Shorter semiconductor lifecycles pose new challenges for obsolescence management

As semiconductor lifecycles increasingly align with the short product cycles of consumer electronics, pressure is growing on manufacturers in long-life industries to actively manage component obsolescence. Gunter Mößinger of HTV ALTER TECHNOLOGY addressed this issue openly at the Evertiq Expo Tampere, painting a picture that, in his view, the industry can no longer ignore.

The core problem is simple: components that were once available for over a decade or longer are now often discontinued after just a few years. Processors are particularly affected, as their product cycles have shortened significantly due to high demand for intelligent, connected, and touch-enabled consumer devices. For industries such as aerospace, medical technology, and defense, where products are used for decades, this creates a structural imbalance.

“The industry is moving increasingly toward consumer lifecycles,” Mößinger said after his presentation. “These processors are only in production for a very short time. Companies today face bigger problems than a few years ago and need to keep a much closer eye on product discontinuations, plan for obsolescence, and set aside budgets for it.”

Hidden risks of long-term storage

According to Mößinger, companies that buy components as a precautionary stockpile face additional risks beyond corrosion or moisture. A less well-known danger is the growth of intermetallic phases, where copper from the component leads slowly dissolves into the tin layer of the solder surface.

“When the copper reaches the component’s surface, it can no longer be soldered,” Mößinger explained. “Soldering requires a remaining tin layer, and this can only be prevented by reduced storage temperatures. Special processes are needed for that.”

Long-term storage therefore means not just additional warehouse space, but requires controlled environments and active management to preserve component integrity over the long term.

Reactive versus proactive

Obsolescence management itself is also in transition. While companies used to often react only to product discontinuations and then make last-time buys, a proactive approach is gaining importance. The role of obsolescence manager is now established, and the topic is being studied more scientifically and planned systematically.

However, Mößinger also stressed the limits of proactive strategies. When manufacturers shut down production lines abruptly or disappear from the market entirely, even the best plans become obsolete.

“In the end, you still end up with reactive measures and last-time buys,” he said. “The most important opportunity for true proactive measures is a redesign. If products are being revised anyway, it makes sense to deliberately select components with longer production runs.”

Budgeting as a first step

Asked how companies can get started with serious obsolescence management, Mößinger’s answer was pragmatic: plan for budgets. Whether for warehousing, redesign, or a combination of both, all measures come with significant costs that the industry is only slowly beginning to acknowledge openly.

“Obsolescence management will be a major topic in the future,” he said. “It is becoming increasingly visible in the industry.”

Gunter Mößinger will address the topic again at the Evertiq Expo Lund on May 21, where he will give the presentation “Managing semiconductor obsolescence: storage, ageing, and long-term reliability.”