The processes involved in the way the components are removed from their original and usually non functioning circuit boards is usually crude and even more damaging to the components, many already at the end of their useable life. The components are piled into like piles and go through a washing process and a sanding process to remove the original component markings. Having components piled together based on how they look has its own problems as components that are not the same end up together, different revisions, different uses and even not the same component all end up together to be sold as one type.
The components finally go through a marking process to mark them all the same. A lot of trouble is gone to producing perfect looking component reels that match the real manufacturer’s products; it’s also very common for the counterfeiter to purchase real components to put at various places on the reel to help fool any visual inspection.
In the past several months, there has been a lot of press coverage surrounding the use of counterfeit electronic Fill Rite Flow Meter . This was further highlighted by the discovery of millions of counterfeit components being found in US military products.
Counterfeit components are created by the following process; broad removal, sanding, blacktopping and remarking followed by a detailed clean up of solder and the package to make it look legitimate. These components pose a real threat to the industry as once in a system, are highly likely to fail when being used. This is the reason that the discovery of them in military products has hit the industry so hard. The US military are implementing very tough procedures to help illuminate these components and punish those distributing them.