Counterfeit parts pose risks to government, industry and consumers

Continuing our discussion of the AIA report on counterfeit components:
Although focusing on the issues in the aerospace and defense fields, the report also looked at the issue in the broader marketplace. It found that although the aerospace and defense fields are particularly vulnerable to counterfeit parts, the threat exists in a wide range of industries. As the report states, there is risk for government, industry and consumers:
“The introduction of counterfeit parts — whether they are electronic, mechanical or other — adversely affects the U.S. supply chain. Possible effects may include:

For government:
• National security or civilian safety issues
• Costs of enforcement
• Lost tax revenue due to illegal sales of counterfeit parts

For industry:
• Costs to mitigate this risk
• Costs to replace failed parts
• Lost sales
• Lost brand value or damage to business image

For consumers:
• Costs when products fail due to lower quality and reliability of counterfeit parts
• Potential safety concerns.”

NJMET provides testing for a number of industries in addition to defense and aerospace. Other industries include textile, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and medical devices.