Thoughts on the JEDEC Standard Update

I feel that the new JESD9B document presents a good structure for external visual inspection of electronic microcircuits covering a wide range of commercial off-the-shelf products manufactured in the plastics arena.  This arena is much more significant to manufacturers today than in 1994, which was the peak time for the Mil-Std-883 Method 2009 which covered only hermetically sealed components.

This updated specification is long overdue and a useful method, combining old and new industry criteria for proper external visual inspection protocols.

Detecting Counterfeit Electronic Components

This opinion piece at CBSNews.com raises the issue of counterfeit components originating in China.

Nearly a decade ago our company NJ Micro Electronic Testing began uncovering non-authentic electronic component products that had been purchased for use in Defense Department equipment as well as in the medical and other industrial arenas. These counterfeit components had a varying level of sophistication, but they all failed when tested against the military standards the real parts needed to meet or exceed. As a response, we devised a state of the art, military standards-based testing program to detect and stop the flow of counterfeit electronic component devices called "Mission Imposter®". It is the world's first counterfeit component detection program. This testing process detects counterfeit electronics before they find their way into a customer's products.

The Mission Imposter process begins with an analysis of the shipping materials and packaging. The parts then undergo several levels of inspection including: marking and dimensional checks, internal visual analysis, several levels of material analysis, and electrical testing to determine authenticity.

The successful implementation of this program has been effective in uncovering imitation electronic devices that began infiltrating the industry close to a decade ago. These counterfeit components can now be detected and stopped. It's important that this happens before they are used in the manufacture of products that could put many projects and many lives in danger.