# Inside Component Testing: Fighting Fakes in the Electronics Industry

- Show: [OnTrack](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack)
- Published: 2025-10-07
- Length: 43m
- Episode: 314
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-10-07-inside-component-testing-fighting-fakes-in-the-electronics-industry
- Listen: https://podcast.altium.com/e/inside-component-testing-fighting-fakes-in-the-electronics-industry/

## Summary

Elijah Miller, VP of Operations at The Lab Worldwide (TLW), explains the sophisticated methods counterfeiters use to infiltrate the electronics supply chain, including remarking, harvesting, and cloning. He details how even franchise distributors like Digi-Key and Mouser can inadvertently distribute fakes through RMA loops and discusses the critical role of third-party testing labs in authentication. Miller highlights advanced detection techniques such as C-SAM imaging and Raman spectroscopy to identify retopped Xilinx and Altera chips, noting that 3-7% of gray market components tested often prove to be counterfeit.

## Chapters

- [0:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-10-07-inside-component-testing-fighting-fakes-in-the-electronics-industry#t=45) Introduction and Elijah Miller's Background
- [3:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-10-07-inside-component-testing-fighting-fakes-in-the-electronics-industry#t=231) The Lab Worldwide's Role in Authentication
- [5:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-10-07-inside-component-testing-fighting-fakes-in-the-electronics-industry#t=341) Types of Counterfeits: Harvesting and Remarketing
- [15:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-10-07-inside-component-testing-fighting-fakes-in-the-electronics-industry#t=944) Manufacturer Fraud and Supply Chain Loopholes
- [22:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-10-07-inside-component-testing-fighting-fakes-in-the-electronics-industry#t=1374) Counterfeit Rates and Gray Market Risks
- [29:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-10-07-inside-component-testing-fighting-fakes-in-the-electronics-industry#t=1741) Handling Mishandled and Old Components
- [37:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-10-07-inside-component-testing-fighting-fakes-in-the-electronics-industry#t=2236) Advanced Detection: C-SAM and Raman Spectroscopy

## Topics

- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Quality & yield](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/quality-and-yield)
- [Test & measurement](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/test-and-measurement)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- The Lab Worldwide (company)
- Digi-Key (company)
- Mouser (company)
- Xilinx (chip)
- Altera (chip)
- C-SAM (tool)
- Raman spectroscopy (tool)
- AS6171 (other)
- AS6081 (other)
- ISO 17025 (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [High-Tech Scam Artists: Counterfeit ICs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2022-01-21-high-tech-scam-artists-counterfeit-ics) (EE Times Current)
- [BONUS - Cybord CTO & Founder Eyal Weiss talks traceability and AI at APEX 2023 - EMSNOW & SCOOP On Location](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2023-02-08-bonus-cybord-cto-founder-eyal-weiss-talks-traceability-and-ai-at-apex-2023-emsno) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [That SCOOPshow - Season 6, Productronica 2021 - Zeev Efrat, CEO of Cybord.ai](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2021-11-03-that-scoopshow-season-6-productronica-2021-zeev-efrat-ceo-of-cybord-ai) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [The Rodeo Drive of Electronics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-11-22-the-rodeo-drive-of-electronics) (The Amp Hour)
- [Ep050: Counterfeit Chips, Servo Kalimba, Resistor Colors, Pi Emulation, and SED Maze Solver](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-01-17-ep050-counterfeit-chips-servo-kalimba-resistor-colors-pi-emulation-and-sed-maze) (Hackaday Podcast)

## Citing this page

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