Recently, FLYKING TECHNOLOGY, a global one-stop elektronische Bauelemente service provider, announced that it has been awarded the official AS6081 Zertifizierung by NQA. This Zertifizierung represents its adherence to industry-leading standards in elektronisches Bauelement Lieferkettenmanagement. It also signifies that the company not only effectively reduces the risk of counterfeit or fraudulent parts but also demonstrates its strong commitment to the quality and Zuverlässigkeit of its products.

Alan Han, COO of FLYKING TECHNOLOGY, was recently interviewed by ESM China, where he discussed topics such as "What is the AS6081 standard?", "How to apply for the AS6081 Zertifizierung?", and "What are the benefits of AS6081 Zertifizierung?" as well as the advantages of obtaining this Zertifizierung.

• Supply Chain Security Requirements from the U.S. Department of Defense

Developed by SAE International, AS6081 is a standard for electronics Distributeurs that provides a set of high-level guidelines to help Distributeurs establish effective processes and controls, preventing counterfeit electronic parts from entering the Lieferkette.

The origins of the AS6081 standard are tied to the growing number of counterfeit elektronische Bauelemente in the Lieferkette over the past decade. In 2009, NASA was criticized for counterfeit Bauelemente found in satellites and spacecraft. In 2011, a report showed that more than half of U.S. elektronisches Bauelement Distributeurs had encountered counterfeit products. Additionally, in 2012, an investigation by the Senate Armed Services Committee found that over one million counterfeit Bauelemente were present in the U.S. Pentagon's Lieferkette, resulting in losses exceeding $250 billion annually.

In response to these issues, SAE published the AS6081-2012 standard in 2012, which was based on the requirements and experiences of the U.S. Department of Defense. The standard combines international standards and best practices to provide clear guidance on elektronisches Bauelement Lieferkettenmanagement. By August 2023, the AS6081-2012 standard was updated to version AS6081A-2023, an update that involved significant adjustments, creating a more comprehensive and specific standard.

Specifically, the SAE AS6081A-2023 standard establishes requirements and practices that Distributeurs and purchasers should follow when purchasing electrical and elektronische Bauelemente on the open market. This reduces the risk of inadvertently purchasing, receiving, and selling counterfeit or refurbished Bauelemente. These requirements and practices help businesses and Lieferkette managers identify and guard against counterfeit or imitation parts, ensuring that the products purchased are genuine and meet quality standards. The AS6081A-2023 standard includes requirements related to supplier management, Beschaffung, inspection, and testing/assessment designed for this purpose.

• Defining Counterfeit Parts

Counterfeit parts have been mentioned multiple times, but what exactly constitutes a “counterfeit” part? According to AS6081A-2023, a suspected counterfeit EEE (electronic, electromechanical, electrical equipment, or Bauelemente) part is a component for which there is objective and credible evidence that it may be counterfeit. A counterfeit material or EEE part is an unauthorized reproduction, imitation, substitute, or modified material (i.e., military material and equipment) or EEE part that is incorrectly represented as a specific, authentic product from an authorized manufacturer. This misrepresentation may be intentional or unintentional.

In summary, AS6081 covers an exhaustive and rigorous set of standards related to the Beschaffung of EEE parts, external supplier management, inspection, testing and evaluation, reporting, and material control. As a result, AS6081 is an industry standard for Lieferkettenmanagement, meaning that zertifiziert Distributeurs possess superior Lieferkette risk management capabilities and can offer their customers higher quality and more reliable products.

• The Strict AS6081 Certification Process

Alan Han shared with ESM China that it took the company one year to successfully complete the AS6081 Zertifizierung process. FLYKING TECHNOLOGY began working with the NQA Zertifizierung agency six months prior and achieved the AS6081 Zertifizierung for the first time in early October this year.

NQA (National Quality Assurance Company Limited) is a third-party Zertifizierung body recognized by ANAB (American National Accreditation Board). The agency can issue ANAB-accredited management system Zertifizierung certificates. These certificates cover a variety of management system Zertifizierungs, including ISO 9001 (quality management system), ISO 14001 (environmental management system), and OHSAS18001 (occupational health and safety management system), as well as AS6081 Zertifizierung.

Alan explained that companies applying for AS6081 Zertifizierung need to follow a series of steps and preparations:

1. Understanding the AS6081Standard:Companies must understand the requirements of the AS6081 standard andtrain staff in Beschaffungsprozesses, supplier assessment, riskmanagement, and Qualitätskontrolle to ensure that they grasp the importanceand specific terms of the Zertifizierung.
2. Risk Assessment Team andInternal Inspectors: Companies need to establish specialized teams responsible for preparingand implementing the work, conducting risk assessments of the supplychain, and developing control measures. They should also update relevantpolicies and procedures according to AS6081 standards and assess andmanage existing Lieferanten.
3. Internal Audits: Companies must conductinternal Audits to ensure process Compliance and establish sound recordand document management systems.
4. Pre-Audit and Formal Audit: During the pre-Audit andformal Audit preparation, companies should communicate with theZertifizierung body and make necessary improvements based on the pre-Auditresults. Only after passing the formal Audit will the company obtainAS6081 Zertifizierung. However, companies must continue to review andimprove processes to maintain Zertifizierung status and respond to marketchanges.

