Aug 27, 2010 
Although it is impossible to know for sure, industry experts estimate counterfeiting costs at $100 to $200 billion annually, or nearly 10 percent of all electronic equipment sold worldwide. Most industry experts claim that the problem is escalating and note that, although the federal government and several industry associations have taken measures to limit counterfeiting, it continues to plague the components industry.
Many counterfeit electronic components, also called substandard components, arrive without die, or with entirely different metals than the specified part. While external materials and appearance may pass visual inspection, the components may lack gold, bismuth, tantalum, or other expensive elements that counterfeiters leave out of devices to increase their profit. RoHS directives require screening and quantification of certain elements and compounds used in electronics components and parts.
This presentation will provide an overview of XRF technology as it is applied to correctly identify electronic components based on elemental characteristic base-line variation comparative analysis, the effectiveness and limitations of XRF methods as a screening tool, and the contributing factors in obtaining accurate measurements.
Jack Paster, Vice President of RMD Instruments, has 35 years experience in business, marketing, and manufacturing. He has a Bachelors degree in industrial engineering from Rutgers University and a Masters degree in engineering from Texas A&M. He is the former president of the National Lead Assessment and Abatement Council, recipient of the 1998 Lead Star Award for Contribution to Lead Hazard Control Industry, and the Solar Energy Industry Association's nominee for Deputy Assistant Secretary for Solar & Conservation.
Steve Glass is RoHS/WEEE Business Development Manager of RMD Instruments. Steve has been active in various SMTA chapters throughout the world. He has a business administration degree and has been associated in the electronics industry since 1984.
RMD has been a designer and manufacturer of XRF and other scientific technologies since 1974. In addition to the electronics industry, RMD produces instrumentation for the medical and applied sciences industries. For more information, contact: Steve Glass, Business Development Manager, RoHS.WEEE Division, RMD Instruments, Corp., 44 Hunt St., Watertown, MA.
