When a machine stops: what to send your service team
A clear first report helps the engineer understand the issue and decide the next step.
Published 3 November 2026 · Safe Automations
A machine stoppage is easier to discuss when the first report separates what happened from what you suspect caused it. Your service team needs enough context to understand the situation and arrange the next step.
Start with a safe situation
Follow your site procedures and the equipment manual. If there is an unsafe condition, keep people clear and involve the responsible site team. Do not bypass guards, defeat interlocks or open electrical enclosures to collect information.
Describe the symptom precisely
Record the exact alarm text or code, when the issue started, and whether the machine stopped completely or runs intermittently. Say what the operator was doing immediately beforehand. A description such as “stops after the third pack, alarm E17” is more useful than “machine not working.”
Identify the equipment and context
Provide manufacturer, model, serial number and the site location. Note the product or pack being processed and any recent change in recipe, format, material, settings or maintenance. Record observations without changing settings simply to test a theory.
Explain the production impact
State whether production is stopped, reduced or affected by a quality concern. Include an on-site contact and when they can be reached. For urgent stoppages, contact the regional office directly as well as submitting the form; the form does not confirm an immediate engineer dispatch.
Keep the first report together
Use the checklist below to prepare your request. If you already have a service reference, include it in subsequent correspondence so the team can connect the updates. Share photographs or video with the service team through an agreed channel after contact.
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