Joseph Federico, NJMET vice president and director of operations, announced improvements to their electronics engineering test procedures to test for counterfeit components. NJ MET’s procedure testing for marking permanency will be in accordance with a newly revised military specification. It guards against blacktopping methods used by counterfeiters to replace the original markings on electronic components. This revised procedure is part of NJ MET’s Mission Imposter® process to test for counterfeit component electronics.

NJ MET is an independent electronics laboratory providing, electronic testing, upscreening and counterfeit detection for electronic components.

“We need to constantly upgrade our testing to keep up and attempt to keep these parts out of the supply chain,” said Joseph Federico.  “Electronic component counterfeiters are using increasing sophisticated techniques to replace markings on lower grade parts and relabeling them for military or aerospace use.”

NJ MET (http://www.njmetmtl.com) is adding the experimental marking permanency test from MIL-STD-750 (http://www.landandmaritime.dla.mil/Downloads/MilSpec/Doc …) and MIL-STD-883 to its suite of marking permanency tests already a part of its Mission Imposter counterfeit component detection program.  The objective of this test is to examine the marking’s resistance to solvents, Joseph Federico explained at their laboratory headquarters located in Clifton, New Jersey.

The component is suspended so that half of the device is in a solution of 1-Methyl 2-Pyrrolidinone and heated between 115-120ºC for between 2-5 minutes.

It is then required that the part and the bristle portion of a brush be completely immersed for 1 minute minimum in the solution. Immediately following immersion, the specimen is brushed with normal hand pressure (approximately 2 to 3 ounces) for ten strokes on the portion of the specimen where marking has been applied.

After this process the marking should not smear or be removed. After the conclusion of the test, all devices will be placed under the microscopic camera and recorded for identification, disposition and permanent documentation purposes.

There are engineering specifications for the brush as well, Joseph Federico (http://www.josephfedericocliftonnj.com/) explained. The brush’s handle must be made of a nonreactive material. The brush must have three long rows of hard bristles, the free ends of which lie substantially in the same plane. The brush must be used exclusively with a single solvent and when there is any evidence of softening, bending, wear, or loss of bristles, it must be discarded. This is very similar to the specifications of the brush used over many years at NJ MET’s electronics test facility to determine marking permanency, Joseph Federico explained.

Closing adhering to this updated procedure is necessary to improve accuracy.  Accuracy includes limiting the number of false positives. “With the right solution and aggressive enough rubbing, legitimate part markings could be discolored or removed,” Federico said.

NJMET provides professional electronic component testing to the Commercial, Military, Aerospace, Industrial and Automotive fields worldwide. Its state of the art Mission Imposter® Counterfeit Detection Process identifies counterfeit or cloned products. For more information about engineering test services, call Joseph Federico at NJ MET Clifton, New Jersey (973)546-5393.