Articles
LEMs and OEMs: Different Set-ups, different scopes
December 26, 2023 – Articles
A look at the difference between OEMs and LEMs–and why LEMs are so important for OEMs
Supply-chain management and obsolescence
September 8, 2023 – Articles
“I like talking to the aftermarket suppliers like Dale and Dan and also Ethan Plotkin of GDCA, an aftermarket supplier of single-board computer designs. It’s a unique business, with not many players. Lansdale, Rochester, and GDCA have been doing this for decades; in fact, many of our key military platforms flying today depend on the…
When ‘Just-in-Time’ Is Just Too Late: A New Approach to Managing Production
November 3, 2022 – Articles
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…
After the Funeral: Re-issuing Critical Products after EOL
February 7, 2022 – Articles
What do you do if a Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) product is at the end of its lifecycle and you aren’t ready? What do you do if the SBC that you’re so dependent upon has been orphaned?
Viewpoint: Why obsolescence management processes are crucial to corporate strategy – Electronic Product Design & Test
February 1, 2021 – Articles
Legacy equipment & COTS obsolescence management expert, GDCA works closely with OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) to better understand & deal with the impact of low-performing older designs. Working with teams throughout these companies has highlighted just how common it is for each department to be pulling resolutely in their own direction. In many respects, this…
A Strategy for Agility in 2021 – Embedded Computing Design
October 15, 2020 – Articles
As GDCA enters the last quarter of our fiscal year, and our third quarter of this pandemic, it’s time for us to start our FY21 planning process. The only thing it seems we can predict with any level of certainty is that things will continue to be unpredictable. Therefore, I’ve been thinking a lot more…
True cost: Obsolescence can mean millions – Millitary Embedded Systems
September 17, 2020 – Articles
Dealing with military users who still want obsolete products is not a new problem for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), who make more revenue on the latest products as users migrate away from mature products to faster, better versions. However, people don’t always jump quickly to the next revision because they can’t upgrade an entire system…
Making the Case for Managing Avionics Product Obsolescence Sustainably – Aviation Today
February 28, 2020 – Articles
Product obsolescence is not new to aviation, and neither are the costs and inefficiencies caused by this issue. Yet some industry experts say too often, the avionics industry fails to take a strategic view on how to manage obsolescence as a business process.
Embedded legacy obsolescence: Obscuring the truth and the bottom line – PICMG Magazine
February 25, 2020 – Articles
Starting in the late 1980s, the embedded industry started to see a change in electronic product life cycles. Before that time, computing technology was primarily commercial and capital equipment had long introduction phases. Today, however, consumer demand for electronic products drives component manufacturers toward a quick-to-market life cycle. Balancing new product introduction and legacy product…
New FAA-Certified Repair Station Keeps COTS Obsolescence Out of the Air – Embedded Computing Design
October 21, 2016 – Articles
As Congress and businesses continue to cut budgets, some question how legacy aviation systems can remain feasible – in the face of sequestration and COTS obsolescence.