We understand the risks involved in committing to a particular product when the number of components involved is typically in the hundreds or even thousands. Due to the evolution of technology and inevitable component obsolescence, manufacturers must implement measures to reduce risk and have a product lifecycle management strategy in place.
Measures to Reduce Risk
Blue Chip Technology put in place a number of processes to minimise the risks involved and ensure the long-term availability of our products and the components used in their repair.
We try to extend the life of each product wherever possible in a number of ways, including:
- Each component goes through a component validation process to identify their suitability, both technically and commercially. We use an advanced system with algorithms to determine expected product lifecycles based on historical and current data relating to the part type, the vendor and more.
- We regularly buy large quantities of components when they are nearing the end of their manufacturing lives to ensure we can give our customers options as to when they would like to migrate to another product.
Product Lifecycle Management Strategy
Each of our products follows the same lifecycle in order to set expectations at the earliest stage, allowing you to make more informed decisions. The product lifecycle stages include:
- In Development. The product is in development. Prototypes may be available for validation.
- In Production. The product is in production and available for purchase.
- Mature. The product remains in production but there is a small risk of some components becoming obsolete in the near future.
- Not Recommended for New Designs. The product remains in production but there is real risk of some components becoming obsolete in the near future.
- End of Life. The product is no longer available for new designs and a last-time buy for existing customers is offered.
- Obsolete. The product is no longer available and repairs are dependent on existing stock of necessary components.
Our Approach to Obsolescence Management
We pride ourselves on our open and very human approach to customer relationships and when it comes to obsolescence management we are no different. We treat our customers as best we can and aim to support them throughout their projects, from start to finish.
As the vast majority of our products are designed and manufactured at our UK-based facility we are able to repair products long after they have ceased manufacture. On a number of occasions we have been able to repair products that were manufactured over 10 years before and return them to ‘active duty’ for our customers.
If you have any questions or you are looking for a UK-based embedded systems provider, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
