AS6081 and AS6171 Standards
To standardize the fight against counterfeit parts, the aerospace industry developed key certifications that have become the gold standard for quality and reliability across the entire electronics sector. Understanding these standards helps you identify distributors who are truly serious about quality. Two of the most important are AS6081 and AS6171.
Suntsu’s Quality Assurance Process
At Suntsu, we pride ourselves on our strong commitment to trust and reliability. Our comprehensive Quality Assurance Process is more than just a department; it forms the foundation of our entire operation. We have carefully developed a multi-step validation system that combines the preventative principles of AS6081 with the advanced testing methods described in AS6171. This approach is designed to give you complete confidence in our products and services.
Here’s how our process protects you at every stage:
Before any component is accepted into our facility, it undergoes a rigorous verification process. We check the purchase order, manufacturer part number, quantity, lot/date codes, and country of origin against our records. Additionally, we perform a thorough inspection of the packaging to ensure that factory seals are intact, ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) and MSL (Moisture Sensitivity Level) handling protocols have been followed, and there are no signs of tampering. This initial step is critical, as counterfeiters often use fraudulent documentation or improper packaging that can be easily identified by a trained eye.
Our certified and highly trained inspectors perform a range of non-destructive tests designed to detect even the most sophisticated of forgeries:
- Detailed Visual Inspection: Under high magnification, we examine for discrepancies in markings, body texture, and lead condition – indicators of resurfacing or re-tinning.
- X-Ray Analysis: This process enables us to examine the internal structure of the component, including the lead frame, wire bonds, and die size, and compare it with a verified good device. This verification is essential for identifying counterfeit components that may appear flawless on the outside but are fraudulent on the inside.
For greater assurance, especially for high-value or mission-critical components, we provide a variety of advanced testing services.
- Solderability Testing: Ensures that the component performs reliably throughout the manufacturing process.
- Decapsulation and Die Analysis: This destructive test serves as the final confirmation of authenticity. We chemically strip away the outer casing of the component to reveal the silicon die. Our engineers then examine the die markings and architecture under a microscope and compare them to a reference sample.
- E-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) Material Analysis: Conforms that the component’s material composition complies with RoHS standards and matches the manufacturer’s specifications.
This thorough process—from the initial documentation review to advanced microscopic analysis—ensures that only 100% genuine and reliable components are approved, stocked, and shipped from our facility.
Secure Your Supply Chain with a Trusted Partner
Navigating the complexities of today’s electronics supply chain is increasingly challenging. The threat of counterfeit electronic components is real, persistent, and continually evolving. In this environment, you need more than just a supplier; you need a partner who shares your commitment to the quality and integrity of your products.
By focusing on component traceability and collaborating with a distributor that has established a comprehensive, multi-layered quality assurance program, you can safeguard your projects, your customers, and your profitability.
Don’t leave your supply chain to chance. Contact Suntsu today to discover how our industry-leading quality assurance, engineering expertise, and global sourcing network can help you develop a resilient, transparent, and counterfeit-proof procurement strategy.
FAQs
When your components arrive, you can perform an initial visual inspection to spot potential red flags before they ever enter your inventory. Look for inconsistencies in these three areas:
- Packaging: Be wary of damaged boxes, broken factory seals, incorrect or missing moisture sensitivity level (MSL) bags, or packaging that doesn’t match the manufacturer’s standards.
- Labeling: Carefully check all labels for typos, blurry logos, or grammatical errors. Ensure the part number, date code, lot number, and country of origin match your purchase order exactly. Any discrepancies are a major red flag.
- Physical Appearance: Inspect the components themselves. Look for non-uniformity across a single reel or tray, such as varying textures, shades of color, or markings. Bent or tarnished leads, surface scratches, or evidence of blacktopping (resurfacing) are all signs of counterfeit parts.
Yes, absolutely. While any component can be counterfeited, some are much higher-risk targets than others. These typically fall into three categories:
- High-Demand & High-Value Components: Sophisticated parts like microcontrollers (MCUs), memory ICs, and FPGAs are popular targets because of their high price point and critical role in many applications.
- Obsolete or End-of-Life (EOL) Parts: These are heavily counterfeited because the legitimate supply is extremely limited, and companies maintaining legacy systems are often desperate to find them.
- Long Lead-Time Components: Simple components like capacitors or discrete semiconductors can become targets when a supply chain disruption causes their lead times to stretch into many months. Counterfeiters exploit the urgent demand to offload fake parts.
Proper documentation is the cornerstone of traceability. At a minimum, you should always expect to receive a Certificate of Conformance (CoC) from your distributor. This document certifies that the parts meet your purchase order requirements. For an even higher level of assurance, especially when sourcing from the open market, you can request:
- A copy of the Original Component Manufacturer’s (OCM) CoC
- Photos of the components in their original, factory-sealed packaging
- Any test reports or inspection results from the distributor’s quality process
It’s better to think of advanced testing not as a cost, but as an insurance policy. While services like X-ray analysis or decapsulation do have an associated cost, it is minimal compared to the catastrophic expense of a product recall, manufacturing line shutdown, or the irreversible damage to your brand’s reputation that can result from a single counterfeit part failure.
Standard visual inspections are part of our regular quality process and have a negligible impact on lead time. Advanced testing is an on-request service that we work to expedite to meet your project deadlines.
If you suspect you have counterfeit components, it’s crucial to act quickly and methodically.
- Quarantine the parts immediately. Isolate the entire batch, including all paperwork, to prevent them from accidentally entering the production workflow.
- Document Everything. Take photos of the packaging, labels, and the components themselves. Note any red flags you observed.
- Do Not Return the Parts to the Supplier. Returning the components can make it difficult to prove your claim later.
- Contact a Trusted Third-Party for Verification. Reach out to a reliable partner with advanced testing capabilities, like Suntsu, to perform an impartial analysis. Our Component Engineering Services can provide the definitive testing needed to confirm authenticity.
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