Special Focus Solving
obsolescence issues O
Graham Hutchins, marketing manager, Simms, talks about some of the obsolescence issues facing the electronics market and what you can do to help solve them
bsolescence Management has long been recognised in traditional long- term support sectors such as defence, oil and gas, railways and the nuclear industry. However, it is becoming increasingly more important in new markets such as connected and autonomous cars and industrial automation via the IoT.
It will be challenging for these industries to make the cultural shift from proposing and supporting planned obsolescence to a more integrated and public manufacturing and support environment, where business partners and consumers will be expecting excellent delivery performance, durability and availability as a service. Automated cars are a good example of this. In all of these “new areas” shareholders will seek evidence of good ethical behaviour in delivering the products and services. The engineering resources required to undertake this transition may be in short supply, with premiums to entice resource away from prestige corporate companies considerable.
For companies that do not have the luxury of an obsolescence professional the responsibility often lies with the project manager, engineering or procurement teams. As technology evolves, so obsolescence issues will increase. Overcoming these can be a headache, especially with multiple systems in different states of repair and age. Some specialist technology sectors are more advanced than others. Let us take memory and storage as an example. Industrial grade manufacturers normally issue End of Life (EOL) notifications via their distribution channels three to six months (and in some cases six to 12 months) in advance. By working closely with a specialist memory and storage partner when the EOL is issued, people have a window in which to find a suitable replacement, taking into account the testing and certification that may be required. This window can be the difference between ‘normal service’ and a system nightmare. Anything that uses artificial intelligence (AI) will be using
memory and or storage of some description, so the impact of obsolescence can be significant.
The key to ensuring long term availability of memory and storage is to forecast as much as possible! Industrial grade product is bespoke, so naturally manufacturers appreciate seeing a roadmap or orders six months in advance to keep product lines running. In addition to this, industrial manufactures can control the Bill of Materials (BOM) and often lock down pricing for the duration of the project, which in some cases can span years. Partnering with the right specialist, in any field, is key to overcoming potential obsolescence issues and this needs to be driven by engineering teams in conjunction with procurement functions (as opposed to procurement alone). The International Institute of Obsolescence Management (IIOM) is a global forum of practitioners who can help companies develop strategies to mitigate obsolescence and connect them with specialist after market companies (after market companies provide small volume parts and custom solutions when volume manufacturing has ceased) and service providers. IIOM recognises that there is a shortage of specialist engineers in this field so IIOM are developing professional training for obsolescence practitioners. This work is being supported with dialogue with the Engineering Council and the IET (Institute of Engineering & Technology) which will encourage practitioners to carry on personal development to attain Incorporated Engineer (IEng) or Chartered Engineer (CEng) status. The first level of training, the IIOM certificate, has been developed as a training course and the first candidates have now been trained in the UK and Germany. Successful candidates can use the post nominal letters AIIOM after their job title. IIOM is currently collecting information
from interested parties about the next level in development, namely the Diploma in Obsolescence Management. This will be designed for obsolescence managers and directors.
Please follow the link below to express your interest and contribute to this important progression:
www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/W9VH5YM. The importance of what some consider ‘old school’ obsolescence skills in the technology sector has never changed and in many ways is now more important than
32 June 2018 Components in Electronics
ever. We all need to consider how we engage with, inform and educate those entering the industry from higher education, overseas or other sectors. Successful products and happy customers depend on it!
www.simms.co.uk www.cieonline.co.uk
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