In 2020, Covid 19 hit the global economy with shaking the electronic industry by affecting its global supply chain. Due to many factories and electronic fab stopping operation, electronic components supply went to scarcity. Yet, many industries such as automotive, consumer, medical, defense and industrial were dependant of those components.
The grey market rapidly developped as it became the only way to get some components being able to supply industries so they could keep producing and avoiding collapsing.
Grey market involve risks. Indeed, there are many counterfeits and refurbished components circulating on the market. When buying on grey market is the only option, then you must limit risk by implementing quality control procedure on devices you may want to buy, and this particularly if you are paying for thoose goods before shipping them.
We have developped a set of control which you may use to reduce the risk related to buying counterfeit and refurbished electronic parts. Below is a list of test you might consider and which we can supply to you to mitigate counterfeit procurement risk:
- Visual Inspection (Marking, Leads, Body, Device Size)
- Decapsulation Die Inspection (Visual Inspection of die and wafer markings)
- X-Ray Inspection (Die and Pins connections verification)
- Acetone Test (Remarking)
- Programming Test
- Solderability Test (Pins solderability)
- Rohs Test (Chemical Composition Analysis for terminal plating)
- Functional Test (Parametric test vs datasheet)
- Electrical Test (Pins open/short test, Breaddown)
