IC Trends Blog | Electronic Component Supplier News

Looking Back and Stepping forward from CALCE

In attending the CALCE Symposium on Counterfeit Electronic Parts last week in Arizona, I walked away both challenged and encouraged. I have much greater clarity on this issue...and it really includes two main parts. It was incredibly beneficial having all the different pieces of the supply chain present so you could see different viewpoints and better understand the challenges they face. Let me give you an example:

• IC Trends buys a part from a distributor
• We don't have a great deal of confidence in the parts
• We try to get support from the Original Component Manufacturer (OCM)
• The OCM is reluctant to give support and until last week I didn't know why...
• Now I understand that the OCM has economic reasons motivating their decision, but moreover they don't want to be on the hook for parts that they could once verify but now can't because they've been outside of their control

Back to the conference- the counterfeiting problem breaks down into two main pieces:

1. The size of the problem and how many people it touches
2. The complexity of the problem

The counterfeiters are in many cases better financed and becoming more and more sophisticated as time goes by. Our abilities to detect counterfeiting need to increase. I learned a number of new methods by which we can make that happen. Some of those methods are relatively simple and will be implemented immediately, and some are more complex requiring the acquisition of capital equipment and that will happen over time.

In the coming weeks, I'll be blogging and sharing with you some of the methods gleaned from the conference. We'll be putting out literature on the immediate steps that IC Trends is taking to become even more dependable as a partner against counterfeiting. Some of the things you'll see in the next month are:

-Full disclosure of the IC Trends Anit-Counterfeiting Program

-The specific in-house testing and partnerships we have to ensure reputable components

-An outline of our visual inspection techniques

-The steps that we are taking to come into compliance with prevailing and relevant industry standards

IC Trends has always been motivated to excel as a trusted partner in the marketplace. When our customers have the need to move outside their normal supply chains we want to be the first, last, and most trustworthy call they make to satisfy their electronic component needs.

Best Regards,

Joe Stafford

More Questions: What's Next in Fighting Component Counterfeiting

It's here!  The CALCE Symposium on Counterfeit Electronics begins today.

In Part I of our blog looking forward to the CALCE Symposium on Counterfeit Electronics, we talked about the scope of the counterfeiting problem within the electronic components industry. Today we want to talk about the future: questions we're going to be asking at the CALCE conference to determine how we're going to attack this problem in the days ahead.

Our questions look to these areas:

1. Are there any industry wide initiatives to combat counterfeiting?

2. What is the role that the government is playing in all of this? How effective will their role be?

3. Are there any software initiatives associated with the component counterfeiting problem?

4. What is GIDEP doing about this matter? Are they providing listings of problem parts/vendors?

5. What are some of the best practices that companies are employing in this arena?

6. How do companies envision getting out in front of the component counterfeiting issue? How do they plan on approaching this problem proactively rather than reactively?

The CALCE conference promises to be a forum inviting these questions and hopefully providing strategies to employ moving forward.

Again, we're tweeting the specific stats that provoked these questions...follow us on twitter @ ICTrends to get the facts and figures associated with the staggeringly large business of counterfeiting.

How Big is the Counterfeit Electronic Components Problem?

As we head into the CALCE Symposium on Counterfeit Electronics, questions about the scope of this problem and its impact on our industry are being asked. We know counterfeit electronic components are on the forefront of anyone in the world of component distribution. We know the scope of the problem is huge, according the US Department of Commerce; counterfeiting accounts for 8% of all global merchandise and can account for up to $1.2 trillion in lost sales.

As we look forward to the CALCE Symposium on Counterfeit Electronics, held this year in Phoenix from June 8th-9th, counterfeiting is on the brain. The problem is big and the answers seem few. As we look ahead to this week there are several areas we're hoping get touched on and an array of questions we're hoping get answered.

The first handful are:

1. How big is the legacy problem for these manufacturers?

2. How pervasive is the counterfeiting problem?

3. Who are companies turning to in counterfeit component situations?

4. What are the current market conditions for OEM's? Are they experiencing shortages and increased lead times and, if so, what are they doing about them?

5. Are companies taking an aggressive stance against questionable electronic components coming out of Asia (i.e. not buying product from there)?

We'll be tweeting the specific stats and updates before, during, and following CALCE Symposium on Counterfeit Electronics on these topics and more...follow us on twitter @ ICTrends to get the facts and figures associated with the staggeringly large business of counterfeiting. Follow this trail to get see what's happening at the important industry conference.
 

