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Sponsored content by Rochester Electronics

Managing Semiconductor Component Obsolescence

Rochester Electronics discusses why it is imperative to purchase components from fully authorized sources who are AS6496 compliant. For the many professionals tasked with maintaining products and systems with mission-critical components that have gone into obsolescence, building a reliable supply chain for these parts is crucial.
As technology evolves and new semiconductor products increase in demand, the manufacturing volume increases. Naturally, older products are phased out. This is the obsolescence phase of the semiconductor lifecycle. When the original component manufacturer (OCM) chooses to discontinue a product, they typically offer an end-of-life (EOL) purchase, better known as a “last time buy”. Many times, customers do not have the ability to fund these purchases or buy enough, nor do they have the storage facilities available to support future requirements. Most industries will face component obsolescence at some point and with it, come a wide range of challenges and risks. While machine downtime and lost revenue are high on that list, health and public safety rise to the top. Component obsolescence management becomes a critical factor in high-reliability industries such as medical, military and defense, energy, transportation, industrial and civil aviation. This practice allows for businesses to safely prepare for EOL. Companies not prepared become vulnerable to counterfeits as well as quality and reliability issues. Even for those companies who proactively prepare, long-term component storage remains a problem. There is a common misconception that once the original manufacturer stops producing a component, that unauthorized, or “grey market” sources are the only recourse. Nothing could be further from the truth. The risk-free option of an AUTHORIZED after-market supplier such as Rochester Electronics, should always be the first choice. The risks of counterfeit and poor-quality components from unauthorized sources represent a significant risk to production yield and Mean Time Between Failure Rates (MTBR) in the field. Inferior or substandard “Testing” by unauthorized 3rd parties provides a false veneer of confidence that authenticity can be tested. In reality, this testing is visual, an x-ray, or a poor partial copy of the original manufacturer’s test processes. Full tri-temp testing can rarely be offered, and the risk of commercial grade components being re-marked as industrial, automotive or military parts has never been more real. There are also documented quality problems related to foreign chemicals. Cleaning chemicals used to recover, wash and re-mark used components, slowly migrate into the products, shorting and corroding bond wires and pads alike. Superficial testing will not be guaranteed to find these faults. Recovered components may not only pass these tests, but also survive for a period in-service. However, the ultimate failures will destroy MTBR figures, and result in reduced reliability and damaged reputations. Buying from an authorized source who partners with the original component manufacturer eliminates these risks. Fully authorized distributors, like Rochester Electronics, identify themselves as compliant with the SAE Aerospace Standard, AS6496. Simply stated, they are authorized by the original component manufacturer (OCM) providing traceable and guaranteed products with no quality or reliability testing required because the parts are sourced from the OCM. Those providers who are not may market themselves as AS6171/4 compliant. This source, though better than no compliance at all, follows standardized inspections and test procedures with minimum training and certification requirements to detect suspect or counterfeit components. This is an indication the parts are not sourced to the supplier from the OCM but have passed testing to minimize, not eliminate, risk. The only way to eliminate these risks is to purchase from a fully authorized source who is AS6496 compliant. Learn more
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March 28 2024 10:16 am V22.4.20-2
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