[DDF]

I purchased 10 OPA627APs from DIY kits. There are at least 3 different markings in the bunch. Some are marked "Taiwan" on the underside.

Does DIY Kits sell counterfeit OPA devices?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Duc]

OPA627 is a specific model by TI. Does the kit contain other similar OPA's from different manufacturers?

 

[tomb]

Abuses of the OPA627 are infamous. If it does not have the Burr-Brown trademark, it's fake. If it does, it may still be fake. I do not believe any have been made in Taiwan. That said, the chips I have - shipped directly from TI - are stamped "THAILAND" in the circle on the bottom of the chip.

 

[picklgreen]

My guess is you have not necessarily "fakes" but generics as they like to call them!

Could you post some pics of these chips? Honestly if they dont have the famous BB stamp on them, they arent true Burr Brown's!

 

[DDF]

Quote:

Originally Posted by picklgreen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Could you post some pics of these chips? Honestly if they dont have the famous BB stamp on them, they arent true Burr Brown's!

Here's a couple shots of the DIY Kits OPA627AP, at $6 a pop. A bit of a dog's breakfast.
http://www3.sympatico.ca/dalfarra/DIYKIT/

Looking at the topside markings at TI, these are feasibly real, but its so hard to tell.
http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folder...topsidemarking

 

[MisterX]

They look OK to me.

 

[threepointone]

so every pair of them just happened to have the same markings / serial numbers? weird coincidence. If you had the time, I'd try to find out if there's some way to electrically test them.

 

[amb]

Yeah, while the markings on the chip might be a clue, there is no way to be sure unless you could test and verify the performance against the datasheet. As you might imagine, this will be difficult to do because some of the specs in the datasheet are derived under unknown conditions and would be impossible to duplicate at home (even if you have the necessary equipment).

Buy your chips from a well known, reputable source so you don't have to worry about these things.

 

[MisterX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by threepointone /img/forum/go_quote.gif so every pair of them just happened to have the same markings / serial numbers? weird coincidence.

That is not a serial number, that is in fact a "lot trace code"
and it is not at all uncommon for components that have been purchased in bulk to have the same numbers on them.

 

[IEATTEFLON]

Why not just call Texas Instruments and ask? They are very helpful.

 

[DDF]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IEATTEFLON /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why not just call Texas Instruments and ask? They are very helpful.

Its a good idea but I suspected the'd be closed through the holidays.

I wrote Eddie and he said these parts are "used" and that his English is poor and he doesn't know what counterfeit means (it didn't seem like he was joking). So, they could be crap, but the "used" story isn't too implausible; they appear to be heavily handled.

 

[IEATTEFLON]

OPA627 were used in a lot of precision measuring devices so it could be possible that they were desoldered. Playing dumb on what 'counterfeit' means though.

 

[abcheng]

dang those things are old. By the way, the first 4 digits on the bottom are manufacturing date. The first 2 digits is the year, the 2nd 2 digits is the week of the year it was manufactured.

 

[DDF]

Quote:

Originally Posted by abcheng /img/forum/go_quote.gif dang those things are old. By the way, the first 4 digits on the bottom are manufacturing date. The first 2 digits is the year, the 2nd 2 digits is the week of the year it was manufactured.

Thanks, great info. It leads me to believe they're legit. Who'd make up a date code 13 years old?

At least they're burned in.