Smith’s COO, Art Figueroa, emphasizes the importance of testing, third-party certifications and reliable suppliers in maintaining the integrity of component supply chains.
Ensuring electronic component authenticity is critical, especially for high-risk applications in industries like aerospace, defense, automotive and medical. One potential solution is purchasing straight from the manufacturer or its authorized distributor, but reality is rarely that simple. Not everyone can buy directly from component manufacturers, and shortages, obsolescence and other supply chain disruptions can limit available inventory, meaning procurement teams must source parts from other channels, such as the open market.
Successfully navigating the open market can be difficult for inexperienced buyers. Without proper knowledge, they can overlook major red flags and end up paying large sums of money for counterfeit parts—or even worse, no parts at all. So, what can procurement teams do to ensure they’re getting authentic components from legitimate sources?
Mitigating the risk of counterfeit parts is a multi-pronged endeavor and avoidance is the crucial first step. Procurement specialists must thoroughly and regularly evaluate their suppliers to protect their supply chain and ensure products meet their requirements. This includes meticulously reviewing and verifying a supplier’s financial status, trade references, certifications, quality systems and more to determine if they are established and reliable. Organizations such as ERAI and GIDEP provide their members with access to a global network of resources, helping buyers identify high-risk suppliers, detect counterfeit parts and report incidents of confirmed and suspected counterfeiting.
Once a trustworthy source is identified and the parts are purchased, components should undergo thorough inspection and authenticity testing. This begins with visual inspection where product packaging and labels are examined; all barcode labels are scanned; and components are inspected to verify that part dimensions, markings, leads and other characteristics are consistent with manufacturer specifications. Next, parts should go through a series of nondestructive testing and inspection techniques to identify any markings, voids and other potential anomalies in or on components. Finally, more invasive measures, such as decapsulation and lead solderability, may be required in some instances to confirm the legitimacy of a product.
These testing and inspection processes should be performed in an accredited lab backed by rigorous third-party counterfeit detection and mitigation certifications, such as CCAP-101 and AS6081. The most recent revision of AS6081, Revision A, now defers to the AS6171 standard to define its test methods based on a risk-assessment model. AS6171 outlines inspection requirements and test methods for detecting suspect and counterfeit electrical, electronic and electromechanical (EEE) parts. ISO/IEC 17025 is a prerequisite of AS6171 accreditation and establishes requirements for quality, competence and consistency in the application of test methods performed in the lab.
Staying ahead of counterfeiters requires a proactive approach and can be challenging, but an experienced partner can help mitigate those difficulties and add an additional layer of protection to a company’s supply chain. Open-market distributors can offer vast market information and state-of-the-art, certified, quality programs to effectively avoid, detect, mitigate and disposition inauthentic parts. Equipped with the right resources, insights and partner, procurement specialists can develop effective anti-counterfeit strategies to reduce their risk and safeguard their supply chains.
www.smithweb.com
