Ship notes
Substrate Check
A short note on substrate checks before cutting, marking or packing equipment goes into live production.
The material check is often skipped until it becomes expensive. On South African production floors that usually shows up before lunch: wrong sample thickness, no cut file confirmed, or a machine tested on stock that does not match local production. Substrate Check is our note for teams that want fewer trial-and-error days.
Substrate Check covers the first material run. We note the stock type, actual thickness, film or coating, and the sample used for testing so the machine is judged on the same material that will be used in South Africa.
Material points checked first
- Grade, thickness, and finish recorded
- One photo of the sample edge kept
- Cut file or mark file matched to stock
- Client material names translated into mill terms
Pair this note with the relevant machine page and the application details that match your material. Substrate checks only make sense when the stock, sample file and intended output are viewed together. For steel, acrylic and mixed production work, that comparison usually exposes the mismatch before consumables and operator time are wasted.
How Substrate Check prevents issues on steel and acrylic jobs
Material problems often look like machine problems until the substrate is checked properly. Substrate Check covers the basic checks to make before cutting, marking or packing equipment goes into live production.
Begin with the material that will actually enter production. Mild steel, stainless, galvanised sheet, cast acrylic, extruded acrylic, corrugate, and film-wrapped board each need different checks before cutting, marking, or packing. Conditions in Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town also matter because storage moisture, dust, and handling marks can change the first result.
Keep the first sample photos and the label from the bundle or sheet pack. That record helps when a trial part looks wrong but the issue sits with thickness variance, protective film, or a swapped material batch. It is easier to compare one marked sample than to argue from memory after the machine is live.
What the note should confirm
The aim is a clear match between substrate, file, and machine setup. That means the team can see which stock was tested, what settings were used, and which result was accepted before regular production starts. A short record here prevents expensive confusion later on steel jobs, acrylic work, and packed goods.
Use Substrate Check before widening the job scope or approving extra material orders. Ask for a final sample review against the approved stock description, thickness, and accessories list before dispatch from China. Sourcing requests should cover the machine type, the controller you prefer and the port or town it must reach.
- Checked against the stock you will load
- First approved sample kept on record
- Notes shared by email for reference
South African material conditions noted
We account for how stock is received and stored locally. Sheet metal can arrive with oil, light rust, or protective film, while acrylic may show scratches, bowing, or confusion between cast and extruded stock. Older factories and busy receiving areas also increase the chance of mixed bundles, so the first check must identify the exact material before testing begins.
Coastal humidity can affect carton stock, labels, and wrapped board before packing equipment goes into full use. Inland dust can contaminate lenses, rails, guides, and vacuum areas while also settling on the material surface. Power interruptions matter as well because the first accepted sample should be produced and recorded under stable machine conditions.
Operated by Astros Marketing (Pty) Ltd from 2 Makro Place, Sunnyrock 1401.
Records to keep with samples
A short note on substrate checks before cutting, marking or packing equipment goes into live production.
Write down the substrate result while the sample, settings, and photos are still in front of the team. Keep this note with the commissioning record and the machine file so the buyer can trace which material was approved for the first live jobs. That is especially useful where one machine will alternate between different gauges, finishes, or packaging stock.