If you follow crypto mining, you probably remember the big headlines from late 2021. China sent shockwaves through the industry when it joined the list of countries that have fully banned cryptocurrency.
In response, we’ve seen the demand for importing Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) miners into the U.S. skyrocket. Yet, this exponential demand is facing its own unique set of challenges. And the biggest one comes down to simple logistics.
The ASIC miner machines are not made for the amount of transportation needed for overseas import — especially not after crunching numbers for over a year at blistering hash rates and temperatures.
Unlike U.S.-based crypto mining operations that tend to be heavily controlled environments designed to support the technology, many machines imported from overseas have been housed in industrial operations. The high heat and other sub-optimal conditions can create a chain reaction of issues and tech failure during transport.
The miners usually arrive in the U.S. via air or ship freight and are then transferred to a ground delivery service, like UPS. While traveling by truck, that last leg of the journey can cause up to 30% of the machines to experience heat sinks dislodged, ASICs being pulled off their pads and other passive components taking damage.
At Alert Tech SMT, we have the tools and technical expertise to test, restore and repair damaged ASIC miners. Our engineers work with the PACE IR 3100 to seamlessly install and remove surface mount devices, including ball grid array (BGA), quad flat no-lead (QFN) packages, μBGA/chip scale package (CSP) and flip chip components.
Maintaining a proper reflow profile and setting the ASIC miner properly is essential to keep the device working at its extreme capability for a long time. The IR 3100 allows us to provide ultra-high precision placement capabilities with an emphasis on quality and repeatability.
Yet, perhaps more important than the technology is the team behind the machines. Our engineers have years of experience working with BGA and similar repairs. We recognize that repairing ASIC miners is an art as we as a science — and the people behind the process are key.
Don’t be discouraged by damaged imported ASIC miners. If you have a medium to large set that you need professionally repaired, reach out to our team today. We will help you get back in business in no time.
Want to know more about the team? Stay tuned for technician profiles where you can learn more about our team’s experience, workflow and areas of specialization.