Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1527276
40 SMT007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2024 Feature Interview by Nolan Johnson I-CONNECT007 Nolan Johnson met with Diganta Das, PhD, and Michael Azarian, PhD, research scientists at the CALCE Electronic Products and Sys- tems Center at the University of Maryland, to discuss the increasing issue of counterfeiting in the electronics and assembly industry. Diganta and Michael highlight the need for robust detection methods and standards to mitigate risks, specifically referencing SAE AS6171 for inspection and AS5553 for counterfeit mitiga- tion. ey cover real-world cases, like counter- feit network equipment scandals to relatively simple issues of consumer electronics accesso- ries to illustrate the complexity of the issue and debate the philosophical implications of label- ing products that contain a few minor counter- feit components as "counterfeit." To address the problem, they suggest that standards organizations like SAE and IPC could play a crucial role. e conversation Counterfeit Concerns: Navigating the Risks