SMT Intelligent Error-Proofing and Traceability for JCET's Packaging and Testing Plant

Addressing the real needs of SMT lines in production execution and quality control, Hegong Software built an SMT production-support application toolkit covering changeover, material error-proofing, parameter management and data traceability, based on the RockPlus MOM — LeanFac platform.

The solution makes full use of the existing placement equipment, equipment control software and factory information systems. Through lightweight applications and equipment interface integration, it realizes automated control of key production steps without replacing the existing MES.

1. Automatic program downloading for efficient changeover

Through the LeanFac production-support application, the system connects to the high-speed placement machines' program library and control system, automatically downloading the corresponding program to the designated equipment according to production tasks, eliminating manual searching, copying and program verification.

It also establishes an automatic pre-start check that verifies equipment programs, materials and error-proofing status item by item, so production only begins once all conditions are met, reducing risks caused by wrong programs or insufficient preparation.

2. Multi-layer intelligent error-proofing for material loading and control

For wrong-material, wrong-position and special-material challenges in SMT loading, a multi-level error-proofing mechanism is established:

• Loading scan verification: material scanning is automatically compared against equipment material information; mismatches trigger alarms and line stoppage, preventing wrong materials from entering production.
• Feeder insertion/removal monitoring: feeder hot-swap events are monitored in real time, abnormal operations are automatically identified and linked materials located, and alarms are raised immediately.
• LDU material error-proofing: via industrial PDA scanning of station codes and material codes, the system automatically checks the part number and thickness in the current program, avoiding mismatched material models or specifications.
• Shelf-life material control: special materials such as flux are managed by a usage-time mechanism that automatically records online time and duration. When the configured limit is reached without replacement or replenishment, the system automatically locks the equipment rail and triggers audible-visual alarms, preventing expired materials from staying in production.

By combining scan verification, equipment status monitoring and hardware interlocking, traditional manual checks are transformed into automated error-proofing control within the production process.

3. Full recording of equipment parameter changes with traceability and fast restoration

To address frequent and hard-to-trace parameter changes on placement machines, the LeanFac parameter management application connects to the equipment programming software and automatically monitors and records production parameter changes.

The system keeps detailed records of the modifier, time, parameter object and before/after values, and supports querying and analysis by program, time range and abnormal-change conditions.

When a parameter is incorrectly changed, the restoration function quickly recovers the correct values, reducing manual troubleshooting and re-configuration time and lowering the risk of erroneous parameters entering production.

4. Batch import of alternative BOMs to speed up engineering maintenance

The LeanFac alternative-material tool supports batch import of Excel-format alternative BOM data into the equipment program library, with automatic association to the corresponding production programs.

Item-by-item entry is replaced by batch maintenance, reducing repetitive work and manual-entry errors, and improving engineering efficiency in material substitution and program maintenance.

5. Automatic production data collection for a complete traceability chain

The LeanFac traceability data application automatically retrieves the trace files produced by placement equipment and parses and integrates placement positions, feeder slot data, images and measurements.

The system performs completeness verification on collected data, automatically identifies abnormal or missing records, and summarizes material consumption together with equipment material inventory information.

On this basis, standardized board-level trace records are generated automatically and uploaded to factory systems via file transfer interfaces or written into traceability databases, achieving end-to-end automation from equipment data collection, parsing and verification to production record archiving, and providing reliable data support for quality analysis and problem tracing.