Component Obsolescence
Imagine, your product has been in manufacture for a while. All the difficulty of compliance is behind you everything is ticking along sweetly, and you’ve got regular, ongoing sales. Then there is a bump in the road. One component becomes, end of life, or worse, there is no stock. What do you do?
In modern products, we often rely on single source components because there is no alternative; and matter how robust the supply chain is, the dreaded email notification will come. It’s difficult to plan for such an event. There may be thousands of components in your product and when one part becomes unavailable it may not no longer be possible to manufacture your product.
Over the years, there are a few things I have learned that could be useful.
Some companies, Microchip are a great example, nearly always have a replacement part when a line is discontinued. It may not be pin for pin compatible but with a small PCB update, it’s often possible to find a work around.
If a part is temporarily in short supply, it may be possible to design and manufacture an adapter PCB that fits in place of the original part and offers space for the replacement to be fitted. Perhaps 2 or 3 parts are needed in place of the 1 original, which can be a good solution in this case.
What happens with compliance if a part needs to be swapped?
This largely depends on where the product is being sold and where the replaced component is in the system. If the component is safety critical, it would be wise to consider the specification of the replacement. If the part performs high speed switching (faster than, say 2MHz) then considering the EMC implications will be important. For products only sold in the EU and UK, it may be possible to carry out a change note in your technical file. For products with CB certification and approved by an in-country compliance authority, such as an NRTL, the process may be more difficult.
So, where does Cubik EPS fit in?
Cubik EPS has been through this process many times, with many products, and it is surprisingly common. You are not alone! We can help with sourcing alternative suppliers and have the design skills to develop adapter boards and, if necessary, carry out a redesign of your PCB.
In addition, our knowledge of compliance and in-house pre-compliance test capability means that we can support you through these challenges, making the process a little less difficult to navigate.
Obsolescence take-away
When faced with the possibility of obsolescence, ask yourself these questions:
- Is this a short term or long term issue? The route forward will be different in each case.
- If the part is on last time buy, how much time can you build in until the stocks are likely to be exhausted?
- Have you checked Octopart for world supply?
Contact Paul for a free 30-minute consultancy