Prevent Counterfeit Parts in Your Aerospace Electronic Manufacturing Supply Chain

When you think about counterfeits, naturally your mind turns to fake $100 bills or pirated DVDs. Counterfeit goods can be produced to replicate anything of value, however, and show up wherever there is money to be made in their trafficking. Counterfeit goods are always an imitation of the original, in all things but quality. When counterfeit parts make it into the supply chain, they lead to significant degradation of overall quality in your electronic manufacturing.

No one wants to be short-sold on quality. However, there is a difference in outcomes between a counterfeit designer purse and a counterfeit aerospace part. There is perhaps nowhere that counterfeit parts can have as detrimental an effect than in the aerospace industry. When choosing an ECM, it is imperative that they have a strategy in place to prevent counterfeit components from finding their way into your final product.

What Comprises a Counterfeit Component?

Any ECM worth considering for your next aerospace project is AS9100 certified. The AS9100 criteria define counterfeit parts as:

“An unauthorized copy, imitation, substitute, or modified part, which is knowingly misrepresented as a specified genuine part of an original or authorized manufacturer. NOTE: Examples of a counterfeit part (e.g., material, part, component) can include, but are not limited to, the false identification of marking or labeling, grade, serial number, date code, documentation, or performance characteristics.”

In order to maintain their AS9100 certification, responsible companies train their professionals to be able to spot counterfeits and implement procurement controls that utilize trustworthy sources. They also become experts on counterfeits, staying abreast of the latest ways producers of counterfeit parts are trying to sneak them into the supply chain.

In addition, companies must complete their own risk assessment on suppliers and complete external audits. They must also be able to provide supply chain traceability.

Stopping Counterfeit Parts in Your Supply Chain

Keeping counterfeit parts out of the supply chain means mitigating weaknesses where they occur. For our team at Levison Enterprises, one of the ways we combat counterfeit parts is by being a one-stop-shop for the complete ECM process. By minimizing the parties involved, we find it easier to maintain control of the manufacturing process as a whole.

Being able to take components like cable assemblies and PCBs from conception to production gives us total control over the process. Our network of parts suppliers has been fully vetted to be counterfeit part-free.

At Levison Enterprises, even though we know the final product may carry your name on the outside, our reputation is staked on what’s inside. We take the prevention of counterfeit parts in the aerospace industry seriously and take steps to prevent them from entering our supply chain. To hear more about what we can offer as your ECM partner, contact our experienced team today.

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