Posted by Jenny Miller on Thu, Apr 01, 2010 @ 03:26 PM
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.
Posted by Jenny Miller on Tue, Mar 02, 2010 @ 02:06 PM
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.
Posted by Corey Woinarowicz on Wed, Feb 17, 2010 @ 03:08 PM
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:
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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).
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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.
Posted by Corey Woinarowicz on Wed, Aug 19, 2009 @ 02:49 PM
We are seeing a substantial increase in the requirements this week, with Cypress, Motorola/Freescale and Analog Devices being the top manufactures.