Programming the SMT Computer

The first stage of producing a memory module is programming the SMT computer, along with collecting the appropriate chips to be installed on the PCB.

It takes around 20 - 30 minutes to setup the machines for their first test run. In that time, the factory engineers program the computer with all the different settings, calibrate the SMT line and feed the SMT line with all the chips required to produce the module.

Once the machine is setup, the next step is to do a test run. This is to ensure that the SMT computer was programmed correctly and if the SMT line if properly placing the chips on the PCB. Why go ahead and produce an entire batch of modules which may be faulty, if the machine was setup incorrectly?

Once the first quick test run is complete (just a single PCB is tested, consisting of six modules), one of the engineers will remove the PCB from the SMT line and reference it with a document. The document is used as a map to determine whether or not the computer was programmed correctly and if full production can go ahead or not.

Once the engineer is satisfied with the first test run PCB, a full production run can begin.