Russia’s Phobos-Grunt mission to Mars, which launched in November, has ended with a crash back to Earth. A computer malfunction, which has been linked to suspected counterfeit electronic components, is deemed to be the culprit (click here for details). It is a huge disappointment and exemplifies the proliferation of counterfeits even in the most critical of equipment. This only highlights the importance of standardized inspection and testing. The IDEA STD-1010B is the only such standard at the moment. Please contact AERI if you would like to discuss how it can be implemented in your quality control process.
Robb Hammond, founder and president of AERI (American Electronic Resource, Inc.). Founding member and former committee chair of the SAE AS6081 Standard created for the avoidance of counterfeit electronic components. Robb founded AERI in Costa Mesa, California, in 1994 as an independent distributor of hard-to-find, obsolete and allocated electronic components. AERI is AS9120B, ISO 9001:2015 and AS6081 certified, tests to AS6171 standards, and inspects every part in its in-house QC lab before it ships. Robb writes about electronic component shortages, sourcing strategy and counterfeit avoidance.
