The hidden side of obsolescence: when storage becomes the solution
When engineers talk about component obsolescence, the conversation usually starts with the same event: the end-of-life notice.
A manufacturer announces that production of a semiconductor will stop, the clock starts ticking, and companies scramble to secure supply through last-time buys or redesign their products around new components.
But the reality of obsolescence is more complicated than a single announcement.
In many cases, components don’t simply disappear from the market. Instead, they continue to exist – in warehouses, inventories, excess markets and hopefully, in long-term storage facilities around the world.
And that raises a difficult question. Can they still be trusted?
Modern electronics often rely on components that may have been manufactured many years earlier. For industries such as aerospace, defence, medical technology and industrial automation, where product lifetimes can stretch over decades, long-term component storage is not unusual.
However, while semiconductors may remain electrically functional for long periods, time can still affect the materials and packaging surrounding them.
Moisture exposure, oxidation, corrosion and packaging degradation can all influence the condition of stored components. Even when devices appear intact, factors such as reduced solderability or subtle material changes can introduce reliability risks once the component enters production.
This creates a category of obsolescence that receives far less attention: components that technically still exist – but whose reliability has become uncertain.
For manufacturers, managing this risk requires more than simply holding inventory. It requires controlled storage environments, monitoring of environmental conditions, and testing procedures capable of verifying the long-term integrity of stored parts.
As semiconductor lifecycles continue to shorten, these questions are becoming increasingly relevant. Many companies are now forced to rely on components that must remain viable far beyond the original production window.
At Evertiq Expo Tampere on March 26, Gunter Mößinger from HTV Alter Technology will address this often overlooked dimension of obsolescence in his presentation "Managing semiconductor obsolescence: storage, ageing, and long-term reliability". The session will explore how ageing mechanisms such as corrosion and material degradation affect stored components, but also how targeted storage strategies can be used to maintain quality, extend lifespan, and ensure long-term reliability.
Because in today’s electronics industry, obsolescence is not only about the parts that disappear. It is also about the ones that remain – and how well they are managed.