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How To Avoid the Danger Caused by Counterfeit Semiconductor Chips

Posted on July 24, 2014 by Kent Smith

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A recent counterfeit semiconductor scare proves a distressing reminder that not only do counterfeit semiconductor chips exist, they can make it into the hands of people working on some of the most sophisticated projects out there. If fake and potentially dangerous semiconductor chips can come so close to being used by the U.S. Navy, they could be anywhere.

For those of us who understand how much goes into the process of developing semiconductor chips, the fact that counterfeit products could even exist is confounding. The prohibitive cost of FAB equipment and the complexity of the processes and technology required should be enough to keep con artists out of the game. Yet somehow someone's figured out a way to counterfeit the process in a ploy to make more money, which puts us all at risk.

Semiconductor chips are used in all kinds of technology that people depend on every day. From our automobile breaking systems to our healthcare products, the quality of semiconductor chips is often very literally a life or death concern. 

Knowing someone is out there trying to game the system when it comes to something so crucial to us all is incredibly frightening. The person responsible in the counterfeit scare described above faces only 46 months in prison, even though the process of creating and selling these chips must have been an extensive operation. What fabrication plant would have made them? How could he have gained the trust of a government defense contractor?

There are steps to counteract the fake chips, but when government contracts are regularly awarded to the lowest bidder, situations like this can occur. Obviously steps need to be taken to invite only original manufacturers to the bid process. When the stakes are this high, the extra cost is well worth it. 

This story isn't just a reminder that businesses and institutions should be more careful who they buy from, it also shows how important it is for semiconductor professionals to always stay up to date on what's going on in the industry. If there are high-level scams being perpetrated by those around us, we need to know what they are to avoid inadvertently becoming part of the problem.

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Kent Smith

Kent Smith is a Senior Business Development Manager at Talent 101. He is responsible for managing the semiconductor engineering solutions at Talent 101’s clients. His expertise includes recruiting and workforce solutions, and working with engineering groups at Talent 101’s clients to improve business performance.

kents@talent-101.com