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Photo Protocol
Photo protocols that show exactly which machine, tooling, edge, and fault images are useful before work starts.
How the Photo Protocol helps on a site week
The Photo Protocol page shows which images are useful before fault-finding or support starts. ClearCut asks for photos of the machine, the tooling, the edge condition, and the fault area so the issue is visible from the first review.
Begin with four views that identify the job properly: full machine, spindle or holder, the edge being cut, and the fault itself. Include the material label or job card in one frame where possible. On South African sites, dust on covers and glare from factory lighting can hide cracks, chips, and witness marks, so wipe the area and use steady light before taking the shot.
Keep the first image set with the maintenance record for that cell or tool. A dated photo of the cutter, fence, guide, or edge condition helps when the same fault returns after a blade change or shift handover. That record is useful when comparing damage from board quality, feed direction, or setup drift.
Images that identify the fault
The useful set shows scale, orientation, and machine context instead of tight close-ups only. Take one wide photo of the station, then move closer to the holder, cutting zone, and damaged edge. Add one image of the control screen if speed, program, or alarm details may matter.
Before sending through the contact form, name the machine model, tooling type, material, and which edge or face is affected. Attach photos in the order they were taken so the sequence reads from overview to detail. If a note links this issue to Cutters, Applications, or Edgework, mention that reference in the message.
- Wide shot of the whole cell
- Close-up of the damaged edge
Site conditions visible in photos
Show the area around the machine when conditions may be contributing to the problem. Fine inland dust, coastal corrosion, vacuum hose wear, and chip build-up around guards can all change what the photos need to capture. One frame of extraction, lubrication points, or the surrounding table often answers questions that the fault close-up cannot.
Lighting matters more than most fault reports allow for. Use side light to reveal chipping, burning, scoring, or lifted edge fibres, and avoid flash reflected off polished tooling. If load-shedding interrupted the run, include the machine state after restart where that changed the cut or left marks on the workpiece.
Operated by Astros Marketing (Pty) Ltd from 2 Makro Place, Sunnyrock 1401.
Photo set before fault-finding
Use the photo protocol with clear site images, timing, and the fault already showing on the cell or tool. Keep the subject line factual.
Take the pictures while the setup is still untouched. Once a cutter is removed, a fence is shifted, or off-cuts are cleared away, the evidence becomes harder to read. Store the image set with the job file so the machine, tooling condition, and defect location stay tied to the same record.
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