end-of-life
Strategies for Effective Part Obsolescence Management in Electronic Infrastructure Systems
June 3, 2025
As a society, we are incredibly dependent on our smartphones and devices, whether we want to admit it or not, for many crucial aspects of our daily lives. But imagine one day that your smart phone just stops working. No calls, no texts, no internet connection. You can’t access your emails, your personal and office…
Tania’s Teachables: OEMs, Long-Term Support & GDCA FAQs
April 11, 2025
Tania Scroggie is back with another episode of “Tania’s Teachables” over on the GDCA YouTube channel, this week tackling the frequently asked questions that we get here at GDCA about how we support both OEMs and customers! Throughout her time at GDCA, both working directly with our customers and partners, and representing the company, Tania…
The Human Factor: When losing older workers leads to obsolescence
April 10, 2023
Ask anyone who drives an older car. As the system ages, it develops its own quirks. You have to jiggle the shifter in park to get the keys out of the ignition. You have to pump the gas twice before it starts up on a cold day. The AC has to be turned off…
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…
Wood Burning as Disposition for End-of-Life Products
June 19, 2021
Wood Burning as Disposition for End-of-Life Products I live on a ranch in northern California. This winter, we accounted for the dead oak trees and cleared them for the first time. Some of the wood we used for decoration, some to frame the dog’s new pen, and some we decided to sell. Because we do…
Helping you keep your New Year’s resolution
March 8, 2021
I used to be a cigarette smoker. Each New Year I resolved to stop smoking, and I’d stash my “last” half-pack of cigarettes deep inside a dark drawer. Months later, when I felt I needed just one cigarette, I’d retrieve the pack and start smoking again. For a long time, I tried nicotine-replacement therapies: patches,…
Interview: Are Obsolescence Management Processes Crucial to Corporate Strategy?
February 25, 2021
In the following Q&A format, Holger Wussman, chief executive officer for Kontron Electronics, an electronic manufacturer service provider, gave his feedback to Tania Scroggie for the article “Why Obsolescence Management Processes Are Crucial to Support Corporate Strategy.” If you like the Q&A read the article, like and comment on our posts. Tania: It is a…
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,…