Maintaining and Caring for SMT SPI machine: Tips to Extend Its Lifespan

ntroduction

SMT Solder Paste Inspection (SPI) machine is a front-end solder paste printing inspection link in SMT processing. To ensure product quality, SMT SPI machine has been commonly integrated into SMD production lines, gradually replacing the traditional manual inspection.

Regular equipment maintenance and repair can improve productivity, ensure product quality, extend equipment life and reduce operating costs.

This article will provide some practical maintenance tips to help extend the life of SPI equipment. 

I. The basic structure of the SMT SPI machine

1. SPI solder paste inspection machine structure mainly includes the following parts

• High-precision camera: Used to capture the image of the solder paste.
• Laser: Emits laser light for measurement.
• Lighting system: Provides appropriate lighting conditions.
• Image processing software: Processes and analyzes the captured images.

2. Importance of the operating principle of SMT SPI machine

Solder paste inspection equipment is mainly based on optical principles and laser triangulation technology. The equipment irradiates the soldering surface with a camera and a light source to obtain an image of the solder paste, and then detects and analyzes the shape, size, and position of the solder paste through image processing technology to determine the quality of the solder paste and the soldering effect.

II. The daily maintenance process

1. Daily cleaning: Clean the surface and interior of the machine daily to prevent the accumulation of dust and dirt.

2. Regular Inspection: Weekly or monthly comprehensive inspection, including checking the machine’s electrical connections, pneumatic system and mechanical components.

3. Lubrication: Regularly lubricate the moving parts of the machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

4. Calibration: Regularly calibrate the machine to ensure placement accuracy and weld quality.

5. Replacement of Wear Parts: Replace wear parts such as nozzles, solder paste printing templates and squeegees in a timely manner.

6. Software Updates: Regularly update the machine’s software to utilize the latest features and fix known problems.

III. Common failures and solutions

1. Machine Failure

• Problem description: The solder paste inspection machine does not start normally or shuts down automatically.
• Solution: Check whether the power supply and wiring is properly connected, check whether there are impurities or foreign objects inside the machine to affect the machine start.

• Problem description: SMT SPI machine works with abnormal noise or vibration.
• Solution: Check whether the machine is flat, whether there are loose parts or parts wear, timely replacement of faulty parts.

2. Detection accuracy

• Problem description: The detection accuracy of the solder paste inspection machine is not enough to recognize small defects.
• Solution: Check whether the light source and detector clean, adjust the machine parameters to improve detection sensitivity.

• Problem description: Inaccurate detection results of the solder paste inspection machine, leakage or misdetection.
• Solution: Check whether the thickness and composition of the solder paste meet the requirements, and adjust the machine parameters to adapt to different types of solder paste.

IV. Regular maintenance program

1. Develop a maintenance plan

• Daily Maintenance: Check the equipment casing and operating platform to remove dust and solder residue. Observe the equipment display for abnormal alarms and ensure that all functions of the equipment are working properly. Confirm the operating conditions of the sensors and cameras, and clean the lenses to ensure detection accuracy.
• Weekly Maintenance: Clean internal parts with appropriate tools to prevent dust and solder buildup. Review the condition of fluid lines and pumps to ensure there are no leaks. Regularly calibrate sensors to ensure measurement accuracy, as instructed in the equipment manual.
• Monthly Maintenance: Perform a thorough and systematic inspection of the equipment, including whether all connections are secure and the electronics are functioning properly.

Replace wearing parts, update software and firmware.

2. The need for professional maintenance

• Complex fault troubleshooting: When the equipment has insurmountable problems, such as fault codes that cannot be lifted, abnormal internal components, etc., professional technicians should be contacted in time for diagnosis and repair.
• System upgrading and transformation: When it is necessary to carry out major upgrading or technical transformation of the equipment, please be sure to seek professional help to ensure that the upgrading process is carried out smoothly.
• Training and Technical Consultation: If the operators are not familiar with the new functions or complex settings of the equipment, professional training can be used to enhance their skills and ensure the best operating results.

