Ideally in manufacturing it is best practice to have spare equipment in the instance that a machine fails. Therefore, it is a simple task to bring it in and replace it. If the machine is the same make and model, no validation is required if a previous validation of the machine exist. In general, a “like for like” equipment doesn’t require a validation if the equipment is being utilized and inserted into the same exact location as the previous equipment. As many have stated, if the equipment is being relocated then yes a new validation is necessary. Depending on the severity and criticality of the equipment an update to just the IQ should be sufficient, especially if a previous equipment exist and only the new equipment is being relocated.

In addition, Preventative Maintenance scheduling is important to ensure machines and equipment are routinely checked at certain time intervals to maintain the machine and equipment in top form.