Cover story


Sustaining a healthy supply chain: Rochester Electronics and the medical industry


Rochester Electronics explores how medical device manufacturers can maintain long term product support amid semiconductor obsolescence, evolving supply chain pressures and extended regulatory requirements. With medical technologies often remaining in service for decades, maintaining access to critical components becomes essential for ensuring device reliability, patient safety and uninterrupted product availability.


Breathing life into long-term medical device designs Medical devices are categorised based on the level of risk they pose to patients. Class I devices are low-risk products, such as bandages or hospital beds. Class II devices represent moderate-risk equipment, including infusion pumps and imaging systems such as ultrasound or CT scanners. Class III devices are high-risk or life- sustaining technologies, including pacemakers and implantable devices. As patient risk increases, so do regulatory and


certifi cation requirements. Standards such as IEC 60601-1, ISO 13485 and FDA 21 CFR Part 807 place strict controls on product design, validation and manufacturing. For many medical device manufacturers, maintaining an approved design ‘as-is’ for as long as possible is essential to avoid costly redesigns and requalifi cation.


06 May 2026 www.electronicsworld.co.uk


Semiconductor end of life (EOL) presents a signifi cant challenge to long-term medical device support. Medical systems often have operational lifecycles spanning 15-20 years or more, including fi eld maintenance and service commitments. By contrast, semiconductor lifecycles continue to shorten, particularly for processors, FPGAs, memory and other high-value components. This mismatch creates a supply gap that medical manufacturers must proactively manage.


Managing long-term risk in medical device supply chains Component EOL is often foreseeable, but managing it effectively requires planning and investment. Many manufacturers address this challenge through last-time- buy (LTB) strategies, purchasing sufficient component


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