V. Operator Training

1. Importance of training

Effective training can bring the following benefits:

• Improve operational efficiency: professionally trained operators can operate equipment more quickly and accurately, reducing the probability of errors and improving productivity.
• Reduce equipment failure: Understanding the working principle and operation specification of the equipment can help operators to avoid improper operation in daily use, thus reducing the equipment failure rate.
• Enhance product quality: Operators can effectively improve welding quality by mastering proper inspection and maintenance techniques to ensure that products meet quality standards.
• Enhance safety awareness: training can also enhance the safety awareness of employees to ensure safety during operation and reduce the risk of accidents.

2. Regular training on operation specifications and techniques

• Induction training: New employees should receive basic training on equipment operation, maintenance and troubleshooting to ensure that they are familiar with the equipment from the start.
• Regular refresher training: Refresher training every 6 months or annually, covering new equipment features and industry best practices, helps maintain operator professionalism.
• Problem-specific training: Based on problems that arise during the operation of the equipment, regular targeted training is held to help employees understand how to deal with common malfunctions.

3. Improve employees’ understanding of equipment and operating skills

• Combination of theory and practice: Training courses should include a combination of theoretical learning and practical operation, not only explaining the working principles of the equipment, but also arranging opportunities for actual operation, so that employees can deepen their understanding through practice.
• User manuals and training materials: Provide detailed user manuals, training materials and online resources for employees to access at any time to help them find references when necessary.
• Encourage self-directed learning: Encourage employees to learn about equipment-related content on their own, such as attending online courses or industry seminars, to enhance their personal skills and professional knowledge.
• Establish a communication platform: Establish an internal communication channel for operators to share their experiences and skills and learn from each other, so as to improve the overall quality of the team in a more comprehensive way.

VI. Management of accessories and consumables

1. The importance of using original or certified accessories

• Ensure equipment performance and stability.
• Improve detection accuracy and reliability.
• Reduce the rate of defective products and production costs.
• Ensure production safety and product quality.
• Comply with standards and certification requirements.

2. Consumables management skills: inventory management and replacement cycle

2.1 Inventory management

• Establish inventory list.
• Inventory regularly.
• Set safety stock levels: Set appropriate safety stock levels based on production demand and consumable consumption rate.
• Use management software.

2.2 Replacement cycle

• Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations: Follow the equipment manufacturer’s manual for recommended replacement cycles for different consumables.
• Adjust the cycle according to actual usage: Observe the actual usage of each consumable and adjust the replacement cycle appropriately according to the production process and equipment load.
• Record replacement history: Maintain a detailed record of consumable replacements, including the date of replacement, the consumable lot, and the reason for replacement.
• Regularly evaluate consumable performance: Evaluate the performance of different batches of consumables, such as pass rate, failure rate, etc., and adjust the purchasing strategy in time to ensure the use of high-quality consumables.

Conclusion

Regular cleaning and inspection: Ensure that the equipment always maintains the best working condition and reduces the chance of failure.

Establish a maintenance program: set up a detailed maintenance and overhaul frequency based on equipment usage, calibrate and update consumables regularly.

Enhance operator training: Improve staff’s operating skills and equipment understanding through perfect training to effectively reduce operating errors.

Detailed consumable management: Reasonable management of inventory and replacement cycles to ensure the stability and reliability of consumable supply.

Regular maintenance and repair of SMT SPI machine can not only enhance equipment performance, but also significantly reduce production costs and downtime.

It is recommended that you develop a SMT SPI equipment maintenance program for your business as soon as possible, based on the tips and strategies provided in this article.

Company Profile

Zhejiang NeoDen Technology Co., Ltd. has been manufacturing and exporting various small pick and place machines since 2010. Taking advantage of our own rich experienced R&D, well trained production, NeoDen wins great reputation from the world wide customers. 

with global presence in over 130 countries, the excellent performance, high accuracy and reliability of NeoDen PNP machines make them perfect for R&D, professional prototyping and small to medium batch production. We provide professional solution of one stop SMT equipment.

In our global Ecosystem, we collaborate with our best partners to deliver a more closing sales service, high professional and efficient technical support.