# SMT Line Process Control Maturity Assessment > Source: https://netray.co/tools/smt-process-control-maturity-assessment > Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems. > Section: Free Tools ## Short answer Score how well your SMT line controls printing, placement, reflow, traceability and feedback, and see where to improve first. ## Category electronics ## Industry Electronics Manufacturing ## Audience - Operations manager - PCBA process engineer - Quality manager ## Tool **Kind:** assessment **Questions:** #### How is solder paste printing controlled? **Help:** Think about the printer and what happens after it. **Options:** ##### Visual check only **Score:** 0 ##### Periodic manual checks of a few boards **Score:** 1 ##### SPI on every board with limits set **Score:** 2 ##### SPI on every board with data fed back to printer settings and tracked by stencil **Score:** 3 #### How are stencil life and cleaning managed? **Options:** ##### No records **Score:** 0 ##### Paper log of use **Score:** 1 ##### Count of prints and cleaning schedule defined **Score:** 2 ##### Stencil ID, print count, tension and cleaning logged in a system with alerts **Score:** 3 #### How do you control solder paste storage, thaw and open time? **Options:** ##### Operators decide **Score:** 0 ##### Written rule but rarely recorded **Score:** 1 ##### Jar level records of thaw and open time **Score:** 2 ##### Jar level tracking by barcode with automatic expiry blocks **Score:** 3 #### How is component loading verified against the BOM? **Options:** ##### Operator reads the reel label **Score:** 0 ##### Second person check **Score:** 1 ##### Reel and feeder barcode scan at setup **Score:** 2 ##### Scan at setup and at every reel change, linked to the work order and lot **Score:** 3 #### How often is the reflow profile verified? **Options:** ##### Only when there is a problem **Score:** 0 ##### At product changeover **Score:** 1 ##### At least daily with a profiler and recorded results **Score:** 2 ##### Continuous oven monitoring plus scheduled profiling with alerts **Score:** 3 #### How are moisture sensitive devices controlled? **Options:** ##### Not tracked **Score:** 0 ##### Bag open date written on the bag **Score:** 1 ##### Floor life log by reel **Score:** 2 ##### Floor life tracked electronically with dry cabinet records and blocking of expired reels **Score:** 3 #### What does AOI do for the line? **Options:** ##### No AOI **Score:** 0 ##### AOI used as a final check only **Score:** 1 ##### AOI after reflow with defect codes recorded **Score:** 2 ##### AOI with defect Pareto reviewed every shift and fed back to print and placement **Score:** 3 #### How is board level traceability recorded? **Options:** ##### Work order only **Score:** 0 ##### Lot codes of key parts **Score:** 1 ##### Serial number linked to work order, line and date **Score:** 2 ##### Serial linked to reel, stencil, paste, profile and machine data **Score:** 3 #### How are changeovers and first articles handled? **Options:** ##### No fixed procedure **Score:** 0 ##### Procedure exists, followed loosely **Score:** 1 ##### Standard checklist and first article sign off **Score:** 2 ##### Standard checklist, first article sign off and measured changeover time reviewed **Score:** 3 #### How do you use defect and yield data to improve? **Options:** ##### Rarely reviewed **Score:** 0 ##### Monthly summary **Score:** 1 ##### Weekly review with actions **Score:** 2 ##### Daily review with owners, actions and closed loop corrective action **Score:** 3 **Bands:** #### Reactive **Min:** 0 **Max:** 34 **Verdict:** Process control depends on people noticing problems. Defects are found late and causes are hard to trace. **Recommendations:** - Start with paste handling, reel verification and a written changeover checklist - Record defect codes at AOI or inspection so you can build a Pareto - Introduce a basic profile check at least once per shift or product change #### Controlled in parts **Min:** 35 **Max:** 64 **Verdict:** Some controls exist but records and feedback are inconsistent across shifts and products. **Recommendations:** - Add SPI or a routine print check with limits and stencil usage records - Move floor life and paste records from paper to a system - Hold a weekly defect review with named owners and due dates #### Managed **Min:** 65 **Max:** 84 **Verdict:** The line has solid controls and records. The next gains come from closing the feedback loop and traceability. **Recommendations:** - Feed SPI and AOI data back into print and placement settings - Link serial numbers to reels, stencil, paste and profile - Track changeover time and first article pass rate as KPIs #### Data driven **Min:** 85 **Max:** 100 **Verdict:** Controls are tight, data flows between machines and the system, and corrective actions are closed loop. **Recommendations:** - Use trend alerts instead of limit alarms to catch drift early - Audit that records are real, not filled in afterwards - Extend the same controls to second sources and new product introductions ## Content **Intro:** SMT lines vary a lot in how they control printing, placement and reflow. This assessment asks ten practical questions and turns the answers into a maturity score with priorities for the next improvement steps. **Sections:** #### How to use the assessment **Body:** Answer based on what actually happens on the floor on a typical day, not what the procedure says. If the answer differs between lines or shifts, choose the weaker one. The score is the percentage of the maximum, and the band tells you where to focus. Run it with the process engineer, the quality engineer and a line lead for a more honest result. #### What the questions cover **Body:** The questions follow the flow of the line: paste and stencil, component loading, reflow, moisture control, inspection, traceability and the use of data. These are the areas where escapes and yield loss most often start. Standards such as IPC-A-610 and J-STD-001 define acceptance, while IPC-9850 and J-STD-033 give guidance for placement and handling. **Bullets:** - Print control often delivers the biggest yield gain - Traceability is the cost of a recall, not a nice to have - Feedback loops matter more than adding another inspection #### How to read the result **Body:** A low score does not mean poor quality today. It means the line depends on individuals instead of systems. Pick the two lowest scoring questions and set a thirty day action for each. Repeat the assessment each quarter and keep the results to show progress to customers who audit your process. #### Common mistakes **Body:** A common mistake is investing in inspection equipment before fixing print control and reel verification. Another is collecting data that nobody reviews. Choose a small number of measures, assign owners and review them on a fixed schedule. **Cta:** Netray can help connect machine, inspection and ERP data so traceability and feedback loops are available without manual entry. **Faq:** #### Is this a certification or audit? **Answer:** No. It is a self assessment to help you prioritise improvements. It does not replace a customer audit or a certification body assessment. #### Which question matters most? **Answer:** It depends on your defects, but print control and component verification usually have the largest effect on yield and escapes. Start with your defect Pareto to confirm. #### How often should I repeat it? **Answer:** Quarterly is practical. Repeat it after major changes such as a new line, new oven or a customer audit finding. #### Can small shops score high? **Answer:** Yes. A small shop with disciplined paste handling, reel scanning and a defect review can score well without expensive equipment. ## Search terms smt process control assessment, smt line audit checklist, spi aoi feedback loop, pcba traceability maturity, smt quality self assessment, ems process audit questions, reflow profile control, smt line improvement priorities --- Talk to an engineer: https://netray.co/contact?intent=erp_ai | Machine catalog: https://netray.co/agent/catalog.json