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AEROSPACE
STANDARD
AS6171
REV. A
Issued 2016-10
Revised 2018-04
Superseding AS6171
Test Methods Standard; General Requirements, Suspect/Counterfeit, Electrical,
Electronic, and Electromechanical Parts
RATIONALE
This standard provides uniform general requirements, practices, and methods for testing Electrical, Electronic, and
Electromechanical (EEE) parts to mitigate the risks of receiving or using Suspect/Counterfeit (SC) EEE parts. It is intended
to be used in conjunction with individual AS6171 slash sheets that provide detailed requirements for testing as well as
methods for calculation of counterfeit defect and counterfeit type coverages by a sequence of tests.
This revision incorporates a limited number of changes intended to correct typographical errors in the original version, to
clarify certain terms used in AS6171, to clarify accreditation requirements, and to clarify the methods that may be used to
quantify counterfeit defect and counterfeit type coverages by a sequence of tests.
FOREWORD
To assure customer satisfaction, industry organizations must produce, and continually improve, safe, reliable products that
meet or exceed customer and regulatory authority requirements. The globalization of industry and the resulting diversity of
regional/national requirements and expectations has complicated this objective. End-product organizations face the
challenge of ensuring the quality and integration of products purchased from suppliers throughout the world and at all levels
within the supply chain. Suppliers and processors face the challenge of delivering products to multiple customers having
varying quality expectations and requirements.
This document standardizes requirements, practices, and methods for testing EEE parts and detecting Suspect/ Counterfeit
parts, to thereby ensure consistency across the supply-chain for test requirements.
SAE INTERNATIONAL AS6171A Page 2 of 101
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.
SCOPE .......................................................................................................................................................... 4
1.1 Purpose ......................................................................................................................................................... 4
1.2 Application ..................................................................................................................................................... 5
1.3 Product Classification .................................................................................................................................... 5
1.3.1 Programmable Devices ................................................................................................................................. 5
2.
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................................. 5
2.1 Applicable Documents .................................................................................................................................. 5
2.1.1 SAE Publications ........................................................................................................................................... 5
2.1.2 Related Publications ..................................................................................................................................... 6
2.2 Terms and Definitions ................................................................................................................................... 7
2.2.1 SUSPECT COUNTERFEIT PART ................................................................................................................ 7
2.2.2 FRAUDULENT PART ................................................................................................................................... 7
2.2.3 NONCONFORMING PART........................................................................................................................... 8
2.2.4 COUNTERFEIT PART .................................................................................................................................. 8
2.2.5 Related Terms and Definitions .................................................................................................................... 10
2.3 Acronyms .................................................................................................................................................... 22
3.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................... 27
3.1 Risk Assessment ......................................................................................................................................... 29
3.1.1 Risk Assessment Model .............................................................................................................................. 29
3.1.2 Model Design .............................................................................................................................................. 30
3.1.3 Risk Characterization Scoring Worksheet .................................................................................................. 34
3.2 Test Sequence Overview ............................................................................................................................ 36
3.3 Testing Requirements and Minimum Tier Level Testing ............................................................................ 36
3.4 Suspect/Counterfeit (SC) Part Detection Sequence ................................................................................... 36
3.5 Sampling Plan ............................................................................................................................................. 41
3.5.1 Standard Lot Sampling Plan ....................................................................................................................... 41
3.5.2 Small Lot Sampling Plan ............................................................................................................................. 42
3.6 Test Plan ..................................................................................................................................................... 44
3.7 Analysis and Interpretation of Test Results ................................................................................................ 44
3.7.1 Factors in Determination of Suspect/Counterfeit Parts ............................................................................... 45
3.8 Test Report ................................................................................................................................................. 46
3.9 Training, Qualification, and Certification ..................................................................................................... 47
3.9.1 Personnel Training, Qualification, and Certification .................................................................................... 47
3.9.2 Test Laboratory/Test Facility Resources .................................................................................................... 49
3.9.3 Test Laboratory Proficiency ........................................................................................................................ 49
3.9.4 Calibration ................................................................................................................................................... 50
3.9.5 Device Handling Requirements .................................................................................................................. 50
3.9.6 Personnel Safety ......................................................................................................................................... 52
3.10 Data and Report Retention Requirements .................................................................................................. 52
3.11 Certificate of Quality Conformance (CoQC) Requirements ........................................................................ 53
4.
