March, 2013
www.us-tech.com
Low Cost Electrical Test for Counterfeit Device Detection
By Tom Saven, VP — Network Marketing and Terry Harvell, Engineering Manager — Diagnosys, Inc.
their lower priced alternative. We are told that third party parts are manufactured to the same rigid standards as the OEM version, but at a frac- tion of the cost. That can mean saving hundreds of dollars on our repair bill. It makes you wonder what the OEM does differently from the third party vendor to justify the higher price. Or maybe, it is what the third party supplier fails to do that cuts costs to permit a lower selling price. In some cases, the real difference is due to
I
tighter or looser tolerances in physical dimensions. Sure, the mounting points are the same or the parts will not fit properly, but the life of the part may be compromised from the lack of quality control. In other cases, inferior base materials reduce initial costs that translate into a lower selling price. There seems to be no debate in
the Electronic Parts Supply Chain as to the seriousness of counterfeiting issues. It is huge, to the tune of an estimated $600B annually according to some US government agencies. The problem is clearly defined. There is no debate even in the bipartisan Senate
There seems to be no debate in the Electronic Parts Supply Chain as to the seriousness of counterfeit- ing issue. It is huge, to the tune of an estimated $600B annually according to some US government agencies. The problem is clearly defined. No inventory, no matter how vigilant
the owner has been, is considered pure at this stage.
and House committees assigned to address this concern. No inventory, no matter how vigilant the owner has been, is considered pure at this stage.
Some counterfeit products are not as easy to identify. They hide in plain sight.
The Supply Chain and the Risk
Mitigation planners are very watch- ful. Parts Distributors and OEM’s alike are deploying groups of people to address the counterfeiters. A variety of processes, techniques and guide- lines has been put in place over the last four to five years. Yet, many of these techniques are based around some form of optical inspection. Does the device appear to be in original packaging? Under magnification, does the plastic appear altered? These non-contact, non-destruc-
tive testing methods can help identify counterfeit components to a degree. They can flag packages that do not visually look close enough to the OEM version. What happens when the markings and plastic begin to look perfect? The packaging appears origi- nal? When the known source invento- ry is infiltrated? Visual examination methods are
part of a comprehensive counterfeit component identification solution, but cannot stand-alone. One form of coun- terfeiting comes in the form of
Quality Assurance for THT Assemblies now available in the U.S.
t’s a dilemma faced frequently. When we take our car for repair, our mechanic can choose between factory replacement OEM parts or
reclaimed components being sold as “New” when in fact they could be damaged internally and defec- tive in ways that visual examination will not detect.
Physical examination of the package, using x-
ray, scanning or other optical techniques will give you an indication if the package is empty, or if the die connects to the lead-frame. Yet this type of examination falls short of confirming the function- ality of the component. Other methods include limiting your sources
Seawave, a timing diagram of a functional test program in process.
or utilizing curve trace comparator systems. Again, there is consensus in the Supply Chain that
Continued on page 53
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