Kramer on Counterfeits

April 15, 2015

A Summary of Counterfeit Avoidance: Development & Impact

Although counterfeit components and substandard products get plenty of attention in military, aerospace and medical fields due to their costly impact in human life, it’s important to point out the severe impact substandard parts and assemblies play in everyone’s life. Safeguards are in place to filter counterfeit products, but there remains a great deal of work to fully mitigate this threat.

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January 06, 2015

Kramer on Counterfeits: Bad Customers

Columnist Todd Kramer writes, "When cost and schedule are allowed to supersede quality and safety like a carrot on a stick, a mentality is nurtured that induces latent defects. Cheap parts are hard to resist, but it's these fakes that risk human life and critical systems."

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November 12, 2014

Kramer on Counterfeits: Counterfeit Electronic Parts Avoidance - Profitability or Catastrophe

Sweeping changes in the way your business must handle the counterfeit parts threat are here and will soon affect every sector of the world-wide electronics market: Government, commercial, and consumer. Whether you survive and profit or fail and perish will largely depend on the decisions your business makes today to adapt to these new developments.

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October 14, 2014

U.S. Military Tools to Prevent Counterfeit Electronics

By now, it should come as no surprise to those who are involved in electronics procurement that the industry is facing an epidemic of counterfeit parts. To stem the tide of fake electronics, both private and military supply chains are taking action through the implementation of new authentication and testing programs.

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August 12, 2014

Kramer on Counterfeits: DFARS Flow Downs and Trusted Suppliers

Ultimately, while the DoD is still noncommittal on what is, clearly, a key tenet of its own requirement that prime defense contractors use "trusted suppliers," it does at least present an update to this definition that requires the implementation of a counterfeit avoidance plan for parts that are not purchased from an OEM or authorized distributor.

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July 01, 2014

Kramer on Counterfeits: Testing Requirements for Components from Unauthorized Sources

While no level of testing can guarantee a part is authentic, fully functional, and is not a used or cloned part, showing supplier due diligence is vital when product not procured from an authorized source is used. In some environments it is required. This article demonstrates the importance of proper testing and how to determine the ideal quality and degree of testing that should be performed.

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May 28, 2014

Kramer on Components: Independent Distributor - Supply Chain's Best Friend or Worst Enemy?

Columnist Todd Kramer writes, "As independent electronics distributors come under increased scrutiny, I am often asked about the changes I have seen since my early days in the industry. Generally speaking, the loudest voice against independent distributors comes--as it always has--from the powerful presence of authorized distributors."

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May 06, 2014

Kramer on Counterfeits: Protecting Your Supply Chain from Counterfeits & Liability

For a few years now, it has been clear that many contractors are not adding new suppliers to their approved vendors' lists the way they once did. In adopting this policy, they fail to recognize the value of trustworthy, independent distributors. By neglecting the advantages that independent distributors can offer to the supply chain, these firms potentially do themselves a grave disservice.

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April 09, 2014

Kramer on Counterfeits: Investigations, Evidence, and an Unclear Solution

In November of 2011, when the United States government publicly got involved in attempting to curb the epidemic of counterfeits in the supply chain, it was a little too late. The Senate Arms Services Committee, led by Senators John McCain and Carl Levin, gave Americans their first glimpse into the catastrophic dangers that our Department of Defense and the aerospace community was facing.

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February 26, 2014

Kramer on Counterfeits: The Counterfeit Epidemic That Can Kill

A U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee investigation revealed that more than 1 million counterfeit components likely exist within the U.S. military supply chain. If the supply chain of the finest military in the world can be infiltrated by 1 million counterfeit components, it's more than likely it can happen to your supply chain.

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March 10, 2014

The Counterfeit Epidemic That Can Kill

A U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee investigation revealed that more than 1 million counterfeit components likely exist within the U.S. military supply chain. If the supply chain of the finest military in the world can be infiltrated by 1 million counterfeit components, it's more than likely it can happen to your supply chain.

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May 06, 2014

Protecting Your Supply Chain from Counterfeits & Liability

For a few years now, it has been clear that many contractors are not adding new suppliers to their approved vendors' lists the way they once did. In adopting this policy, they fail to recognize the value of trustworthy, independent distributors. By neglecting the advantages that independent distributors can offer to the supply chain, these firms potentially do themselves a grave disservice.

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May 28, 2014

Independent Distributor - Supply Chain's Best Friend or Worst Enemy?

Columnist Todd Kramer writes, "As independent electronics distributors come under increased scrutiny, I am often asked about the changes I have seen since my early days in the industry. Generally speaking, the loudest voice against independent distributors comes--as it always has--from the powerful presence of authorized distributors."

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June 17, 2014

Investigations, Evidence, and an Unclear Solution

In November of 2011, when the United States government publicly got involved in attempting to curb the epidemic of counterfeits in the supply chain, it was a little too late. The Senate Arms Services Committee, led by Senators John McCain and Carl Levin, gave Americans their first glimpse into the catastrophic dangers that our Department of Defense and the aerospace community was facing.

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July 21, 2014

Testing Requirements for Components from Unauthorized Sources

While no level of testing can guarantee a part is authentic, fully functional, and is not a used or cloned part, showing supplier due diligence is vital when product not procured from an authorized source is used. In some environments it is required. This article demonstrates the importance of proper testing and how to determine the ideal quality and degree of testing that should be performed.

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August 26, 2014

DFARS Flow Downs and Trusted Suppliers

Ultimately, while the DoD is still noncommittal on what is, clearly, a key tenet of its own requirement that prime defense contractors use "trusted suppliers," it does at least present an update to this definition that requires the implementation of a counterfeit avoidance plan for parts that are not purchased from an OEM or authorized distributor.

---

December 23, 2014

Counterfeit Electronic Parts Avoidance - Profitability or Catastrophe

Sweeping changes in the way your business must handle the counterfeit parts threat are here and will soon affect every sector of the world-wide electronics market: Government, commercial, and consumer. Whether you survive and profit or fail and perish will largely depend on the decisions your business makes today to adapt to these new developments.

---

October 14, 2014

U.S. Military Tools to Prevent Counterfeit Electronics

By now, it should come as no surprise to those who are involved in electronics procurement that the industry is facing an epidemic of counterfeit parts. To stem the tide of fake electronics, both private and military supply chains are taking action through the implementation of new authentication and testing programs

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