All returns from customers must be authorized with an ADVANTECH RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) number. Any returns of defective units or parts without valid RMA numbers will not be accepted; they will be returned to the customer at the customer's cost without prior notice.

An RMA number is only an authorization for returning a product; it is not an approval for repair or replacement. When requesting an RMA number, please access ADVANTECH's RMA web site: http://erma.ADVANTECH.com.tw with an activated user ID and password.

You must fill out basic product and customer information, and describe the problems encountered in detail in "Problem Description". Vague entries such as "does not work" and "failure" are not acceptable.

If you are unsure the problems related to hardware or not, please contact ADVANTECH's Application Engineers (AE). They may be able to find a solution that does not require sending the product for repair.

The serial number of the whole set is required even if only a key defective part is returned for repair. Otherwise, the case will be regarded as out-of-warranty.

It is possible customers can save time and meet end-user requirements by returning defective ADVANTECH branded off-the-shelf products to any authorized ADVANTECH repair facility without an extra cross-region charge. It is required to contact the local repair center before offering global repair service.

It is recommended to send Board-level product without accessories (manuals, cables, etc.). Remove any added-on components from the defect board, such as CPU, DRAM, or CF Card. If you send all these added-on components with defective to Advantech facility, as you believe they may be related to the problem, please make notes on “Problem Description” column clearly that they are included. Otherwise, ADVANTECH is not responsible for any items not listed. In addition, it is recommended to back up your data before sending out the physical defective, and fill-in OS version information into required column while applying ADVANTECH RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) number thru eRMA portal, and tell ADVANTECH if OS Re-installation is permitted. For system-level products, if customer has removed any Key-Parts from defective, please leave message on “Problem Description” to ensure a smooth and correct debug procedure, or turnaround time might be affected.

European Customers located outside European Community are recommended to use UPS as their freight forwarder. We strongly recommend adding packing list to all shipments. For preparation of shipment invoice, please follow below guidelines for a smooth custom clearance procedure:

In addition, please enclose its invoice, packing list and RMA request receipt to the carton, and suggest to remark RMA number in boldface outside the carton for better recognition. Please also address the shipment directly to Service Department and mark the package "Attn. RMA Service Department".

All products must be returned in packed ESD material or anti-static bags properly. ADVANTECH reserves the right to return unrepaired items at the customer's cost if its packing was considered inappropriate. Besides that, shipment is recommended to arrange via courier, such as DHL, UPS or FedEx for an express delivery service; otherwise, there might be an extra charge induced by Custom clearance when shipment is adopted thru Air cargo.

Should a DOA cases detected, ADVANTECH should take full responsibility for the cost induced by product function reconstruction and transportation, which described on Section 2.2. Or, if product function failed during warranty period but exceed DOA period, the shipper should bear its freight charges to Advantech. Or, when product either falls into Out-Of-Warranty period or being determined to be excluded from warranty, as described on Section 4.3, customer should take full responsibility for the cost induced by both product reconstruction and its round-trip transportation.

For a product meets following criteria and being determined to be excluded from warranty protection, its service claim will be charged. To carry on such service claim, ADVANTECH should inform customer by e-mail or other instruments and receive customer approval prior repair actions take place.

The product is excluded from warranty if :

For service charge rate, please contact ADVANTECH service center at local, or ADVANTECH Regional Service center for detail. For an Out-Of-Warranty service claim, ADVANTECH should deliver its repair Quotation by e-mail or other instruments within 10 working days after receiving of physical goods. Customer ought to response such Quotation within following 10 working days, or such service claim might be disregarded and physical goods might be disposed at ADVANTECH sole discretion. During quotation approval procedure, customer might require Pro-forma (P/I) invoice to deliver by ADVANTECH, which is only deliverable by request; or, a commercial invoice will be followed when required service is completed. Or, if such a service requires pre-payment, please put RMA number or Quotation number as reference while payment arranging and notify ADVANTECH by e-mail or other instruments with a copy of payment slip or receipt attached.

ADVANTECH reserves the right to deny repair services request if customer did not return defected unit to ADVANTECH facility or no response to Quotation. Meanwhile, ADVANTECH will scrap defective products without prior notice if customers no response to Quotation within TWO months. During such TWO months awaiting quotation approval, ADVANTECH should provide at least TWO notifications as reminder and one final alert as conclusion thru e-mail or other instruments.

If a product was repaired by ADVANTECH and same problem reoccurred in THREE Months after its pervious repair, ADVANTECH should be responsible for reconstructing product function without charge to customer. However, such repairs-without-charge do not apply to products which have been misused, abused, or subjected to unauthorized disassembly/modification; placed in an unsuitable physical or operating environment; improperly maintained by the customer; or failure caused which ADVANTECH is not responsible whether by accident or other cause.

ADVANTECH guarantees a Repair Report to be deliverable for every repair event after required service is completed. A Repair Report contains customer information, product information, repair result and a brief description of repair history. For inquiry to root cause finding with Failure Analysis Report is available by request and only be deliverable after evaluation, from which ADVANTECH reserves the rights to decline such an inquiry following ADVANTECH defined criteria for deliverable Failure Analysis Report.

In regard to root cause of a defective is judged to be irrelevant to product design or manufacture procedure after investigation and being reported by Failure Analysis Report, if such a report was requested by customer who raise such an inquiry will be charged for investigation fee.

ADVANTECH will retain custody of a product submitted for repair for three months as if waiting for pre-payment to fulfill or response of quotation. During such period, ADVANTECH should stay in touch with customer under discussion of such topic. If customer failed to respond within such a period, the possession of product will be deemed to give up and ADVANTECH will take over the right for product disposition.

For Shipping a reconstructed product back to customer, ADVANTECH takes sole decision for choosing service courier, following shipping terms for DAP (Delivered at Place) instructed thru Incoterms 2010. Or, if customer required particular shipping method or service courier, Advantech should return with proper response after evaluation of feasibility.

A non-standard requirement for shipping back a reconstructed product to customer, included but not limited to consigned service courier, shipping documentations, packing instruction or labeling, customer should indicate such requirements at Shipping Instruction column when applying RMA number thru Advantech eRMA online portal. At such practice, customer is responsible for related cost induced by such requirement after being confirmed as feasible by ADVANTECH thru email or other instruments.