Authorized Distribution: Your First Line of Defense Against Counterfeit Parts

Authorized Distribution: Your First Line of Defense Against Counterfeit Parts

BY MURRAY SLOVICK

Imitation may well be “the sincerest form of flattery” (Charles Caleb Colton, 1780–1832), but there is nothing sincere nor flattering about fake components making their way into consumer products, medical devices, automobiles, and even military hardware. According to ECIA (the Electronic Components Industry Association), depending on the type of component, counterfeits now comprise somewhere between 5% and 25% of all available parts.

Counterfeit parts have unknown performance reliability, and they are manufactured with limited quality controls. They can be the cause of product failure and, in the least, result in increased warranty costs, higher inspection and testing costs, lost revenue, and in extreme cases can even lead to a compromising of national security. At a press conference in Washington last summer, U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, citing a 2010 report by the Government Accountability Office, said counterfeit electronics had “infiltrated” the Pentagon's supply chain, including microprocessors for the F-15 fighter jet and microcircuits for U.S. Missile Defense Agency hardware.

Military hardware, such as this F-15 Air Force fighter, have been found to contain counterfeit electronic components.

What can a design engineer do? Your first line of defense against bogus parts is for you and your company to purchase directly from ECIA and/or CEDA (the China Electronics Distributor Alliance) supplier-authorized distributors, which deliver genuine parts from legitimate manufacturers. In Europe, ECSN, DMASS and FBDI are the supporting organizations.

ECIA is the resultant organization of a January 2011 merger between the National Electronics Distributors Association (NEDA) and the Electronic Components Association (ECA). ECIA's new inventory search site (www.eciaauthorized.com) enables engineers to avoid gray market and counterfeit product and provides a secure site that only lists inventory that is genuine and backed by manufacturer's warranty.

CEDA was formed in March 2011 with the aim of representing authorized franchised distribution services in China, strengthening cooperation between distributors and suppliers, encouraging technical and service innovation, and working with the Chinese government and other business groups to shape policies. The non-profit organization serves the needs of authorized franchised electronics component distributors with operations in greater China.

As a member of these professional organizations, Mouser Electronics is dedicated to providing factory-warranted, first-quality, genuine components adhering to the highest standards in customer service. In the last two years, Mouser saw revenues increase by more than 150% in Asia, led, of course, by China, and the company expects similar growth this year.

When you purchase through Mouser Electronics you can be assured that:

• The products were obtained directly from the supplier/manufacturer or from their authorized channels.

• The products come with the full manufacturer’s warranty.

• The product has been handled and stored in accordance with industry quality standards; you will not have to undertake an expensive review process to ensure the proper pedigree of the parts.

• You have access to suppliers' full range of up-to-date technical and product information, as well as comprehensive technical support.

With increasing evidence of phony parts making their way into the military supply chain, the U.S. government has become serious about eliminating counterfeit electronic components. A bipartisan amendment “S.AMDT.1092: to bolster the Detection and Avoidance of Counterfeit Electronic Parts,” passed in the U.S. Senate by a 973 vote.

Introduced by Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), the amendment against counterfeiting of critical electronic parts includes new provisions that require large defense contractors to establish systems for detecting and avoiding counterfeit parts. The legislation also creates a new, enhanced offense that specifically targets trafficking in military counterfeits and increases penalties for criminals who know that the counterfeit product they sell is intended for use by the military.

Military hardware, such as this F-15 Air Force fighter, have been found to contain counterfeit electronic components.