The entire process of preparing for Zertifizierung can take months or even years. The key is to continually optimize processes and controls and maintain good cooperation with the Zertifizierung body. After the initial Zertifizierung, the frequency of subsequent Audits depends on the Zertifizierung body's requirements and the company's specific circumstances.

• Ongoing Audits and Compliance

AS6081 Zertifizierung requires companies to conduct regular internal Audits and undergo periodic external Audits conducted by third-party Zertifizierung bodies. Typically, the Zertifizierung body will conduct the first surveillance Audit within one to one-and-a-half years after the initial Zertifizierung, followed by annual Audits.

If there are high risks in Lieferkettenmanagement or significant issues identified in previous Audits, more frequent Audits may be required. Companies must comply with the Audit cycles set by the Zertifizierung body and ensure that standard requirements are met during each Audit. Additionally, timely corrective and preventive actions must be taken for any identified problems

• Flyking Technology's Qualitätsprüfung Laboratory

Transistor static parameter tester

“The most important feature of AS6081 Zertifizierung is its comprehensive and systematic nature. It is a process-based Zertifizierung for Distributeurs, ensuring they have the proper systems in place to prevent the circulation of counterfeit and substandard elektronische Bauelemente,” Alan Han emphasized. He added that this Zertifizierung focuses on management and process control, including establishing and maintaining a management system to prevent counterfeiting, evaluating and selecting Lieferanten, conducting risk assessments, performing incoming inspections, conducting regular supplier Audits, maintaining record controls, handling nonconforming products, and employee training.

For independent Distributeurs zertifiziert under AS6081, the Prüfprozess is crucial. When a shipment of materials arrives, the first step is a receiving inspection to confirm that the goods are consistent with the purchase order and that the packaging is intact. Next, a detailed visual inspection is performed to check for abnormalities in appearance, markings, size, and damages. Simultaneously, record verification ensures that the component information matches the accompanying documentation. Authenticity verification may involve advanced techniques, such as X-ray and microscopic inspections.

Once the incoming material has passed the initial inspections, it moves into the functional testing phase. If non-conforming products are identified during the inspection, they are immediately isolated and addressed. The entire Prüfprozess and its results are meticulously recorded for future Audits and Rückverfolgbarkeit. These tests require specialized equipment, and Flyking’s quality testing laboratory has the capability to comprehensively test incoming materials to ensure that the elektronische Bauelemente meet the required standards.

Dekapselung verification process.

The testing lab is equipped with a variety of precision testing equipment for the comprehensive evaluation of elektronische Bauelemente. The equipment list includes, but is not limited to: X-ray machines, decapsulation machines, acoustic microscopes, digital microscopes, signal generators, oscilloscopes, digital bridges, semiconductor parameter analyzers, XRF analyzers, high-temperature heat solvent chambers, and wetting-balance tester. These equipments are used in a wide range of applications, capable of inspecting Bauelemente for remarking, surface permanency, key performance parameters, internal structure, wafer topography and marking, PIN solderability, and environmental Compliance.

Demonstration by engineers from the quality testing lab of Flyking

According to the interview, the lab's testing team consists of personnel with professional knowledge and zertifiziert experience, dedicated to ensuring the accuracy and fairness of testing results. Flyking’s Qualitätskontrolle process is carried out in strict accordance with industry standards and norms, with all goods meticulously inspected regardless of their source, date code, or packaging condition. The Qualitätskontrolle process spans all stages of the product lifecycle, including pre-sales supplier evaluation and after-sales third-party laboratory verification, ensuring the stability and Zuverlässigkeit of Produktqualität.

• Summary

The AS6081 standard is aimed at Distributeurs, while a similar standard for companies that design and manufacture EEE products is the AS5553 series. In fact, AS6081 can be considered a supplement to AS5553. The former helps Distributeurs establish effective processes and controls to prevent counterfeit electronic parts from entering the Lieferkette, while the latter provides guidelines to prevent counterfeit Bauelemente from being incorporated into companies that design and manufacture EEE products.

Manufacturers that follow the AS5553 standard can be confident that they are Beschaffung EEE parts from Distributeurs zertifiziert under AS6081. At these levels, AS6081 Zertifizierung highlights Flyking's professional competence and market advantages. It not only demonstrates the company's rigorous approach to Lieferkettenmanagement but also establishes a trustworthy brand image within the industry.

For Flyking, AS6081 Zertifizierung is not just an achievement, but also a responsibility and commitment.