ESE March10 pg26_Layout 1 26/02/2010 14:28 Page 1
26 OBSOLESCENCE
An authorised supplier can
procure wafer and die
inventory and complete the
manufacturing process
Last time
Buy = LeFt
it too Late
The only true way to ensure you are not spooked by
last time buy notifications is to plan for obsolescence
at design-in, explains director of marketing,
Rochester Electronics, George Karalias
When an original semiconductor manufacturer discontinues a device, it Finished inventories:
can be difficult for customers to accurately forecast last-time buy authorised, franchised
requirements, absorb the additional inventory and storage costs, or distributors for finished
find a drop-in replacement. OEMs can find themselves estimating up to devices received from
20 years out to support their production plans, while the average life the original
span of the designed-in device has been reduced to four years or less. manufacturer can
The increased need for discontinued semiconductors has led to
provide discontinued
proliferation of grey market practices. Fraudulent manufacture,
parts immediately. A
Products c
an be te
sted to m
distribution and sales of fake semiconductors are a growing problem
directory of authorised
sp
ilita
a
r
ce-l
y o
e
r
vel test f
lows
throughout the electronics industry.
suppliers can be found
at www.electronicsasd.com
Counterfeiting has a negative effect on reputable component
manufacturers and distributors, causes purchasing dilemmas for
Wafer and die inventories:an authorised supplier will procure wafer-
component buyers, problems for equipment manufacturers and
and die-level inventory, test programs and test fixtures from the original
trouble for equipment operators. In mission-critical applications, there
manufacturer and complete the manufacturing process. The devices are
can be serious consequences resulting in loss of life.
tested to, or in excess of, the original manufacturer's specifications.
Products can be tested to military- or space-level test flows.
There are only two fail-safe ways to counter this problem: buying
Long term supply program:authorised source long-term supply and
directly from the original manufacturer; or enlisting the help of
support for discontinued semiconductors offers extended product life
authorised distributors and manufacturers.
for decades.
It is not enough to act when an end-of-life (EOL) or last-time-buy
Customer-supplied die storage:Whether it is a single part number
notification is made. OEMs, particularly those selling into industries
or many different parts, customer-supplied product can be stored in
with long lifecycles, should anticipate discontinued semiconductor
secure climate-controlled facilities, assuring handling, logistics and
announcements and plan ahead, perhaps as early as when a
distribution of critical devices.
semiconductor is designed-in.
Bill-of-material services: customers provide BOMs to an authorised
To ensure product quality, find an authorised supplier with a proven
supplier to receive regular follow-up alerts on devices approaching EOL.
record of product authenticity and traceability to the original
manufacturer. OEM buyers want assurance that the product they are
Device re-creation:It may be possible to re-create obsolete devices
buying has undergone proper storage and handling, is guaranteed
with the authorised permission of the original manufacturer. Licensing
agreements enable a supplier to re-create an exact duplicate of the
with long-term support
device, providing a continuous long-term supply of critical devices.
and has consistent
Device re-creation is more reliable than emulation, which only mimics
pricing.
device function and can be prone to failure.
For suppliers
Planning ahead for EOL ensures there is no interruption in the supply
considering end-of-life
chain and that manufacturing can continue with quality
options before EOL is
semiconductors from a reliable source. By planning ahead, OEMs can
announced, there are a
avoid grey market practices and purchase only from the original
number of solutions that
manufacturer, contractually licensed continuing supply manufacturers
can be put in place to
and OEM-authorised distributors that guarantee the device’s quality,
ensure long-term
reliability and performance.
availability. Options
available through
It may be possibl
e to re-create obso
lete
authorised suppliers
www.rocelec.com
devices with the a
uthorised permissi
on of
include:
the original manuf
acturer
www.electronicsasd.com
maRCH 2010 electronics-sourcing.eu
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