Quality · 5 min read · Updated March 2026
How We Keep Counterfeit Components Out of Your Build
Counterfeit and substandard industrial parts are a real supply-chain risk, especially for popular discontinued PLCs and HMIs. The layered controls — source, inspection, documentation — that protect you, and what to ask any supplier.
Counterfeit electronic and industrial components cost manufacturers in failures, downtime and warranty disputes — and in Vietnam the problem concentrates on exactly the parts plants most need: popular PLCs, HMIs, memory cards and contactors, especially discontinued ones. Prevention is a process, not a promise. This is ours.
Source control comes first
Most of the protection happens before any inspection: we buy products in current production from the manufacturer or its authorized distributors. A genuine part from an authorized channel does not need forensic inspection — it needs correct documentation.
For discontinued or allocated parts that must come from elsewhere, the source is qualified before purchase: company identity, trading history, references, provenance documentation and return terms. We tell you on the quotation when a part comes from such a source, and we price it as what it is.
Incoming inspection
Every delivery is checked against the purchase order; items from non-authorized sources receive a layered inspection aligned with the intent of SAE AS6081:
- Packaging and labels — manufacturer packaging standard, label print quality, holograms and security features where the manufacturer uses them.
- Markings and serial numbers — consistency between label, housing and firmware; serial numbers recorded against your order.
- Physical condition — signs of re-labelling, re-work, solder residue, mismatched screws or housings on supposedly new units.
- Function test — power-on, firmware version read-out, I/O and communication check where practical; for a CPU such as the S7-300 315-2 PN/DP, a test program is loaded and run.
- Manufacturer verification where a service exists — Siemens and Rockwell both provide product-verification tools.
Documentation and traceability
Each shipment carries the commercial invoice and packing list referencing your purchase order; a Certificate of Conformance, country-of-origin statement and manufacturer declaration of conformity are provided on request. Serial numbers stay linked to your order so provenance can be demonstrated during an audit or a warranty claim years later. See quality and documentation.
What to ask any supplier
- Where exactly does this part come from — manufacturer, authorized distributor, or another source?
- Will you state the source on the quotation and the CoC?
- Do you record serial numbers against my order?
- What inspection is performed, and can I see the report?
- What is the warranty, and who honours it?
A supplier who answers these clearly is a supplier you can keep. The result of the process is simple: you receive exactly what you ordered, with the paperwork to prove it.
Need engineering help with this?
Our engineers apply this to real projects every week — selection, specification, commissioning. Send your question or a part number.
Quick answers
Which products are most often counterfeited?
Popular, high-value, easily re-labelled items: Siemens S7-300/S7-1200 CPUs and memory cards, Siemens and Mitsubishi HMIs, Allen-Bradley modules, Schneider contactors and breakers, and branded sensors. Discontinued parts with high demand are the highest risk.
How can I check a part myself?
Compare packaging and labels with a known-genuine unit, verify the serial number with the manufacturer where a service exists (Siemens Industry Online Support, Rockwell product verification), check firmware version and date codes for consistency, and be suspicious of prices far below the market.