Counterfeit parts have found their way into every sector of industry, from consumer electronics and appliances to safety-critical areas including avionics, medical devices, and military systems. Pressure to meet production targets and parts shortages have led companies to obtain parts from outside the authorized distribution chain, leading to opportunities for counterfeiters to capitalize on the demand for parts that may be in short supply. Nevertheless, counterfeits have found their way into parts of the supply chain that would not normally be doubted. The variety and volume of counterfeit parts in circulation has been growing as counterfeiters devise increasingly sophisticated and devious methods of covering their tracks.
In the absence of uniform standards to govern test methods for counterfeit part detection and avoidance, organizations and test laboratories have developed widely varying approaches to mitigating the risk. This has led to inconsistencies and gaps in the processes, technologies, and quantitative risk assessment methodologies needed to address the problem.
SAE established the G-19A Test Laboratory Standards Development Committee to develop a risk-based testing standard for counterfeit detection and avoidance. Over the past five years, subject matter experts and interested parties from industry, government, academia, and test laboratories have come together to draft a set of twelve documents that set out requirements and recommendations for risk assessment, test procedures and selection, sampling criteria, training, workmanship, and reporting associated with detection of counterfeit electrical, electronic, and electromechanical parts. Most of these documents have completed committee balloting and are awaiting final approval by SAE for publication, making their availability imminent. Their impact will be difficult to underestimate, as they will fill a huge void in industry’s arsenal for combating a pernicious threat.
This full-day course will provide a thorough introduction to the requirements and hierarchy of the AS6171 Test Methods Standard for Suspect/Counterfeit Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical (EEE) Parts. It will cover the General Requirements document, the Test Evaluation method, and the ten test methods that are all in draft form as of this writing.
Following a brief introduction to the electronics supply chain and an overview of the types of counterfeit parts, the first half of the course will focus on the General Requirements document combined with the selection and evaluation of test sequences for counterfeit part detection. An emphasis will be placed on practical implementation of the requirements, illustrated with examples wherever possible. This portion will address:
The second half of the course will cover the ten individual test methods and their requirements. For each test method, a primer will be given on its purpose in the context of counterfeit EEE part detection, the associated procedure and equipment, and any special requirements concerning sample preparation or handling, reporting and personnel training. Wherever possible, specific examples and data will be presented of applications to detection of counterfeit parts. The list of covered test methods consists of:
To close out the course, a brief overview will be given of new test methods currently under development by the G-19A committee that are intended for release at a future date.