SMT manufacturer's cost-saving tip: Optimize wiper consumption with manual inspection tools

In the current global economic environment, cost control has become a core competitiveness for SMT manufacturers. Squeegees, as consumables in the solder paste printing process, account for 15-20% of the total production material cost. Many manufacturers have a common problem: to avoid production risks, they discard squeegees prematurely when they are not completely worn, resulting in a huge waste of consumables. According to the Global SMT Repair and Inspection Equipment Market Report 2025-2030 <superscript>4, unreasonable consumable management is one of the main factors that increase the production cost of SMEs.
The Hidden Cost of Blind Squeegee Replacement
Blind replacement of squeegees not only increases the purchase cost of consumables but also brings additional labor costs for replacement and adjustment. In addition, if the replaced squeegee is not inspected, it may still have hidden defects, leading to batch production of defective products and further increasing rework costs. A survey shows that manufacturers that do not use professional squeegee inspection tools waste an average of 20-30% of squeegee consumables every year.
How Manual Inspection Tools Reduce Consumable Costs
The manual SMT stencil squeegee inspection tool helps manufacturers achieve scientific management of squeegees by accurately judging the wear threshold of squeegees. It can clearly distinguish three states of squeegees: usable, repairable (grindable), and scrappable. This not only maximizes the service life of each squeegee but also avoids the waste caused by premature scrapping.
Taking a medium-sized SMT factory with a daily output of 5,000 PCBs as an example, using the manual inspection tool can reduce squeegee replacement frequency by 25%, saving about $10,000 in consumable costs every year. At the same time, the reduction in printing defects also reduces the cost of rework materials and labor, bringing double cost-saving effects to manufacturers.
Other Cost-Saving Advantages of Manual Inspection Tools
- Low initial investment: The cost is only 1/10 of that of automated inspection equipment, suitable for budget-sensitive enterprises.
- Low maintenance cost: No complex electronic components, daily maintenance only requires simple cleaning and calibration.
- Reduce production downtime: Pre-inspection avoids sudden production interruptions caused by faulty squeegees, saving the cost of unplanned downtime.
Optimize your squeegee management process and reduce production costs. Download our cost-saving case study now to learn more details.