May 26, 2010 Weekly High Risk Electronic Components

As of May 26, 2010, be on the lookout for the following high risk devices:

· Kemet T520V226M020ATE040, 100% failure - high ESR

· Texas Instruments OPA2541SM, 16% failure - clipped and clamped output

· ON Semiconductor NID6002NT4G, 100 failure - high drain-to-source leakage current

· Fairchild FDB2532, 5% failure - low gate threshhold voltage, Vgs(th), and high drain-to-source leakdage current (Idss)

· Nichicon PCF0J331MCL1GS, 100% failure - high ESR

· Analog Devices AD8310ARM, 100% failure - output is clamping to the supply and drawing current at no load to overheat the devices

· Texas Instruments TPS40009DGQR, 96% failure - unstable output and feedback voltages

· BS62LV4006-EIP55, 10% failure - bad protective diodes

· Texas Instruments OPA2343UA, 16% failure - no signal on both channels

IC Trends Partners with White Horse to Combat Counterfeit Components

In the time we live in, the world has indeed become flat.  As we strive to provide our customers with the right parts at the eleventh hour, we cannot turn aside from viable sources of electronic components that meet the needs of our customers.  Most manufacturers in the electronics industry have been harmed by counterfeit components and we need to have the necessary tools to separate the authentic from the false.

According to the article World Hardware: Semiconductor Marekting Update, 53% of global semiconductor sales are going to the Asia-Pacific region.  This makes up more than half of the global market, and we cannot afford to ignore the supply of components this region brings...especially when it comes to dealing with supply chain interruptions that need solutions yesterday.

Most quality problems originate in the Asia Pacific region, and companies must develop a strategy to procure quality electronic components from Asia Pacific.

Does your supplier have a strategy?

We do.

IC Trends is pleased to announce our partnership with White Horse, a firm specializing in the inspection and testing of electronic components coming out of China.  White Horse's testing facility is located in Asia so that we can determine whether or not you are getting the right product before it exits the region and gets anywhere near your supply chain.

In this world, we have to be on top of our game so that you can be on top of yours.  Our developed relationship with White Horse is one more way that IC Trends brings value to your business and earns our place as your go-to business partner for quality electronic components. 

To learn more about White Horse, please visit their website and stayed tuned for more information on our role in stopping component counterfeiting on the IC Trends website.

Your Electronic Components Supplier - 3 Signs You Can Trust Them

Finding the right business partner to help your electronic components shortage and EOL situations is critical and can be time consuming.  Looking for signs in these three areas will help you move forward with greater confidence.

Area #1 - ISO Certification

ISO Certification is the largest non-governmental producer of system-wide standards for business, government, and societies throughout the world.  The standards established for ISO extend to the electronic components world, ensuring that ISO Certified companies are trustworthy business partners.

Make sure that your business partner is ISO 9001:2008 certified, proving they have the most current certification available.

The ISO certification logo look like:

 

Spotting this on a website is an easy way to see the ISO affiliation of your electronic parts supplier, but you can always ask the question.

ISO certification is a good place to start, but there can be others that impact your electronic components sourcing process as well:

• RoHS compliance - A UK specific standardization for the electronics components industry
  
• QMI - SAI Global - A third party organization that rigorously evaluates companies to improve their process and pass electronic component industry evaluation.  At times, including on the IC Trends website, you'll see their logo revealing an ISO certification that has been processed through them. 

In short, make sure that the electronic parts distributor you're leaning on to get your components have trusted third party certification.

Area #2 - Background Check

Even though it sometimes comes down to the last minute, it helps if you can gather information prior to your parts need. With the technology we have at our fingertips, you can spend 30 minutes online and find out some great information about your potential component partner. You can Google their company name to find out where they've been in the news and what's being said about them. If there are groups of people that received counterfeit parts from them, you want to know that.

Another tool any reputable component supplier should give you is a list of references. These references should be able to ask you some basic questions that help you to know if you want to move forward.

• Was their response time adequate and professional?
• Did they provide you with a solid quote at the right price?
• Did the components show up on time?
• Were they the right parts?
• How likely are you to use them again to supply your electronic component needs?

Professional forums and blogs can also be of help. Sites like Electronic Components: Allocation, Lead Times & Shortages , PC's Electronic Component Blog , and Onlinecomponents.comblog  can give you great industry information and answer questions about your business partner in question.

Area #3 - Communication Certainty

In a capacitor, diode, resistor or other shortage situation you can spend a lot of time on the phone hammering out the details before you get the chance to vet them completely. There are certain things you can look for to know that your electronic components distributor partner is on the way to getting your parts in place at the eleventh hour. One step is to make sure they have a reasonable next-contact time frame. If you submit an online RFQ you should get a call or email back within 24 hours.

You also want them to be asking great questions so that they can provide you with a great quote, fast. These questions should look like:

• What is the manufacturers part #?
• Can you take a Cross?
• Do you have a date code restriction?
• Do these need to be RoHS Compliant?
• When do you need them on your dock?
• How many?
• Do you have a price history or target price?

