Rochester Electronics’ product & technology solutions manager, EMEA, Ken Greenwood, explores options to guard against modern counterfeiting techniques.
Counterfeit semiconductors are an ever-present threat to the safety and reliability of electronic equipment. Sourcing components through unauthorized independent channels to secure better deliveries or prices introduces the risk of counterfeits. The risks associated with counterfeits can never be fully eliminated by additional testing, and third-party testing processes cannot guarantee quality.
Counterfeit semiconductors’ risks may be eliminated by following basic sourcing principles. Fully authorized partners exist to support active shortages and the need for obsolete semiconductors.
Counterfeits come in many forms. We have moved far beyond incorrect manufacturers’ logos and IC packages with no die inside, caught by visual inspections used by those following AS6081. Counterfeiters can now imitate all elements of the production process and duplicate evidence that falsely indicates authenticity.
Counterfeits include:
• Non-functional or scrap product which is re-marked as good and resold.
• Substandard functional product purchased by the counterfeiter, that’s re-marked and resold as a full-grade product at an increased price.
• Recycled and recovered components which are sold off as new components.
• Faked testing and traceability documentation that hides a component’s real specification or history.
For customers to protect themselves, it is safer to assume that all semiconductors sourced outside authorized channels are potential counterfeits. Counterfeit risks include:
Re-marking: In cases of re- marked products, the process of re-etching the original external markings with aggressive chemicals or mechanical grinders can result in internal bond or substrate damage.
Recovery process: The process of recovering used semiconductors from old PCBs can also result in catastrophic heat and mechanical
damage. This process can produce superficially authentic used products with questionable reliability.
Identifiable surplus stock: Traceability without authorization provides no guarantee of quality, reliability, or a legitimate product.
How to protect against these risks
- Purchase products from the OCM or their authorized distributors and licensed manufacturers.
- Purchase from an authorized supplier that carries a full warranty for performance, quality, and reliability.
- Ensure the supplier complies with the industry standard AS6496 for handling and preservation, with quality certifications as appropriate for the sale of the final component.
- Employ a self-audit process, which analyzes suspicious or poor- quality purchases, before putting robust corrective actions in place.
- Partner with an authorized after-market manufacturer.
- Choose a testing program that uses the original OCM’s test program.
- Research authorized component distributors by visiting: www.eciaauthorized.com/en.
Visual inspection under AS6081 and Electrical Testing AS6171, are the two most common methods of identifying counterfeits, but both may be unreliable for identifying counterfeit products.
Fully authorized semiconductor distributors, such as Rochester Electronics, are compliant with the SAE Aerospace Standard, AS6496. They are authorized by the OCM to provide traceable and guaranteed products with no quality or reliability testing required because the parts are only sourced from the OCM.
Providers who are not fully authorized may market themselves as AS6171/4-compliant. This indicates that they do follow standardized inspections and test procedures but may have minimum training and certification requirements to detect suspicious or counterfeit components.
If AS6171 testing is being done, it means the product is not being tested to the original OCM test program. OCM test programs test significantly beyond datasheet parameters and are meant to filter products for no failures even when there are millions of units sold. AS6171 testing is not equivalent to OCM testing.
The ultimate tool in the fight to combat counterfeit products is purchasing semiconductor devices from fully authorized sources.