Posts by GDCA
Analysis Paralysis
November 16, 2022
It is easy to understand the multiple pressures OEMs feel at the end of a product’s lifecycle when there is still customer demand. For customers who need more support for discontinued products, the best-case scenario is that the OEM will free up the engineering resources needed to satisfy the request. The worst-case scenario is that…
When ‘Just-in-Time’ Is Just Too Late: A New Approach to Managing Production
October 21, 2022
Until the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, just-in-time (JIT) inventory management strategy was considered to be among the most reliable business models for manufacturing everything from cell phones to satellites. JIT was used to minimize component inventories and increase efficiency throughout the production process. For active products, that meant required materials arrived when they…
Last Time Buy vs. Last Time Offering
August 4, 2022
A widespread practice among original equipment manufacturers (OEM) is the last time buy (LTB) event, which is usually a warning call to customers that a product is approaching its end of life (EOL) stage. This practice varies in its execution, but it usually takes the shape of a six-month EOL notice with a six-month LTB…
5 Sustainment Questions Every Program Must Ask Itself
June 3, 2022
DoD Programs routinely face a backlog of open cases for parts that are unprocurable owing to obsolescence or DMSMS. Problematic parts range from bolts and valves to complex computer electronics. When these cases are not quickly resolved, the fallout can be significant, resulting in undermined warfighters’ missions and jeopardized lives. In this critical thought, we’ll…
The Win-Lose Dilemma
February 18, 2022
All people face personal dilemmas during their lifetimes. Corporations, made up of people, face a fair number of professional dilemmas as well. Companies that produce embedded computer products are aware of the issues surrounding component obsolescence. At the end of these products’ active lives, supporting these aging or legacy products consumes more than just manufacturing…
Recap: Sustainment Symposium 2020
March 10, 2021
The team here at GDCA has always looked forward to attending the DMSMS conference each December as a capstone to the year. It was a magical time when DMSMS wonks obsessed with DMSMS solutions and obsolescence management were no longer relegated to a corner of the exhibit hall. We were front and center, and questions of how to innovate and advance the work…
Risks of Sourcing EOL’d Embedded Boards Outside the OEM
December 15, 2020
There are a variety of issues to be faced when your embedded boards have reached end of life (EOL) or been discontinued by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Without a proactive plan in place, these issues threaten timelines and budgets and, even more importantly, jeopardize quality and add risk. Time and False Hope Although sourcing…
How to Find Discontinued Embedded Boards
November 10, 2020
The inevitable has finally arrived. An embedded board in your application has been discontinued by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Your company needs a critical embedded board, and revenue depends on timely delivery. But the OEM cannot build additional boards for you and the franchised suppliers don’t have any inventory left. What can you do? Predictably,…
What is a Second Source of Supply?
October 12, 2020
Working with a second source of supply is a favorable alternative in obsolescence management. Sanctioned by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) with original IP, a second source of supply rebuilds and maintains the supply chain of prime contractors, supporting primes and their customers. New sources of supply can predict and resolve obsolescence issues before they…
True Cost – An Introduction to Lifecycle Optimization
October 25, 2019
For embedded board OEMs, Lifecycle Optimization and your electronics product portfolio are an important part of profit and loss considerations when determining your business objectives. Aging products’ impact on ROI is regularly overlooked. Component obsolescence, manufacturing bottlenecks and increasing demands on operational resources create gaps that drag down new product introduction and can considerably slow…