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Anti-Counterfeiting Inspection Process
Anti-Counterfeiting Inspection Process

This article covers the procedures included in Cofactr's anti-counterfeiting inspection service.

Matthew Haber avatar
Written by Matthew Haber
Updated over a week ago

When are anti-counterfeiting inspections performed?

We will perform anti-counterfeiting inspections under two circumstances:

  1. If you purchase parts from nearly any non-authorized distributor using the Cofactr platform, we will automatically provide an anti-counterfeiting inspection with the purchase. The cost for this inspection will be itemized in the landed costs displayed for the purchase within the Cofactr platform. Please note that there are a very small number of non-authorized distributors for which we do not, by default, provide an anti-counterfeiting inspection because those suppliers maintain their own inspection programs that meet or exceed the AS6081 standard and have a long track record of providing parts without quality or authenticity issues. You can still manually choose to request additional inspections for parts purchased from those suppliers. Inspections also may not be applied by default for suppliers that you configure within Cofactr yourself.

  2. You can select one or more stock lots in the Cofactr Stock App and click the 🔬 (Microscope) button to request inspections. These can be requested for parts whether or not they were purchased using Cofactr.

What does an anti-counterfeiting inspection include?

Cofactr's anti-counterfeiting inspection procedure is based on the guidelines found in AS6081 and IDEA-STD-1010-B. Depending on the risk profile of the supplier and/or the specific services you request using the Cofactr platform, we will inspect a sample of parts (typically 15pc) from each batch or 100% of the parts in the batch.

Visual Inspections

An automated 4K digital microscope will be used to capture images of the top surfaces of the parts being inspected while still contained in their packaging. Additionally, 1-3 random parts from the batch will be removed from their packaging, and both their top and bottom sides will be photographed with a 4K digital microscope. These images will be reviewed by a trained inspector and stored in the Cofactr platform for your review. The parts will be returned to their packaging after the inspection is complete and will still be usable in nearly all cases. The visual inspection will look for the following:

  • Match between logo and marking on part and manufacturer's specifications, when available

  • Consistent date code, country of origin, and lot code markings with packaging

  • Evidence of remarking or restamping

  • Evidence of burn holes in laser markings

  • Constant markings with a known-good part, if one was provided

  • Evidence of scoring, washing away, sanding, or acid etching of encapsulation

  • Overlap or misalignment of markings

  • Consistent surface texture

  • Consistent package indent geometry with manufacturer's specifications and/or known-good part, when available

  • Evidence of burn, blister marks, excessive heat exposure

  • Evidence of colored dots or ink marks on the component top

  • Unexpected evidence of flux, chemical residue, tool marks, heat sink witness marks

  • Surface cracks

  • Evidence of anomalous fingerprints

Dimensional & Lead Inspection

A trained inspector will visually inspect under a microscope and physically measure a sample part from each batch. This inspection will look for the following:

  • Consistent termination count, formation, and spacing with manufacturer specifications

  • Evidence of excessive bent, scratched, broken, dented, missing, non-coplanar, contaminated leads

  • Evidence of oxidization, corrosion, retinning, recalling

  • Consistent lead specularity with lot date code, lead specularity, color, and texture consistent within the sample

  • Anomalous evidence of scratches on leads

  • Consistent outside dimensional measurements with manufacturer's specifications and/or known-good part, when available

  • Package thickness variation outside of expected tolerances

X-Ray Inspections

An automated 5-axis digital X-Ray microscope will be used to capture X-Ray images of the parts being inspected while still contained in their packaging. These X-Ray images will be automatically compared to a reference image using a machine vision inspection system, a random sample will be inspected by a trained inspector, and all images will be stored in the Cofactr platform for your review. This inspection will look for the following:

  • Evidence of missing or damaged bond wires

  • Consistent die size, position, and presence within the batch and relative to known-good part, if one was provided

  • Consistent lead frame geometry within the batch and relative to known-good part, if one was provided

Other Inspections

Depending on the risk profile of the supplier, anomalies uncovered during the other inspections, and/or the specific services you request using the Cofactr platform, we will also perform the following inspections:

  • Chemical device marking test

  • Chemical surface test

  • Scrape test

  • Solderability test

Other Available Inspections

Upon request using the Cofactr platform, the following added inspections are available via 3rd-party labs at an additional cost:

  • Decapsulation of a sample

  • XRF analysis

  • Electrical and functional testing

Report

All anti-counterfieting inspections will result in a thorough report covering all of these inspection areas and containing representative images. This report will be stored in the Cofactr platform for your review and future traceability and compliance purposes.

Do I need a known-good?

If you are able to provide a known-good sample of a part, we will use that part in the inspection and the resulting inspection will be more likely to catch certain kinds of anomalies. A known-good sample is not required and the majority of counterfeits and defects will be found without one.

  • If you have another stock lot of this part in storage at Cofactr, we will automatically use that as a known-good part

  • You can request that we capture visual and x-ray images of any part you have in stock for a nominal cost. These images will be stored permanently and used as a known-good for any future inspections of that same part number, even if the original known-good parts are no longer physically in stock at Cofactr. We recommend proactively requesting this service for any part that you anticipate you may need to purchase from non-authorized distributors in the future.

  • If you have one on hand, you can send us a known-good part or a PCBA that contains a known-good part prior to an inspection.

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