On her first morning beside an SMT line, a new operator is handed a smock, shown the AOI screen and told to watch for red boxes. By lunch she is loading reels onto a feeder trolley because someone is absent. Nobody has explained the heel grounders, the dry cabinet for moisture-sensitive parts or the night allowance. On day eleven she does not come back. The line leader marks her absent and asks HR for another body.
Early exits drain an electronics unit faster than most owners realise, because each leaver means another trainee at a station that sets the pace. This month-long plan follows our approach to structured onboarding and the needs described on the electronics sector page.
Before the joining date
- One buddy chosen from the joiner's own shift and told what to cover each day.
- Smock, heel grounders, wrist strap and locker set aside in the correct sizes.
- Gate pass, attendance enrolment and roster confirmed in writing.
- A first station picked for certification, ideally one with large, forgiving parts such as through-hole connectors.
- The line leader told the joining date, so the newcomer is not grabbed as spare hands on arrival.
Days 1 to 3: the place, the rules, the handling
Open with the practical things. The gate, punching in, shift times, breaks, canteen coupons, the bus and who to phone when unwell. Explain pay, allowances and incentive in plain words, with a sample payslip if possible. Then safety: fire exits, the first-aid box and the eye-wash point near the cleaning bench. Show what happens after a burn from an iron or a spill of isopropyl alcohol.
Static control comes next, taught with hands rather than slides. Show the wrist strap and the tester mounted by the line door, the grounded mat, the ionising blower and the conductive trays for moving boards. Explain why a chip that looks perfect may already be damaged. Close each day with the buddy asking a single question: what confused you today?
Days 4 to 10: scrap boards before customer boards
The joiner works on scrap panels and practice boards, never on customer product. They learn to read polarity marks, reel labels and part markings, follow the station's work instruction and inspect simple joints under the magnifier. If the first station is hand soldering, they practise tip tinning with lead-free wire and through-hole joints until the fillets look alike, with the fume extractor arm positioned properly. The buddy watches and corrects. On day ten the trainer decides whether real boards can follow.
Days 11 to 20: one station, watched closely
Now the joiner moves to the chosen station on production boards, with the buddy or another certified operator at the next seat. Every board they finish is checked. They learn the station's usual defects, how to fill the traveller card or rework tag, and the moment to stop and call the line leader. Short breaks from magnifier work are scheduled from the very first day on the station, not added after complaints.
Floor words to know by day ten
- Reel and feeder: the tape of parts and the holder that presents it to the placement head.
- Stencil and paste: the metal sheet and solder paste that print pads before placement.
- Reflow: the oven that melts the paste into joints.
- Bridge, tombstone, cold joint: three defects every inspector must name on sight.
- Traveller card and rework tag: the paper that follows each board and records what happened to it.
- Golden sample: the approved board to compare against when in doubt.
- Dry cabinet: where moisture-sensitive parts wait so they do not crack in the oven.
Ask the buddy to quiz the joiner on these over tea. Knowing the words lets a newcomer follow the line leader's instructions and ask sensible questions, which is half of feeling at home on a line.
Days 21 to 30: the bench test and the sit-down
- 1
Bench test at the station
The trainer and line leader watch a set of boards built alone, judged against that station's pass sample.
- 2
Certification logged
A pass goes into the skill matrix with station, product and date. A fail means more supervised practice and a retest date.
- 3
The day 30 sit-down
Joiner, buddy and line leader spend fifteen minutes on what went well, what feels hard, shift and travel, and the next skill.
- 4
Next step named
A second station or skill is agreed with a rough timing, so the joiner can see a path ahead.
Buddy and shift: ________.
Day 1: gate, attendance, roster, pay and canteen explained.
Day 2: safety induction completed and signed.
Day 3: wrist strap, heel grounders and trays demonstrated, then practised.
Days 4 to 10: scrap boards, polarity, reel labels and magnifier inspection.
Days 11 to 20: supervised work on station ________.
Around day 25: bench test, result ________.
Day 30: sit-down held, next skill ________.
Signed by joiner, buddy and line leader.High-volume assembly brings its own onboarding strains, covered in joining routines at electronic product manufacturers. Static, eye strain and safe handling get fuller treatment in safety and wellbeing on assembly lines. For a longer horizon, adapt the 30-60-90 day plan.
Engineers and technicians need a month too
Bench technicians and engineers need a planned first month as well. Their content differs: lab safety, the test fixtures, the repository and build steps, a first small fix and a review at day 30. Without it, a new engineer can spend a fortnight waiting for a laptop, a debug probe and a project. The rule holds on every floor: one named guide, a plan on paper and a review at the end.