SUSPECT/COUNTERFEIT PART DETECTION TEST METHODS........................................................... 53
4.1 Summary of Suspect/Counterfeit EEE Parts Detection Test Methods ....................................................... 54
4.1.1 External Visual Inspection (EVI), AS6171/2................................................................................................ 54
4.1.2 X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) Spectroscopy, AS6171/3 ................................................................................. 55
4.1.3 Delid/Decapsulation Physical Analysis (DDPA), AS6171/4 ........................................................................ 55
4.1.4 Radiological (X-ray) Inspection, AS6171/5 ................................................................................................. 55
4.1.5 Acoustic Microscopy, AS6171/6 ................................................................................................................. 55
4.1.6 Electrical, AS6171/7 .................................................................................................................................... 55
4.1.7 Raman Spectroscopy, AS6171/8 ................................................................................................................ 56
4.1.8 Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, AS6171/9 ...................................................................... 56
4.1.9 Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), AS6171/10 ......................................................................................... 56
4.1.10 Design Recovery, AS6171/11 ..................................................................................................................... 57
SAE INTERNATIONAL AS6171A Page 3 of 101
5. MATERIAL CONTROL ................................................................................................................................ 57
5.1 Control of Nonconforming Parts and Scrap ................................................................................................ 57
5.1.1 Control of Suspect or Confirmed Counterfeit Parts .................................................................................... 57
6.
NOTES ........................................................................................................................................................ 57
6.1 Revision Indicator ........................................................................................................................................ 57
APPENDIX A EEE PARTS AND DEVICES APPLICABILITY ........................................................................................... 58
APPENDIX B RECOMMENDED TEST LAB HANDLING SET-UP INFORMATION FOR WORK AREAS
UNDER CONDITIONS OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND HANDLING SENSITIVE
ESD DEVICES ............................................................................................................................................ 59
APPENDIX C RISK SCORING EXAMPLES ..................................................................................................................... 60
APPENDIX D ADDITIONAL TEST METHODS ................................................................................................................. 68
APPENDIX E TEST SEQUENCE RESULTS .................................................................................................................... 72
Table 1 Tier levels and risk scores........................................................................................................................... 30
Table 2 Product risk categories and values ............................................................................................................. 31
Table 3 Component risk categories and values ....................................................................................................... 32
Table 4 Supplier risk definition/score ....................................................................................................................... 33
Table 5 Risk characterization worksheet ................................................................................................................. 35
Table 6A Models of test sequences to achieve the overall defect coverage
threshold for the five risk tier levels - active parts, complex ...................................................................... 38
Table 6B Models of test sequences to achieve the overall defect coverage
threshold for the five risk tier levels - active parts, simple ......................................................................... 39
Table 7 Models of test sequences to achieve the overall defect coverage
threshold for the five risk tier levels - passive parts ................................................................................... 40
Table 8 Standard lot sampling plan ......................................................................................................................... 41
Table 9 Small lot sampling plan ............................................................................................................................... 42
Table 10 Detailed small lot sampling plan (see Notes) .............................................................................................. 43
Table 11 Test plan information ................................................................................................................................... 44
SAE INTERNATIONAL AS6171A Page 4 of 101
1. SCOPE
1.1 Purpose
This SAE Aerospace Standard (AS) standardizes inspection and test procedures, workmanship criteria, and minimum
training and certification requirements to detect Suspect/Counterfeit (SC) Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical
(EEE) parts. The requirements of this document apply once a decision is made to use parts with unknown chain of custody
that do not have pedigree back to the original component manufacturer or have been acquired from a broker or independent
distributor, or when there are other known risk elements that result in the User/Requester to have concerns about potential
SC EEE parts. The tests specified by this standard may also detect occurrences of malicious tampering, although the current
version of this standard is not designed specifically for this purpose.
This standard ensures consistency across the supply chain for test techniques and requirements based on assessed risk
associated with the application, component, supplier, and other relevant risk factors. The requirements of this document
supplement the requirements of a higher-level quality standard (e.g., AS9100, AS9003, AS9120, ISO 9001) and other quality
management system documents. They are not intended to stand alone, supersede, or cancel requirements found in other
quality management system documents, or requirements imposed by contracting authorities.
This standard should be implemented when other risk mitigation methods for avoiding the use of SC EEE parts (e.g.,
acquiring all parts from Authorized Sources, redesigning the system, having obsolete parts emulated, etc.) are either
unavailable or inadequate. This standard mitigates the technical risk of performing insufficient inspection and test to
determine suspect counterfeit EEE parts. This standard is not intended to be used to assess quality or reliability issues that
may arise because of component production issues or due to mishandling, improper storage, or other attributes specific to
quality or reliability.
The following terminology is used throughout this document and associated AS6171 Slash Sheets:
a. Shall = is mandatory;
b. Should = is recommended; and
c. Will = is planned (is considered to be part of a standard process).
