Obsolescence Management

Obsolescence describes the permanent unavailability of products, for example, when manufacturers discontinue important electronic components. In volatile markets with shorter technology cycles, the problem of unavailability is increasingly exacerbated. Structured obsolescence management is therefore becoming indispensable for companies to minimize risks.

Risks of obsolescence

Obsolescence risks arise from various global and technological developments. In particular, geopolitical dependencies, for example on semiconductor manufacturers like Taiwan, increase vulnerability to international tensions. Likewise, disruptions to global supply chains, such as the blockage of the Suez Canal, lead to unexpected bottlenecks.

Additionally, unpredictable fluctuations in demand—for example, triggered by events like the COVID-19 pandemic—make reliable planning more difficult and increase the risk of material shortages.

Growing number of postponements
Shortening of the product life cycle
Missing component availability
Rising lifecycle costs
Production stoppages due to missing components
Increasing planning uncertainties

Proactive and reactive

Depending on the time horizon and initial situation, proactive or reactive approaches are used to ensure supply capability. Proactive obsolescence management aims at medium-term, forward-looking planning, while reactive obsolescence management addresses acute cases in the short term. In both cases, continuous risk analysis and technical consideration of countermeasures serve as prevention.

Proactive Obsolescence Management:

Early selection of suitable design alternatives
Bill of Materials Analysis, Lifecycle Monitoring, and Risk Assessments
Refactoring of the software for high portability (e.g., MCAL, HAL, Middleware, Application Layer)
Creation of precise specifications and documentation
Selection and Qualification of Second Sources
Planning regular redesign cycles
Assessment of the default risk of individual components

Reactive Obsolescence Management

Porting and acute redesign
Fast and targeted support for acute obsolescence issues
End-of-Life Management, Last Time Buy (LTB), and Long-Term Storage
Alternative search, substitution, minimally invasive porting
Comprehensive support from problem identification through to implementation and testing
Technical Emergency Relocation and Emergency Management

Meaning and Areas of Action

Structured obsolescence management allows for early identification and minimization of impending risks. Technical solutions for obsolescence cases are classic development tasks that affect both hardware and software development. These challenges typically arise at unfavorable times, such as during ongoing production cycles or shortly before important product launches. To effectively address these challenges, two essential technical solution approaches are available:

Redesign

A complete hardware redesign is necessary when critical components become obsolete or multiple parts are affected simultaneously. The hardware is redeveloped with modern components, aiming to retain functionality and interfaces. This requires extensive development effort in both hardware and software.

Portings

Porting is a one-to-one transfer of existing software to a new hardware platform with minimal changes to the hardware. Porting is suitable when only individual central components need to be replaced. The goal is to preserve existing system functionality with minimal effort.

Mastering Porting Strategically

Obsolescence cases often create short-term needs for action. With targeted porting, companies can quickly and securely transfer their systems to new hardware platforms without endangering core functionality.

In our concept paper, you will learn:

When a port is sensible and what prerequisites must be met
How to Avoid Typical Mistakes and Efficiently Overcome Challenges
What technical prerequisites (MCAL, HAL, Middleware) are necessary to carry out the porting process with minimal friction
Best Practices and Success Factors from Real Projects