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How to prevent component obsolescence stalling your project
When it comes to obsolete or hard-to-find parts, explains Dan Hughes, managing director at accredited independent distributor of fully traceable EEE components, Princeps, you can rely on the company’s knowledge, expertise and tenacity to securely source the components you’re searching for.
C
omponent obsolescence is a major challenge for applications in sectors where extended operational lifetimes are required, such as aerospace
& defence. This is particularly acute for electronic components, where the technology is constantly evolving. The very attribute that’s so attractive about electronics – its tendency for performance to rapidly increase – means that newer technology parts emerge regularly. However, this also results in components being rendered ‘obsolete’ on an equally frequent basis.
Production of new and updated devices across all sectors of the electronics components spectrum – from ICs to passives to connectors – means purchasers are often frustrated as they try to keep pace with electronics manufacturers. Older parts become harder to find, as reducing demand leads to manufacturers switching production lines to newer parts. Yet, the alternative is a costly redesign – and for hi-rel applications, especially aerospace & defence, a redesign may not be even feasible. The investment level in these projects and the level of certification required often requires decades-long operational lives – driving knock-on demand for components, even after manufacturers wind down production of parts.
This often leads to buyers feeling compelled to turn to the open market. Unfortunately, this can open the door for counterfeit parts to enter the supply chain, with severe consequences for supplier and buyer alike. When not sourcing from franchised distributors, strict, costly anti-counterfeiting measures become an unavoidable necessity. Implementing an obsolescence management plan – such as that defined in IEC 62402 – helps address these issues. And putting proactive strategies in place, ahead of parts becoming obsolete, is a sensible policy to mitigate against supply chain failure and potential resulting undesirable ‘panic’ actions. Specialist independent distributor Princeps has made it the company’s mission to provide
48 May 2024
Sophisticated test & inspection equipment in Princeps’ testing & verification lab
an obsolescence service that not only reacts to the danger, but pre-empts the threat, using the following steps:
Monitoring & identifying devices at risk
Princeps’ BOM monitoring service scrutinises the entire bill of materials, raising immediate alerts for any component mentioned in manufacturers’ PCNs (product change notifications), PDNs (product discontinuation notices), EOL (end-of-life) notifications and LTBs (last time buy) warnings. It uses a complex and sophisticated algorithm to predict the likelihood of components being made obsolete, with a predictive ‘time-to- obsolescence’ that significantly reduces the risk of unavailable parts.
Finding components & supporting LTBs
In this way, customers get advance warnings, with enough time to source alternatives, secure lifetime buys or even redesign their boards before having to face the dangers associated with sourcing obsolete parts on the
Components in Electronics
open market. And for non-obsolete, but still hard-to-find parts, Princeps offers access to a global network of manufacturer-authorised sources, casting the widest possible net and using its expertise and tenacity to track down elusive parts. The company’s experience and knowledge of dealing with global sources helps safely manage payments, shipping, customs and all key issues facing importers.
Mitigation of open market sourced parts
Even with the best planning tools, there may be occasions when there is no alternative other than to access the open market to procure obsolete parts. Princeps offers a range of risk-mitigation solutions, including fully bespoke test and inspection plans. The company has invested heavily in its in-house testing lab in recent years, supporting the deep expertise of its inspection and quality assurance team with technology, including a recently upgraded Keyence high power optical microscope, Fischer XRF (x-ray fluorescence) spectrometer, Nisene decapsulation system and Glenbrook x-ray inspection system. Princeps’ Counterfeit Avoidance Program
has been awarded the elite AS6081 Certification, the aerospace standard that sets out how distributors operating in the open market can mitigate counterfeiting risks. Princeps was one of the first UK distributors to achieve AS6081 certification, after certification body NQA approved its quality management system in 2016. The company’s process for safe procurement of untraceable components for use in hi-rel industries uses the risk assessment model detailed in AS6171 and SAE’s Counterfeit Defect Coverage Tool to identify risks and generate a comprehensive, optimised test sequence. “But even with our stringent procedures and in-depth knowledge of the global components marketplace, we are uncovering an average of one or two fraudulent or counterfeit items every month,” warns Ian Walker, Princeps operations director. “This demonstrates the level of vigilance necessary, especially when trying to source obsolete parts. When sourcing through Princeps, customers are assured of component authenticity through a range of risk mitigation solutions, including fully bespoke test and inspection plans following AS6081, AS6171 or any of the other methodologies available.”
Summary
Specialist independent distributors, armed with AS9120 and AS6081 certifications, are proving indispensable in addressing the complex supply chain challenges faced by OEMs, integrators and suppliers in hi-rel industries. Their ability to source and deliver electronic components in a safe, trusted and secure manner – mitigating risk, verifying authenticity and assuring supply – for platforms with service lives spanning decades can help aerospace & defence contractors overcome DMSMS (diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages) and obsolescence challenges, ensuring continued operational readiness of vital mission critical systems.
https://www.princeps.co.uk/ www.cieonline.co.uk
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