People, Expertise, and Testing: Delivering Quality – Behind the Scenes

From our 4Cs framework to our functional and anticounterfeit testing capabilities, we take a look at Smith’s foundations of excellence in this retrospective of our Delivering Quality series.

Last year, Smith presented our Delivering Quality – Behind the Scenes video series, in which we offered an inside look at the steps our quality control and inspection teams take to make sure every component we ship is examined, tested, and vetted so our customers receive only the best from Smith.

No matter what disruptions are going on in the global electronics supply chain or what components our customers are looking for, Smith delivers quality they can trust.

Our Delivering Quality series explains how.

Smith’s 4Cs of Quality

Smith’s quality program is built on four pillars that shape and guide our standards and efforts: the 4Cs of Quality. Each pillar of the 4Cs – Comprehensive, Consistent, Continuous, and Certified – helps safeguard against key concerns in the global electronic-component supply chain and supports Smith in our aim to continually and reliably deliver top-quality products and services.

Functionality Testing

Smith offers a full range of in-house functionality testing across commodity and product types to ensure that the components you receive are ready to put into production immediately. From CPUs to HDDs and SSDs, our technicians run components through rigorous inspection steps specific to their unique construction and performance to confirm that we are delivering only top-quality, fully functional product.

• Memory Functionality Testing

We test memory functionality within manufacturers’ specifications for memory modules. We can also perform server-level, pattern, and burn-in tests.

• LCD Functionality Testing

Smith can support all panel sizes and manufacturers with custom programmable drive and pattern capabilities. We perform diagnostic testing of LCDs using standalone benchtop test units.

• CPU Functionality Testing

Smith can test utilities direct from the manufacturer, and we have mirrored CPU testing capabilities worldwide. Packaging, functionality tests, and remark tests are all available.

• HDD and SSD Functionality Testing

Smith can perform complete diagnostic testing, including custom HDD and SSD test mockups configured to our customers’ specifications. We also offer data wiping and drive shredding services.

• Flash Memory Functionality Testing

We test flash media, such as SD, CompactFlash, CFast, and USB flash drives, to measure capacity and read and write speeds.

Quality Expertise

Smith’s commitment to quality shows in every aspect of our business and is supported by our extensive quality expertise. From our conscientious supplier qualification practices and extensive ongoing training and development of our people to our state-of-the-art equipment and certifications, we have a continual dedication to the most rigorous quality standards and strategies – and the experience to match.

Authenticity Testing

In times of shortage and supply chain disruption, confirming component authenticity is especially crucial, but ensuring that parts are genuine is a vital part of Smith’s quality process every single day, on every order. Since 2010, we have offered a wide, dedicated array of anticounterfeit testing services at our headquarters in Houston, and we swiftly expanded these laboratory capabilities to our hubs in Hong Kong and Amsterdam. Most recently, we opened a fourth global operations hub in Singapore, allowing us to offer mirrored capabilities across all four hubs to support anticounterfeit testing worldwide.

• XRF Authenticity Testing

Smith’s XRF machine measures coating systems to determine coating thickness and composition and analyzes material content for small structures and small components.

• Decapsulation Authenticity Testing

Decapsulation is used to verify die size and manufacturers’ logos, inspect the architecture of the die, and confirm part numbers.

• Temperature Coefficient Authenticity Testing

This test option puts devices, boards, and modules through low/high temperature testing – including thermal shock – to confirm their adherence to known component standards. 

• X-Ray Authenticity Testing

X-ray images are compared against OEM parts and are also used to verify that no voids have formed and to confirm leads and bond wires.

• Digital Microscopy Authenticity Testing

Smith’s stereo and high-powered microscopes can magnify up to 500x to detect blacktopping, sanding, oxidation, and retinning.

Delivering Products and Services You Can Trust

No matter what dynamics the global electronic-component supply chain is experiencing – challenges, disruptions, shortages, lulls, or any other conditions – it remains a constant that quality is of top importance. From our 4Cs of quality and our worldwide team’s expertise to the vast, globally mirrored capabilities of our functional and authenticity test labs, we have the resources and take the necessary steps to ensure that we continually deliver the product you need with unwavering quality you can rely on.

Keep an eye out here on our blog and our LinkedIn page for more industry news, analysis, and insights – and explore our Service Solutions series to learn more about how Smith supports our customers beyond sourcing.

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