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if the need to switch arises, pre-empting production issues and delays with their regular components and planning for all eventualities. GD Rectifiers has been best placed to support customers on alternative parts and managing component end of life (EOL) due to their wealth of semiconductor experience and broad product range. We have also increased our stock holding and can now offer customers an even larger stock buffer for if supply chain issues arise.
When faced with component obsolescence, what timeframes do purchasers have before securing last time buys?
As soon as we receive PCNs (product change notices) or PDN (product discontinuation notices) we notify our customers of the relevant changes of the products we stock via our blog. We publish all relevant PDNs to our product range, including last time buys and replacement parts where possible, usually within 48 hours of receiving them directly from the manufacturer. Usually, our manufacturers give customers at least 4-8 weeks’ notice on last time buys but they can often
provide up to 3 months’ notice.
What should a purchaser look for in a distributor? It is crucial that purchasers work with a distributor that can support them on data analytics, risk mitigation and product lifecycle. Distributors can advise the best components to use for new designs and inform customers of the ones to avoid. As soon as a purchaser becomes aware that a component is being made obsolete, they should collaborate with their distributor to source an alternative supply, confi rming availability and pricing at the earliest opportunity.
When time is of the essence, purchasers are under pressure to secure stock quickly and sometimes this might mean using unauthorized channels or buying components from the grey market. What would your advice be to purchasers considering this? Buying power electronic components from an unauthorised source or from the grey market can often result in problems for customers. Purchasers that don’t
work with local distributors to source products will not get notified of product discontinuations which could result in immediate line-stops, forced product redesigns and premature product EOL with no technical support made available. The benefits of working with an established distributor far outweigh the advantage of buying a product quickly from an unknown seller, one of the key considerations here should be traceability and the reassurance of knowing that the product you are delivering to your customer will do exactly what it needs to.
What would your advice be for purchasers that do not have any plan or experience in component obsolescence?
My advice would be to always think long-term, it’s very easy for purchasers to get caught up in the moment and buy components from a new source because the lead time is by far the best around, but in that situation, I would question what other benefits you’ll receive, such as the level of aftersales and customer service, technical support and product warranties.
Managing obsolescence and reacting to a component's EOL is vital, if your company doesn’t have the resource to do this then use a distributor that can support you. Plan for component obsolescence because manufacturers will always look to improve their designs and offer more superior products. It is however worthwhile checking the status of the component before you design it into your build, establish if it’s a new product or not for new designs and how long it’s been in circulation for. And lastly, monitor lifecycles and purchase from authorised sources, again if you cannot do this in-house then work with a supplier that can help you keep up to date with a product's status and availability.
GD Rectifiers is an independent distributor of power electronic components and holds an ISO9001:2015 accreditation. Established over 50 years ago, the distributor partners with customers to offer component obsolescence support, modern- day product alternatives and custom designed solutions for your application.
www.gdrectifiers.co.uk
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Components in Electronics
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