This standard should be utilized when parts are not available from sources with known traceability to the Original Component
Manufacturer (OCM), Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for electromechanical parts, or authorized manufacturer.
The requirements of this document specify testing based on acceptable levels of risk for a program or customer, to identify
anomalies or performance issues that may indicate suspect counterfeit and counterfeit activity. No amount of testing can
confirm an item as authentic; this would require that there be a known, unbroken chain of custody to the OCM/OEM or
authorized manufacturer. Therefore, organizations should attempt to obtain parts from sources that have known traceability
to the OCM or authorized manufacturer to avoid receiving counterfeit parts. All intermediaries from the origin (i.e.,
OCM/OEM or authorized manufacturer) to the final destination should consist of Trusted Suppliers, and transportation
should be provided by logistics carriers that have documented processes and procedures to avoid tampering or substitution
during the journey to the parts’ final destination. A preference should be given to parts with known pedigree over parts with
unknown pedigree to avoid counterfeit parts. This standard does not apply to parts obtained directly from a Trustworthy
Authorized Supplier with traceability to the OCM/OEM or authorized manufacturer. This standard does not have specific
test methods to determine if an item is a Fraudulent Part beyond what is considered counterfeit. Test data on anomalies
can be gathered for potential legal determination of fraudulent intent or negligence. This document does not make a legal
determination of fraud, and appropriate legal counsel should be consulted for further action.
Unless otherwise specified in the SOW or PO by the User/Requester, the information in the Appendices is not considered
mandatory.
SAE INTERNATIONAL AS6171A Page 5 of 101
1.2 Application
This document is intended for use in aviation, space, defense, and other high performance/reliability electronic equipment
applications. Any other sector that is at risk for counterfeit EEE parts could adopt this standard to mitigate the concern.
This standard is recommended for use by all contracting organizations that procure EEE parts and devices, whether such
parts and devices are procured directly or integrated into procured electronic assemblies or equipment. The requirements
of this standard are generic and intended to be applied/flowed down to all organizations that procure EEE parts and devices.
1.3 Product Classification
This standard applies to the Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical (EEE) parts and devices that are outlined in the
Applicability Matrix in Appendix A, Table A1. The test methods to be used in evaluating the part types are based upon
inspection for material, construction, and function.
Although the AS6171 test methods are not specifically designed to evaluate all EEE parts, some of the evaluation
techniques may be employed to investigate the authenticity of certain EEE parts.
1.3.1 Programmable Devices
In the case of a programmed or programmable device containing non-volatile memory supplied to the Test Laboratory for
evaluation, the Test Laboratory shall determine if the device is programmed as directed by test requirements through a
statement of work. If known, the User/Requester should indicate to the Test Laboratory if the part is programmed. If there
is advanced knowledge that the part is programmed, the Cognizant Engineer should notify the Test Laboratory with
instruction on how to proceed. The programmed state of the device and the programmed device test method should be
supplied to the Test Laboratory in the Test Requirements as part of the statement of work. The Test Laboratory shall indicate
in the test report if they conducted a test for programmability or if the test laboratory has knowledge that the parts are
programmed (e.g., the User/Requester indicated the parts are programmed).
2. REFERENCES
2.1 Applicable Documents
The following publications form a part of this document to the extent specified herein. The latest issue of SAE publications
shall apply. The applicable issue of the other publications shall be the issue in effect on the date of the purchase order. In
the event of conflict between the text of this document and references cited herein, the text of this document takes
precedence, except that nothing in this document supersedes applicable laws and regulations unless a specific exemption
has been obtained in writing from empowered authorities.
2.1.1 SAE Publications
Available from SAE International, 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001, Tel: 877-606-7323 (inside USA
and Canada) or +1 724-776-4970 (outside USA), www.sae.org
.
AS6171 Slash Sheets. This standard is composed of a main document that is titled AS6171 Test Methods Standard;
General Requirements, Suspect/Counterfeit Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Parts, and supporting Slash
Sheets with test method requirements.
AS6171/1 Suspect/Counterfeit Test Evaluation Method
AS6171/2 Techniques for Suspect/Counterfeit EEE Parts Detection by External Visual Inspection, Remarking and
Resurfacing, And Surface Texture Analysis Test Methods
AS6171/3 Techniques for Suspect/Counterfeit EEE Parts Detection by X-ray Fluorescence Test Methods
AS6171/4 Techniques for Suspect/Counterfeit EEE Parts Detection by Delid/Decapsulation Physical Analysis Test
Methods