Support
Remote Check
A hands-on remote check process for South African SMT floors, written for electronics teams who already know the line.
What Remote Check looks like on an SMT week
The Remote Check page explains how to work through an SMT issue with off-site technical guidance. It is intended for teams on the floor who can inspect the machine, confirm alarms and share clear photos or video.
Begin with the machine model, line stage, and the exact fault seen by the operator. Include whether the stop happens at printer, placement, reflow, or inspection, because the remote check follows the process in order. Power events, humidity on the coast, and dust on inland sites can all change what the team is asked to inspect first.
Before covers are opened or parts are moved, take clear photos of the alarm screen, board position, and feeder area. A short video of the fault repeating is often more useful than a long written summary. If the machine has already been reset, note that as part of the remote check record.
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The remote check works best when the on-site team can read alarms, compare settings, and verify what the camera or photo shows. You may be asked to confirm nozzle numbers, feeder slots, fiducial condition, conveyor status, or oven zones one point at a time. That keeps the check tied to the actual board and not a general guess.
Use the remote check to narrow the fault before changing multiple settings at once. Match the report to the correct board code, reel data, and the time the problem started so the history makes sense later. SMT line enquiries should name the board type, the placement volume and the machines already on the line.
- Alarm screen photographed before reset
- Feeder, nozzle, and board images ready
- Fault details shared from the site
Checks shaped by South African sites
A remote check on a Johannesburg line may focus on dust around sensors, tape feed, and placement vision. Durban and Cape Town sites often need closer attention on oxidation, storage conditions, and moisture-sensitive materials. Older industrial premises also make lighting and phone video quality part of the support process.
Load-shedding history matters when heaters, compressors, or UPS events may have interrupted the run. Ask the team on site to note whether the fault started after restart, after reel change, or during first boards after warm-up. That timing helps separate a process drift from a single handling error.
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Remote check evidence pack
Send the board name, machine type, current alarm, and what the operator can see without disassembly. Add photos of placement result, screen print if relevant, and any reject from AOI or visual inspection. Short, labelled files are easier to work through than mixed images from several jobs.
Keep the remote check notes with the production record for that assembly. If the issue returns on the next batch, those images and observations help compare feeder position, component lot, and machine settings without starting from scratch.