Michelle Ho-Yiu Lam Senior Engineer, Counterfeit Prevention Program Manager, IBM System

Bio: Michelle Lam is a senior engineer in IBM Supply Chain Engineering. She has multiple roles in the company and one of them is counterfeit prevention program manager. She oversees reported counterfeit incidences, manages counterfeit cases from open to close. She also leads Supply Chain organization initiatives in applying big data analytics, internet of things (loT) and blockchain to drive business transformation. She has deep knowledge in sensitive device electrostatic discharge (ESD) control in manufacturing. She has been an active member in the ESD association and a member of IEC TC101. She has 6 granted patents and over 10 paper published.

Abstract: Counterfeit parts can be difficult to prevent, are costly to the economy, can cause quality and security issues, and can even jeopardize lives. Early identification of counterfeit parts is key to reducing their impact. IBM is collaborating with one of our suppliers to build a Proof-of-Concept (PoC) for supply chain traceability using blockchain technology. The goal of this initiative is to provide proof-of-value of blockchain on counterfeit prevention using hard disc drive (HDD) and solid state drive (SSD) counterfeit risk as a use case. The initiative will seek to leverage industry standards like IPC - 1752 and IPC 1782 for the definition of the blockchain components, so it can be easily expanded to other electronics industry participants and leveraged for other aspects of part traceability. The presentation will demonstrate a proposal for leveraging blockchain, with the purpose of engaging others to discuss how the industry can partner to combat counterfeiting.