Obsolescence Management in Electronics: Mitigating Risks through Counterfeit Prevention (11/2024)

The electronics industry faces growing challenges as more components reach the end of their lifecycle, increasing counterfeit risks in the supply chain. KAMAKA Electronic Bauelemente Vertriebs GmbH highlights effective obsolescence management and counterfeit prevention as key strategies to reduce risks and ensure reliability in electronics production.

Supply Chain Challenges
Current supply chain delays and shortages raise the likelihood of counterfeit components. Companies often resort to the gray market, which brings significant risks.

Counterfeit Prevention as a Success Factor
Micross, a KAMAKA partner, offers comprehensive services to identify and prevent counterfeit components, ensuring secure, authentic parts for production. Services include Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for surface analysis, electrical authenticity testing, environmental shock and burn-in tests, visual inspection (IDEA 1010), decapsulation, and X-ray analysis. These methods provide independent, thorough verification to prevent counterfeit components in critical applications.

Obsolescence Management: Proactive and Reactive Strategies
With extensive expertise in semiconductor obsolescence, Micross provides solutions to manage risks related to product discontinuation:

  • Proactive Solutions
    • EOL Die Sustainment Program (EDSP): Long-term die and wafer storage for sustained availability.
    • BOM monitoring and reporting: Ensures uninterrupted product supply.
  • Reactive Solutions
    • Product reconditioning and restoration: Utilizing existing parts or recreating functionally equivalent products.
    • Component harvesting: Automated processes to recover components from existing stocks.

These approaches help companies maintain production continuity even with discontinued components.

Conclusion
Effective obsolescence management and robust anti-counterfeit strategies are essential for maintaining reliability and efficiency in electronics production. Companies must adopt proactive and reactive measures to address supply chain challenges and secure product integrity. Micross provides the expertise and services needed to support companies in overcoming these challenges, ensuring the success of their programs and products.

 

Author: Roland Karasch, KAMAKA Electronic Bauelemente Vertriebs GmbH
Co-author: Eddie Petch, Micross