If and when a component shortage situation happens you need to have a partner that's part of your team. Although it takes a bit of time and energy to find a dependable component supplier, the pay off is someone you can trust as your business moves forward.

Capacitor Requirements on the Rise Due to Shortage of Rare Earth Elements?

Capacitors, here we go again.....is it 1999 all over again? We were seeing so many new Kemet, Vishay and AVX requirements it made us wonder why. Then we found this article that might help explain:

-----

Shortage of Rare Earth Elements Could Thwart Innovation
By Jeremy Hsu, TechNewsDaily Contributor
12 February 2010 1:10 PM ET
Share Silicon may represent one of Earth's more common elements, but it transformed Silicon Valley into a high-tech corridor and helped usher the world into the Information Age...Rare earth elements, called "rare earths" by those who use and study them, often prove irreplaceable in green technologies and high-tech consumer products.

Yet the world's production of rare minerals relies mainly upon China, and the Chinese government warned last year that its own rising demand will soon force it to stop exporting the precious elements.

"Countries and companies that have or plan to develop industries that need rare earth minerals to make products are concerned about China's growing consumption, which they fear will eliminate China's exports of rare earths," said W. David Menzie, chief of the international minerals section at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

 -----

What do you think - We want your Feedback?

The article goes on to identify and discuss these rare earth elements: Europium, Lanthanum, and Neodymium. What does your experience or insight tell you in this reagard? Please post a comment and we'll pick up on hot topics in our next post. Click here to read the rest of the article.

EOL & Obsolescence Best Practices: Buying & Management Tips for Controlling Inventory

Who to Trust, Where to Find & How to Procure Electronic Components and Obsolete Parts

Navigating the world of electronic components is challenging on a normal day, much less at the eleventh hour when you need parts NOW and don't know where or how to get them. These three strategies for Buying electronic components and managing EOL and obsolscence should help; both in preventing the last-minute shortage and in securing the help you need if, and more likely when, you have inventory supply needs.

Who to Trust for Your Electronic Components

At the end of the day, it's too critical to your business to leave who you are partnered with for your electronics component procurement to chance. Throughout the buying cycle, who you do business with has a huge impact on the achievement of your procurement goals. Having a business partner you can trust creates long term success. You'll want to make sure who you've aligned yourself with an electronics distributor who is able to secure the parts on time, every time. Some great questions to ask of a potential electronics component procurement partner are:

• Are they an ISO 9001:2000 certified vendor?
• You can look at this ISO Certification Directory to verify their certification
• Do you see the ISO logo or even the ISO 9001:2000 certificate on their website?
• Can you trust them?
• Do they have references you can call?
• Google them! What comes up?
• Is there any outside information you can find on electronic components blog or community forums?
• What type of proven track record do they have and how can they showcase it to you?
  
  

Where to Find Replacement & Obsolete Parts

You're at the end...you need the parts, and you need them yesterday. Where can you go to find them?

• Find your way to dependable electronic component distributor's part search:
•   -Pegasus Electronics
•   -E Electronics
•   -New Line International
•   -IC Trends
  
• Google your part number, potentially pointing you in direction of some great sources
• Check your part numbers to make sure they aren't obsolete or end of life. If so, see if there's a cross that can sub in for the part that could be easier to find
  
  

How to Procure Electronic Components & Stock Inventory
You want to make sure you're find the best part, and the best price, at the best place. You also want to do this in the shortest time possible. Finding that trusted electronic components distributor who has the proven track record and experience will make your life easier. A good electronic components distributor will be able to:

• Provide a searchable online database to find your electronic component
• Be equipped with online RFQ capability
• Help you find possible crosses to your part number if needed
• Ensure quick response - within 24 hours - to update you on your need
• Provide you with competitive pricing
• Have a variety of pricing options, credit/COD terms
• Provide easy access to live procurement specialists to aid your search
• Move forward as a partner to assess and support your entire inventory management cycle
  
  

Other Electronic Components Buying Issues

There are many other issues to look at in the component procurement buying cycle, among them the danger of counterfeit components and preventing shortages from the outset. These need space to be unpacked, which will be done in subsequent blogs.

So what do you think? Do you have any tips for other buying and procurement of electronics components? We'd love to hear more. We will be following up this blog with more detail on some of these areas of discussion. Any relevant comments you add here we'll be sure to incorporate into future electronic components blog posts.

September Electronic Components Requirements

Wow, a huge increase in RFQ`s coming from the Aerospace and Defense sectors this month!

Major increases in Motorola and TI

Motorola and Texas Instruments requirements have increased a combined 73% over the last 10 days.