Manufacturing
Staying Mission Ready: The Importance and Value of Extending Legacy Equipment Lifecycles in Critical Defense Programs
October 30, 2025
In previous articles, we’ve discussed the massive, costly impact that electronics obsolescence has on Defense programs. Few industries feel the effects of this problem the way that Defense manufacturers, contractors, and programs experience it. Many of the electronic systems deployed for use in these applications will be needed for ten years or more, often upwards…
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…
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…
Mergers and Acquisitions
April 6, 2021
Mergers and Acquisitions Sometimes we think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. These days, it is not difficult to think this when social media allows us to paint beautiful pictures of who we are from a computer screen. During my marketing research, I came across a media campaign for an…
Are Obsolescence Management Processes Crucial to Corporate Strategy?
November 25, 2020
Why Obsolescence Management Processes are Crucial to Support Corporate Strategy Since I began working at GDCA, I have had the opportunity to work closely with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to better understand and deal with the impact of low-performing older designs. The nature of my work often has me talking with team members throughout their…
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…
How to Effectively Prune Your Embedded Product Portfolio
July 8, 2020
In embedded computing, product pruning is the selective removal of certain products that no longer contribute to the health and growth of a company. Product families that are generating little or no profit for the company because of production complications, small market share, and/or outdated function can harm an embedded computer manufacturer’s bottom line. The…
Now’s the Time for Electronics OEMs to Shape Their Futures
May 12, 2020
In view of the COVID-19 disruption and anticipated aftermath in the embedded electronics industry, computer board OEMs face an existential challenge right now: How do they best allocate their resources to satisfy the competing objectives of 1) sustaining existing designs while simultaneously 2) inspiring and capturing the market for new designs? If OEMs spend too…
The gap between EOL and your needs—why PLM doesn’t always work
March 22, 2019
Reassessing your company’s approach to legacy sustainment is a critical step in minimizing stress and maximizing profits. Since the early 1950s, product life-cycle management (PLM) has been the commercial best practice for managing value and lifetime profitability of products and systems. However, as technology has advanced exponentially, so have the needs of managing products with…
When Tomorrow Never Comes
February 22, 2019
Obsolescence and Changing Our Minds You’ve got to know when to hold ’em Know when to fold ’em Know when to walk away And know when to run “The Gambler” – Kenny Rogers Maybe the writing is on the wall. Maybe the truth is hidden in between the lines of your BOM. Maybe you really…