Innovative tool for engineers and purchasing managers.
new in electronic news: RS Components presents 'Obsolescence Manager', a new online tool to help manufacturers and product developers manage the problem of obsolescence and plan for end-of-life (EOL) notices when affixed to parts that will soon be out of production, repair, and support by component suppliers. Every year thousands of individual parts and components reach the end of their life cycle and become obsolete products. EOL notices carry substantial costs, as it means that products often have to be redesigned or retooled. There may also be significant product delays, as well as increased sourcing and inventory handling expenses. All electronic and automation components will inevitably reach the state of EOL, rs-components.com but how quickly they become obsolete can vary considerably. While many companies may have prepared for this eventuality – by building flexibility into their designs, for example, allowing them to accommodate the volatility of the component supply, there are also many at risk due to the harsh consequences of obsolescence. Searching for a viable replacement component can be time consuming. In most circumstances, an aftermarket part will need to be at least as good as the original in terms of specifications such as footprint, pin-out, energy consumption y heat dissipation, among others.
To address component end-of-life challenges, RS has developed 'Obsolescence Manager', a completely free component life-cycle risk assessment tool, specifically designed to enable engineers and purchasing managers to proactively monitor and manage the risks caused by obsolescence. Initially, the tool will be able to help engineers creating new electronic designs and can be extended to cover the industrial sector, including the design of new panels and production line machines. The benefits for customers using this powerful lifecycle management tool are many, such as being able to quickly get a BOM or parts list available from RS, thereby reducing the risk of obsolescence. Customers will also be able to anticipate component end-of-life issues based on project timelines, as well as enable users to find solutions for hard-to-reach parts.
Overall, the tool can reduce production and manufacturing costs and ensure faster time to market through increased design efficiency. The tool offers a wide range of features, including product lifecycle status: for example, whether components are 'Active', 'Not Recommended for New Designs' (NRFND), 'Obsolete or Last Buyable (LTB ), as well as the estimation of the years until the end of life (YTEOL). The tool will also list parts that are alternative products in form, fit and function, as well as whether they are direct replacements or similar. The tool's component database will give you access to 400.000 available products, including semiconductors, passives, connectors, relays, power supplies, switches, and many other electrical and electronic devices. By mid-2017 we expect to add another 160.000 products. The data set will also be compared against three million direct alternative products and 70 million functional and similar devices. The database will be updated monthly with the changes registered in the system.
Lindsley Ruth, Group Chief Executive of Electrocomponents, stated: “Product obsolescence presents a significant element of risk for manufacturers whether for new designs or for existing designs; and it is necessary to manage it, especially if we take into account the profound changes within the semiconductor market with many mergers and acquisitions, which also carries a risk of discontinuing many product lines”, adding that “the 'Obsolescence Manager' tool provides more power and control, as well as reducing the risks involved in the development of electronic products and systems” . The 'Obsolescence Manager' tool is available on the DesignSpark website
