving team needs a record that separates what was observed at delivery from what may have happened during installation. A clear transport handover protects both buyer and seller and gives a service provider a better starting point if damage is later found.

Define the shipment before it leaves

List the robot arm, controller, pendant, cables, gripper, fixtures and spare parts included in the shipment. Record serial numbers, packaging identifiers and photographs of the equipment and containers. Note any pre-existing marks or repairs before the carrier collects the goods. A buyer cannot compare the received condition with the dispatch condition if the initial inventory is incomplete.

Ask the manufacturer for the applicable transport instructions for the exact model. Universal Robots' transportation guidance describes original packaging, handling and lifting considerations for its equipment. It is a model-specific example and should not be treated as a universal packing instruction for every robot.

Photograph condition and contents

Take dated photographs of each package from several sides, the seals or closures, the shock or tilt indicators if present, and the equipment after unpacking. Record missing or damaged accessories against the shipment list. Photos help establish what was visible; they do not prove when a hidden fault occurred, so retain the carrier records and inspection notes as well.

If the equipment is shipped in an assembled application, record the support frame, tooling and any external machine interfaces. A transport record for the arm alone may not cover damage to a fixture or cable route. Identify which items the carrier handled and which items remained under the seller's or buyer's control.

Use the handover time as a boundary

Write down when the carrier delivered the shipment, who accepted it and whether any exception was recorded on the delivery document. If the package is opened later, record that date and the people present. A delay between delivery and inspection can make it harder to attribute a visible change, so preserve the timeline rather than reconstructing it from memory.

When damage is visible, follow the agreed notice and claims process. Do not power on a machine or move a suspended arm just to see whether it works. The responsible technician should decide how to inspect it safely and whether the manufacturer needs to be involved before any repair or test.

Separate transport damage from commissioning issues

After receipt, commissioning can reveal conditions that were not visible at unpacking, such as a configuration mismatch, missing license or communication problem. Record those findings in a commissioning report with the date and test conditions. Do not automatically attribute every startup message to transport damage, and do not treat a clean unpacking photograph as proof that commissioning will succeed.

The model-specific UR10e transportation section also warns about lifting and transport without the original packaging. The cited instruction is evidence for the equipment it covers; the seller and carrier should confirm the correct manual for the robot being shipped.

Keep the delivery inspection, transport claim and commissioning acceptance as separate records that reference the same equipment identifiers. This helps the parties discuss a missing part or damaged component without conflating it with a later software or integration issue.

Agree who owns the evidence

The purchase agreement or shipping plan should state who prepares the packing list, who photographs dispatch condition, who files carrier notices and who pays for inspection or repair. Identify the deadline for reporting damage and the documents required. A general delivery term does not replace a detailed equipment inventory or a safe unpacking procedure.

For international shipments, keep commercial documents, serial lists and customs information consistent with the delivered equipment. If a component is sent separately, update the receiving checklist. A mismatch between the declared goods and the physical package can create both clearance questions and a difficult claims record.

Close with acceptance evidence

At the end of the handover, retain the dispatch photos, packing list, delivery exception, unpacking inspection, open issues and commissioning decision. If a damage claim remains unresolved, state who owns the next action and what evidence is still needed. A signed receipt confirms delivery; it does not prove that the complete robot application has been accepted.

If a carrier exception is recorded, attach the carrier's reference number and keep the original wording. Do not rewrite a vague note into a technical diagnosis. The seller, carrier and buyer can then agree on an inspection that answers the unresolved question, such as whether a connector was damaged, an accessory is missing or the equipment simply needs normal commissioning.

See our origin evidence guide and browse the robot trade archive for related records. A time-stamped transport file gives a buyer and seller a shared basis for resolving condition questions.