Personality component
A personality component is a part of a Transformer's anatomy that governed their personality without which they would be a dumb almost zombie like mechanoid. They could be removed an criminal's structure and placed in a detention center where they resembled an Energon Cube.
Fiction
Generation 1 cartoon continuity
Within this continuity, new personality components can only be generated by Vector Sigma (except, of course, when they're not). Megatron journeyed to Cybertron to grant personality components to the Stunticons. Arriving too late to stop him, Optimus Prime had Vector Sigma imbue sentience within the Aerialbots, thus establishing a precedent that would not always be followed in the animated series.The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1
However in keeping with this trend Starscream lacked access to Vector Sigma in his attempt at forming his own army to overthrow Megatron. Therefore he traveled to Cybertron where he liberated the already-formed personality components of the Renegade Decepticons. Starscream's Brigade
After selling his fellow Combaticon parts, Swindle had a bomb placed in his head and ordered to reassemble his comrades by Megatron or be destroyed within 15 hours. Swindle managed to get all the Combaticon parts except Brawl's personality component. He didnt think it would matter and was disappointed to find that they could not merge into Bruticus... Megatron was not amused.... B.O.T
