Shift Cards

By Tiaan Lourens, Mr

A practical floor note on shift handover cards for teams that want cleaner starts around the CNC table.

When operators change over, details get lost. Tool numbers, zero points, sheet sizes, feed settings, and what is still on the bed all need to be visible at a glance. Shift Cards shows a simple way to leave the next CNC operator with the right information.

Shift handover on a CNC machine works better when the next operator can see the essentials in one place. A Shift Card should show the active job, work offset used, tool numbers in the spindle rack, and whether a sheet, billet, or plate is still clamped on the bed.

Shift card details worth writing

• Machine ID and current job number
• Photo of bed layout and clamps
• Work offset and tool list recorded
• Operator name and handover time

Read it alongside the relevant machine and application pages when you want the cutting setup, spindle range, hold-down method, or torch details that sit behind the short card.

Operator changes on shared machines

Shift Cards sets out a simple handover method for shops running more than one team on the same machine. It helps the next operator see the job status, material on hand, tooling fitted, and any hold-ups before the spindle starts.

A router card may need sheet size, nesting status, vacuum zone use, and whether the spoilboard datum has moved. On a mill, the next shift usually needs the vice setup, part zero, coolant note, and which tool broke or was replaced. Plasma teams should leave amperage, nozzle condition, plate thickness, and any dross problem seen on the previous cut.

Write the card before the operator leaves the machine, not from memory at the end of the day. One phone photo of the table, fixture, or remaining material often saves a wasted start-up when the next team walks in after load-shedding or a late break in production.

Workshop conditions that change handovers

South African shops often run mixed work through the same machine across different teams, so the handover note must be short and exact. MDF dust around routers, aluminium chips around mills, and plate scale near plasma tables all affect what the next operator needs to inspect first. If the machine was stopped for a power cut, note whether it was re-homed, whether the vacuum came back correctly, and whether the first part after restart was checked.

Coastal air changes how quickly bare steel fixtures and tooling holders pick up surface rust, so cleaning and oiling notes matter more near Durban and Cape Town. Inland dust can obscure sensors, rails, and cabinet vents, which is worth marking on the card when a machine starts acting inconsistently. A handover note should also flag material shortages, warped sheets, damaged consumables, or a broken cutter before the next shift loads the same program.

Operated by Astros Marketing (Pty) Ltd from 2 Makro Place, Sunnyrock 1401.