When electronic components are hard to find, desperation can set in. Add in the ongoing global semiconductor chip shortage. Plus, the longer lead times. What you’ve got here is a potential recipe for disaster.
As the semiconductor shortage rages on – suppliers, manufacturers, and businesses are finding alternative ways of stocking up on chips. With the pressure to produce and keep business flowing, it’s no surprise that some are utilizing any means to find a part, even buying from non-approved and/or unreliable sources. But this tactic is a dangerous risk – leaving businesses vulnerable to unknowingly purchasing a suspect counterfeit or counterfeit part or component.
To mitigate this risk, it’s critical for businesses to look for a distributor with a vigorous quality management system (QMS) program in place to ensure you receive and purchase authentic electronic components. Enter Area51 Electronics.
Quality Has Landed
At Area51 Electronics, one of our taglines is “Quality has landed.” What do we mean by that? As a global distributor of electronic, electrical, and electromechanical (EEE) components, hardware, and assemblies – we care about every component we distribute. We ensure superior products through our people, QMS, counterfeit mitigation program, and technology.
What is the Area51 Electronics QMS Program?
Our QMS is a formal system of processes and supporting documentation (including records) that defines policies, objectives, purposes, and responsibilities, explains routine practices, and provides objective evidence as to how our organization goes about meeting the requirements of our customers.
This is while working within the defined parameters of the standards to which we have chosen to have our work governed by, and achieved certification – demonstrating to all interested parties that we are a trusted and reliable distributor in the EEE component industry.
Our QMS program is designed to:
A Higher Level of Confidence: QMS Certifications
A solid distributor that adheres to the highest standards of quality and counterfeit mitigation will have the right certifications to show for it, including AS9100. Area51 Electronics QMS is certified as an AS9100 organization, among many other notable certifications.
AS9100 includes the ISO 9001:2015 quality management system requirements and specifies additional aviation, space, and defense industry requirements, definitions, and notes for organizations that design, develop, or provide aviation, space, and defense products and services. The ISO 9001:2015 certification ensures that a company consistently meets customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements to meet customer expectations and improve satisfaction.
These measurable quality control standards make meeting and exceeding customer expectations possible. Another QMS certification to take note of is AS9120B, which also includes the ISO 9001:2015. Area51 Electronics is AS9120B certified, which notes that companies who achieve this quality standard can effectively procure parts, materials and assemblies to customers in the aviation, space, and defense industries.
Other notable certifications that Area51 Electronics has under its belt include ANSI/ESD S20.20-2014 and FAA AC 00-56B. ANSI/ESD S20.20-2014 covers the requirements necessary to design, establish, implement and maintain an Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Control Program to protect electrical or electronic parts assemblies and equipment susceptible to damage by electrostatic discharge.
FAA AC 00-56B is an accreditation that assures that the parts a customer receives are of the quality stated, the appropriate documentation is on file at the distributor’s place of business, and that it’s able to maintain the quality system.
The Importance of AS6081
Area51 Electronics is also proud to be SAE AS6081 certified. SAE AS6081 provides requirements, practices, methods, and guidance to mitigate the risk of purchasing and supplying suspect counterfeit and counterfeit parts.
It’s known by its full name: the SAE AS6081 Counterfeit Electronic Parts: Avoidance, Detection, Mitigation and Disposition for Distributors. The AS6081 is the most important and highest standard used by independent distributors to manage suspect counterfeit and counterfeit components.
AS6081 includes requirements for:
With its AS6081 certification, Area51 Electronics offers the support you need – everything necessary to maintain policies and procedures to avoid, detect, mitigate, and dispose of counterfeit electronic parts. One thing to note, Area51 Electronics will perform the requirements of AS6081 for its customers, if it’s invoked in the contractual language.
In a nutshell, having all of these certifications gives you the assurance that Area51 Electronics can deliver authentic electronic products that consistently meet vigorous requirements and standards – including customer expectations and improved satisfaction.
