Smith, a global distributor of electronic components and semiconductors, has announced its accreditation to the AS6171 standard for inspection and authenticity testing at its distribution hubs globally.
The AS6171 standard outlines inspection requirements and test methods for detecting suspect and counterfeit electrical, electronic, and electromechanical (EEE) parts aimed at the aerospace and defence industry. The accreditation emphasies Smith’s commitment to quality and risk mitigation.
“High-risk applications like aerospace and defence require the highest levels of quality assurance to protect the integrity of their supply chains,” said Art Figueroa, Chief Operating Officer, Smith. “This accreditation confirms our ability to perform the critical testing needed to effectively avoid, detect, mitigate, and disposition inauthentic parts.”
Each of Smith’s in-house authenticity test labs based in Houston, Hong Kong, Amsterdam, and Singapore, are also certified to ISO/IEC 17025, a prerequisite of AS6171 accreditation. This international standard establishes requirements for quality, competence, and consistency in the application of test methods performed in the lab.
Smith is also globally certified to AS6081. The AS6081 standard establishes stringent requirements for procurement and risk mitigation for aerospace and defence distributors. The most recent revision of AS6081, Revision A, no longer specifies testing requirements and now defers to AS6171 to define its test methods based on a risk-assessment model.
“Smith carries some of the highest certifications and accreditations for counterfeit mitigation,” added Chris Dang, Vice President of Global Quality Control and QMS. “These standards position us as a trusted partner to our aerospace and defense customers and demonstrate our strict adherence to industry requirements.”
