ERAI Announces ERAI Executive Conference -- Counterfeit Electronic Parts: Avoidance, Detection, Mitigation, and Disposition

NAPLES, Fla., March 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ERAI, Inc. has announced that the ERAI Executive Conference 2011 will be held in Las Vegas at the Palazzo Resort & Casino on April 28 and 29, 2011.

ERAI, Inc. will gather professionals from all sectors of the electronics supply chain including distribution, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM), Contract Manufacturers (CM), government agencies, testing/inspection facilities and non-profit associations servicing the industry to address many of the issues that are plaguing the market. This two-day conference will focus exclusively on performance requirements, counterfeit avoidance and identification and risk mitigation techniques.

In response to a significant and increasing volume of counterfeit electronic parts entering the supply chain, SAE International is releasing a family of standards (AS5553, AS6081 and AS6171) that will provide uniform requirements, practices and methods to mitigate the risks of purchasing and supplying counterfeit electronic parts. This family of standards works cohesively to encompass the entire supply chain. AS5553 is intended for use in aviation, space, defense and other high performance/reliability electronic equipment applications and has been adopted by the DOD and is being flowed down to the OEM and CM communities. AS6081 shares the same intention but is applicable exclusively to Franchise and Independent suppliers, while AS6171 will serve as the supply chain industry's first standard written specifically for the benefit of the testing/inspection community. Precedents are being set that will influence all facets of the supply chain, in both the commercial and government sectors.

In addition to the standards overview and realization, the ERAI Executive Conference topics will address hedging liability/risk in the supply chain, on-site supplier assessments, current counterfeiting techniques and identification methodologies, contract language required to confiscate, quarantine and subsequently destroy counterfeit parts, government agency efforts to fight IP theft and the latest solutions to efficiently gather critical market intelligence.

Scheduled speakers include:  Phil Zulueta from Jet Propulsion Laboratory and G-19 Chairman; Debra Eggeman from IDEA; Sultan Ali Lilani from Hi-Reliability Microelectronics; Kevin Beard from NQA; Fred Schipp from Missile Defense Agency; Keith Gregory from Greenberg & Bass; Richard Halverson from the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center; Paul Elefonte from Crestwood Technology Group; Robb Hammond from American Electronic Resource; Mark Snider from ERAI and Rory King from IHS.

For more information, please visit http://www.erai.com/ERAI_EXECUTIVE_CONFERENCE_VEGAS_2011_public.aspx.

Members of the media can register for the event by contacting Kristal Snider at [email protected].

About ERAI, Inc.

ERAI, Inc. (www.erai.com) is a privately held global information services organization that monitors, investigates and reports issues that are affecting the global supply chain of electronics. Since 1995, ERAI has been the industry's primary reporting and investigation service, providing information and risk mitigation solutions to electronics professionals worldwide. ERAI is comprised of Original Component Manufacturers (OCMs), Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), Distributors (franchised and independent), Contract Manufacturers (CMs), government agencies and associations serving the industry. ERAI is the industry leader for in-depth information on counterfeit, substandard and high-risk parts. The ERAI High-Risk Parts Database gives members access to the industry's most comprehensive list of known problem parts. Access to this valuable information allows your company or organization the ability to better mitigate risks in your procurement process on both off the shelf and end of life or obsolete parts.

SOURCE ERAI, Inc.