Abstract: Counterfeit products and intellectual property piracy have been a reality probably since the beginning of commerce. Nearly all of the treatment of this problem to date has focused on the detection of counterfeits, which is necessary, but a purely defensive step. Without a network model of the supply chain, disruptions can be haphazard and not adequately targeted. Our team utilizes enterprise network modeling to facilitate the eventual disruption of the flow of counterfeit parts in critical systems. This project evaluates using agent-based supply chain modeling to model the flow of counterfeit parts in the supply chain and identifies pathways of disruption. In this model, business strategies of distributors on obsolete parts, the ability of laboratories to detect counterfeit parts, impacts of buyback, and return policies are being built into this model. The implications of enforcement (e.g., administrative, legal, or reputational) of anti-counterfeiting policies and the levels of penalties for supplying and accepting counterfeit parts are also modeled. Examples of tunings of such factors will be demonstrated.

Bio: Hirbod is currently a Mechanical Engineering graduate student at the University of Maryland, College Park, concentrating in design and system reliability. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Maryland in 2019. Hirbod’s research interest is in applying engineering concepts to solve problems associated with human societies, organizations, interactions, and behaviors. He is currently researching in the area of applicability of agent-based modeling to address the global counterfeit electronics problem. He has also previously worked on designing the architecture of novel mesh reflectors for space-based radar systems at L3Harris Technologies.