Best Practice for OEMs, distributors and component manufacturers

If you are aware of any additional sources of best practice for detecting and / or mitigating against counterfeit components, please contact us.

There are numerous sources providing sound advice on best practice to be adopted to minimize the threat posed by counterfeit components. These are listed further down this page however the UK Electronics Alliance strongly recommends the following:

Electronics components should be sourced directly from the manufacturer or authorised distributor or, where this is not possible, from grey market operatives (brokers) with a physical operation in the UK. When using the grey market, buyers should insist on documentary evidence of component authenticity and/or an agreement that payment only becomes due after satisfactory verification of the origin of the goods
OEMs should develop and maintain greater co-ordination between product and component lifecycles and implement proactive lifecycle management to reduce the level of short term component purchases, which often necessitate sourcing from the grey market
Component manufacturers should exercise greater control over their sub-contractors to ensure that scrap products, pilot runs and bad yield devices are disposed of beyond use. Component manufacturers should also improve the traceability of their products by the use of unique product identifiers, serial coding and E-marking and by better control of documentation and returns from customers, which must only be accepted in manufacturer’s sealed boxes. Component manufacturers should also be more diligent in ensuring that their authorised distributors end the common practice of purchasing via the grey market when their customers make unrealistic delivery demands
Authorised distributors should continue to maintain and enhance the manufacturers’ traceability documentation, assist in the dissemination of counterfeit product information and physically scrap written-off inventory. Distributors should be more flexible in their willingness to supply smaller quantities, especially where the manufacturer’s minimum shipment multiple is high.

The following is a list of sources of information on best practice to reduce the risk of exposure to counterfeit components:

A Suggested Process for Detecting Counterfeit Components
Paper by David Bernard, Dage Precision Industries and Bob Willis, ASKbobwillis.com - 24 March 2009
Reprinted with permission from SMTA by EMS2007 http://www.ems007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=48990

Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement
Trade agreement by European Commission - 3 December 2010
Final text of the AVTA negotiated between Australia, Canada, EU, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland and USA http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2010/december/tradoc_147079.pdf

ARP6178 - Counterfeit Electronic Parts; Tool for Risk Assessment of Distributors
Recommended practice by SAE (Society for Automotive Engineers) International
Order online by going to: http://sae.nufu.eu/std/ARP6178

AS5553 - Counterfeit Electronic Parts; Avoidance, Detection, Mitigation, and Disposition
Standard by SAE (Society for Automotive Engineers) International
To order go to http://www.sae.org/technical/standards/AS5553

AS6081 - Counterfeit Electronic Parts; Avoidance Protocol, Distributors
Standard by SAE (Society for Automotive Engineers) International
Currently work in progress - not yet available http://www.sae.org/servlets/productDetail?PROD_TYP=STD&PROD_CD=AS6081&HIER_CD=TEAG19&WIP_SW=YES

AS6174 - Counterfeit Materiel; Detection, Mitigation, and Disposition
Standard by SAE (Society for Automotive Engineers) International
Order online by going to: http://sae.nufu.eu/std/AS6174

AS9120 - Quality management system requirements for stockist distributors
Standard by SAE (Society for Automotive Engineers) International
For information on achieving accreditation go to http://www.bsigroup.co.uk/en/Assessment-and-Certification-services/Management-systems/Standards-and-Schemes/AS9100-9110-9120/?gcid=S17014x011&keyword=as9120

CCAP101 – Certification for Counterfeit Avoidance
Standard by Components Technology Institute Inc.
Contact for further details by going to http://www.techexpo.com/firms/techasoc.html

Counterfeit electronic components – an overview
Paper by Robert K Lowry, Oneida Research Services Inc. - undated
http://www.ors-labs.com/pdf/MASH07CounterfeitDevice.pdf

Defending against counterfeit electronic parts and gray market practices
Paper by Rochester Electronics – January 2008
http://www.rocelec.com/downloads/Rochester_Anti-Counterfeit_Paper_Jan2007.pdf

ERAI recommended inspection process
Document by ERAI – April 2009
Contact for further information by going to http://www.erai.com/

ESCS A2Z Inspection & Test Protocols with Check List
Best practice by Electronic Supply Chain Solutions - 23 July 2011
Free downloadable copy (normally US$275.00) http://electronicsupplychainsolutions.com/escs-a2z-inspection-test-protocols-with-check-list/

IDEA-ICE-3000 - Professional Inspector's Certification Exam
Certification by (IDEA) Independent Distributors of Electronics Association
Application details are available by going to: http://www.idofea.org/products/51--idea-ice-3000

IDEA-STD-1010B - Acceptability of electronic components distributed in the open market
Standard by the Independent Distrbutors of Electronics Association (IDEA) – Jul 2011
Now available http://www.idofea.org/component/search/?searchword=IDEA-STD-1010-B&ordering=&searchphrase=all

IEC 62668-1 TS Ed.1: Process management for avionics - Counterfeiting prevention - Part 1: Guidelines for avoiding the use of counterfeited, fraudulent and recycled electronic components
Standard by IEC (International Electrotechnical Committee)
Currently work in progress - not yet available http://iec.ch/dyn/www/f?p=103:30:0::::FSP_ORG_ID,FSP_LANG_ID:1304,25

ISO/DIS 12931: Performance criteria for authentication solutions for anti-counterfeiting in the field of material goods
Standard by ISO (International Organizarion for Standardization)
To order online go to: http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=52210

NEDA Guidelines for Product Returns
Document by NEDA (National Electronic Distributors Association)
This publication provides clear processes to ensure that product purchased through the authorised channel is legitimate http://www.nedassoc.org/documents/NIGP113_001.pdf

PAS141:2011 - Reuse of used and waste electrical and electronic equipment (UEEE and WEEE)
Specification by BSI
Available to purchase as a pdf or hard copy http://shop.bsigroup.com/en/ProductDetail/?pid=000000000030245346

Reliable Electronic Component Supplier's Classification (RECS)
Standard by Chinese Ministry of Industry
RECS is jointly administered by the China Electronic Purchasing Association (CEPA) and the China Quality Association for the Electronics Industry (CQAE) http://www.cepa.org.cn/eng/

The Counterfeit Electronic Components Minefield - version 2
Publication by Component Obsolescence Group - published 2010
Available in hard copy only and only by purchase via the following link https://www.cog.org.uk/secure/shop.asp