10 ways to find counterfeit components using x-rays
DESCRIPTION
How long can you go without interacting with an electronic device? Needless to say our lives have became dependent on a network of electronic system - from the plane you flight to the breaking system in your car to the monitoring systems at hospitals. Unfortunately, counterfeit electronic components have permeated our supply chain. From medical, to industrial, to military, to aerospace systems, we are all susceptible to the counterfeit electronic threat. That means that you may think you're buying component A, while in fact a criminal is selling you component B. The economic incentive relies on the fact that criminals can make component B look like component A, while component B can cost a fraction of component A. Huge profits can then be realized if component B can be sold as A. The wrong component in the wrong place and time can have catastrophic consequences. Imagine if component B ends up in a missile system, or in an airplane, or in a hospital, or in the breaking system in your car. What can you do about it? The only solution is to test your electronic parts before assembly. In this presentation Creative Electron shows 10 innovative ways to find counterfeit electronic components using radiography. We have examples of several powerful techniques that include the need to perform 100% inspection, the use of metadata to assess component authenticity, and the need to inspect both the interior and exterior of the components.TRANSCRIPT
10 WAYS TO FIND COUNTERFEIT COMPONENTS USING X-RAYS
FROM SCIENCE TO INSPECTION SOLUTIONS
FROM SCIENCE TO INSPECTION SOLUTIONS Dr. Bill Cardoso
www.creativeelectron.com
THE ELECTRONIC COMPONENT COUNTERFEIT PROBLEM
Shoppers visit Panthip Plaza, the largest IT mall in Thailand, on March 5, 2012 in
Bangkok, Thailand. Panthip Plaza is notorious for selling counterfeit
electronics.
FROM SCIENCE TO INSPECTION SOLUTIONS Dr. Bill Cardoso
www.creativeelectron.com
THE POWER OF X-RAY VISION
X-Rays give you the unique ability to
“see” what’s inside the component.
It is much easier to fake the part’s exterior than its
interior.
FROM SCIENCE TO INSPECTION SOLUTIONS Dr. Bill Cardoso
www.creativeelectron.com
Even though they look identical in the outside, sometimes components are just empty in the inside. These images are 3D renderings of the internal structures of 2 components in the same lot.
1� EMPTY PACKAGE
Good Component Counterfeited Component
FROM SCIENCE TO INSPECTION SOLUTIONS Dr. Bill Cardoso
www.creativeelectron.com
It is crit ical to inspect 100% of the parts – so you don’t get fooled by criminals who mix bad parts with the good ones. Can you tel l which one doesn’t belong?
2� LOT ANOMALIES
FROM SCIENCE TO INSPECTION SOLUTIONS Dr. Bill Cardoso
www.creativeelectron.com
Finding a counterfeit component becomes easy if you have a known good sample to use as a reference part. Check how different these two parts – found in the same lot – look from each other.
3� DIFFERENT FROM KNOWN "GOOD SAMPLE
Good Component Counterfeited Component
When comparing components, make sure the fol lowing is identical between the parts: § Lot code § Date code § Part number § Place of manufacturing § External markings § Construction
100% visual inspection is highly recommended
FROM SCIENCE TO INSPECTION SOLUTIONS Dr. Bill Cardoso
www.creativeelectron.com
The layout of the lead frame and the wire bond diagram tel l a lot about the component. On the left, you can tel l where VDD, GND, and no connect (NC) are located. Check how they differ when overlaid with the part’s real pinout (on the right).
4� PINOUT MISMATCH
Pin location analysis Overlay of real pinout with analysis to show discrepancies
FROM SCIENCE TO INSPECTION SOLUTIONS Dr. Bill Cardoso
www.creativeelectron.com
I f the x-ray image of a component does not show the presence of wire bonds, further analysis is needed. Either it is a counterfeited part with no wire bonds, or it is a component with aluminum wire bonds. Aluminum is a l ight material that does not show in x-ray images.
5� MISSING WIRE BONDS
FROM SCIENCE TO INSPECTION SOLUTIONS Dr. Bill Cardoso
www.creativeelectron.com
A complete inspection of the part is needed to validate its mechanical integrity. In this example we can see the wire bond ball (r ight) and the loop (left) laying around the package. Although this information is insufficient to assess it is a counterfeit, it should raise many red flags.
6� INTERNAL DEFECTS
FROM SCIENCE TO INSPECTION SOLUTIONS Dr. Bill Cardoso
www.creativeelectron.com
The rotation and ti lt of the sample can reveal defects imperceptible otherwise. The defects on these balls are very difficult to observe from a straight x-ray picture.
7� EXTERNAL DEFECTS
Image of BGA part inside sealed tray
FROM SCIENCE TO INSPECTION SOLUTIONS Dr. Bill Cardoso
www.creativeelectron.com
Counterfeiters l ike to pul l components out of old boards to resel l them as new.
However, when they pul l BGAs, counterfeiters need to have the parts re-bal led.
In that process voids inside the bal ls are created. So excessive voiding may indicated a counterfeited component.
8� EXCESSIVE BGA VOIDS
BGA Inspector identified excessive voiding in this part
FROM SCIENCE TO INSPECTION SOLUTIONS Dr. Bill Cardoso
www.creativeelectron.com
Components inside trays, tubes, and tape have to be perfect. Suspect components with bent pins – that usually means they have been handled outside the original package.
9� BENT PINS
FROM SCIENCE TO INSPECTION SOLUTIONS Dr. Bill Cardoso
www.creativeelectron.com
Electronic component manufacturers heavily invest the consistency of the products they ship. If you find a few of the components in a lot with anomalous die attach voiding, l ike the one in this example, suspect the overall quality of the part and the lot. It may have been stored in inappropriate thermal conditions. In other words – it was l ikely stored in very hot and/or humid environments.
10� EXCESS DIE ATTACH VOIDING
FROM SCIENCE TO INSPECTION SOLUTIONS Dr. Bill Cardoso
www.creativeelectron.com
CREATIVE ELECTRON’S DNA
We are passionate about using our scientific expertise the solve the most difficult problems in quality inspection. Started as a defense contractor “think tank” – ideas quickly became award winning products:
Reel-to-Reel automated system for counterfeit detection Fully automated sample platform for board/panel inspection BGA Inspector with embedded 3D rendering Remotely controlled x-ray system