Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1367446
62 SMT007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2021 e world is still very much in the middle of a pandemic that has been altering the global economy in multiple ways. For starters, mil- lions of employees suddenly found them- selves needing to have the technical resources to work from home, their children had to start attending elementary school via Zoom and, as a result, the demand for technology has seen a spike to unprecedented levels. One would think that such demand for lap- tops, tablets, and other mobile devices would be a boon to the economy, but the truth is that this demand has plagued the global economy with another problem—a severe shortage of electrical components. e shortage of electrical components did not become a problem in 2020 simply because of a global pandemic; electrical component shortages have been putting pressure on man- ufacturers for at least the last three years. e shortage of electrical components in 2020 was perhaps most keenly felt due to tar- iffs that were placed on imported goods from China paired with the mandatory shutdowns at many factories in the United States. is supply-demand imbalance creates a vacuum for counterfeiting enterprises which see the electronic component shortage as a wonderful opportunity to make some quick cash. Counterfeit components are filling sup- ply chain gaps with sub-par, recycled, and oth- erwise counterfeit components as desperate manufacturers continue to frantically scour for electronic components without administering the appropriate supply chain vetting procedures. e serious issues with the presence of counter- feit electrical parts in oth- erwise reputable devices hardly needs explanation. However, the harsh lia- bilities these companies take upon themselves by using counterfeit electri- cal components (whether knowingly or not) is worth explaining here. e presence of coun- terfeit electrical com- ponents in any product exposes companies to sig- AI Wields Powerful Weapon in Counterfeit Components Lean Digital Thread by Sagi Reuven, SIEMENS DIGITAL INDUSTRIES SOFTWARE