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Practical solutions to shorten lead times
As the electronic supply chain continues to experience considerable strain, GD Rectifiers explores the practical measures you can put in place to safeguard your projects and shorten your time-to-market
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he power electronic and semiconductor industry is experiencing high demand and lengthy lead times, particularly due to custom delays caused by a combination of Covid-19 and Brexit. Whilst buyers and procurement specialists often experience electronic components lead times being pushed out, an abundance of projects that had been put on hold because of Covid-19 are now gaining momentum which is causing an increasing demand for parts to be readily available.
It’s important during times of uncertainty that buyers and distributors work closely to nurture their relationship and ensure their supply chain remains unaffected.
Extend order cover
With long lead times likely to continue, it is crucial that buyers extend their order cover where possible to avoid further delays in Q3-Q4 2021. Whilst we understand not all customers can forward plan and provide forecasts, it is highly recommended to share demand insight or future order history with your distributor to ensure they can forward plan your products and deliveries. If extending your order cover isn’t possible, we suggest providing your distributor with as much visibility as possible for imminent requirements so they can help you source the volume you need. Buyers should also look to increase their stock holding at both the customer site and at the distributors factory combined with regular demand reviews and lead time updates.
Consider like for like components When lead times are pushed out, buyers should consider using a like for like replacement component instead. Sourcing an alternative part in the interim can be a difficult and time-consuming task which is where distributors can help. Distributors are best placed to offer recommendations for
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customers based on the product specification and end application, providing an impartial proposal with the best solution in mind. GD Rectifiers partners with the majority of its customers as a sole provider, ensuring all of their requirements are in one place, eliminating the need to spend valuable time and resources dealing with multiple suppliers. Explore designing-in a new component Distributors can work with customers to facilitate designing-in a new component which is often required when a part becomes obsolete or is no longer suitable for new designs and applications. The benefit of using a newer, modern-day component is that it will have an increased product life- cycle, should be easier to repair or replace when carrying out routine maintenance work and should help prolong the life of your systems with minimal delays.
Knowledge share
Distributors work with customers to provide ongoing technical support and advice, consulting on new projects from concept right the way through to installation and performance reviews. We can also help engineers with refurbishments and routine maintenance work, providing you with the information you need to have the confidence to carry out upgrades and replacements. We provide technical expertise every step of the way, whether it be to provide a solution for a cost-saving exercise or to improve the reliability and performance on an existing system, we partner with customers to find the right solution for you.
Product contingencies In large organisations that have supply chain teams and departments, many buyers find it helpful to have an online product contingency system which highlights other part numbers that can be used in lieu of the original components. Customers can work closely with their supply chain teams
on creating a list and updating it frequently when new designs break through and older modules are made obsolete.
Distributors can occasionally support the teams with this process and work with you to offer electronically and mechanically interchangeable parts. The benefits of having this list or function in place, is to ensure buyers can react quickly when product availability is limited, for reasons such as: factory shutdowns, machinery breakdowns, maintenance work, material, fab or die issues, product clearing issues at customs or if the product is in exceptional demand.
How to avoid long lead times in future 1) Place a scheduled order Buyers who place scheduled orders are always in the best position should lead times get pushed out. If you’re unable to commit to a scheduled order or do not feel comfortable placing a large order, speak to your distributor and discuss your options in the interim 2) Use a distributor that holds sufficient inventory
Customers should choose a distributor that holds sufficient stock and can provide a temporary buffer to your allocation if required when lead times lengthen. With over 170,000 components in stock on our shelves ready to go, GD Rectifiers are well equipped to handle your power electronic component requirements. 3) Choose a technical distributor There are many benefits of using a technical distributor, including: skill set and competency, dedicated customer service, outstanding technical support and guaranteed best pricing. It’s important to streamline your supply chain and using a technical distributor will ensure consistency
in quality, reducing reworks and helping to avoid delays, improve pricing to ensure you remain competitive within the industry and coherent account management, making the sourcing process as easy and stress-free as possible to help you remain project focused. 4) Analyse demand patterns GD Rectifiers encourage customers to keep on track of both theirs and their customers demand patterns and buying habits, sharing this information frequently allows both the buyer and distributor to be informed, order ready and sufficiently stocked for when demand increases, and lead times get pushed out. 5) Manage stock efficiently Not all buyers hold a buffer stock for their customers which can cause further delays when product availability is limited, and lead times increase. It’s important that customers keep track of their buffer stock and have systems in place to manage stock efficiently. Customers that hold a buffer stock but do not keep track of their buyers’ stock proficiently can also experience unexpected delays when demand increases which can cause a set up to existing projects. GD Rectifiers mitigates this process by working with smaller customers to hold stock at their factory which allows us to track component usage and prompt customers when a reorder is required.
GD Rectifiers remains committed to taking all possible steps to work with customers to minimise disruption during these extremely busy times by providing great product data and technical expertise. We work with in- house engineering teams to provide on-going support on product designs. We also advise our customers on the best products to use on new projects and how to phase out old components with modern day alternatives.
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