Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1143487
78 PCB007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2019 The PCB Norsemen Feature Column by Didrik Bech, ELMATICA Failures and reliability in the printed circuit industry are usually considered in the context of quality claims and non-conformity. This is a logical approach; however, there is a new con- text where these aspects are under close scru- tiny, namely compliance—especially in the de- fense industry. Failing to understand import and export compliance for every country you deliver to and from will, at some point, result in challenges in your supply chain with poten- tially severe ramifications. The Defining Factor Between Financial Success and Costly Mistakes To be compliant or not—that is the question to ask. Saying, "Yes, we're compliant," is easy, but proving and documenting it is much hard- er. It is important to understand the challenge and recognize the importance of working dili- gently with all aspects of compliance. Compli- ance management in the defense industry can be the defining factor between financial suc- cess and costly mistakes. When procuring components, printed circuits, or materials for the defense industry, there is no such thing as assuming or relying on question- able interpretations of rules and regulations. There's no option for shortcuts as to whether your supplier follows regulations or not. You must know the country of origin down to the component, the printed circuit or material level of your products, and the bill of materials (BOM) should encompass a country of origin for every article. If you supply to the U.S. defense market, you risk: jeopardizing the business in your en - tire supply chain; exclusion from delivering to the U.S market; substantial penalties, and possi- bly jail time if you breach U.S. FAR/DFARS and ITAR regulations. So, how do you ensure that you are compliant with U.S. regulations? Avoid Failures in PCB Production With Compliance Control