Hey there! As a purchasing director facing that 6-month lead time crunch, I totally get the pressure to look at secondary markets for AB drives. Here's my strategy for navigating this tricky situation:

First, I'd start with supplier vetting - I only work with established secondary market distributors who have proven track records and can provide references from other industrial customers. I'd check if they're on Rockwell Automation's authorized distributor list or at least have some formal relationship with the manufacturer.

For verification, I'd insist on seeing original purchase documentation, serial numbers, and product labels. Rockwell Automation has specific anti-counterfeit labeling and security features on their genuine products that I'd check against their official documentation. I'd also verify firmware versions and software licenses, since counterfeit products often lack legitimate software rights.

Physical inspection is crucial - I'd look for quality of materials, proper labeling, and manufacturing consistency. Genuine AB drives have specific packaging, labeling, and build quality that counterfeiters often struggle to replicate perfectly.

I'd also consider testing a small batch first before making larger purchases, and maintain a 'trust but verify' approach with any secondary market supplier. The reality is that while the secondary market can help with lead time issues, the risks of counterfeit components causing production downtime or safety issues are just too high to take shortcuts.

Have you encountered specific challenges with particular AB drive models or suppliers in the secondary market?