Component obsolescence remains one of the most disruptive supply chain risks for industrial and defense programs with long service lifetimes. Here's how we advise customers to get ahead of it.
Spot the warning signs early
Distributors and manufacturers typically issue Product Change Notices (PCNs) well before a formal end-of-life announcement. Tracking PCNs for critical parts — not just waiting for EOL notices — buys months of extra lead time to plan.
Qualify a second source before you need one
Waiting until a part is discontinued to start requalification adds unnecessary schedule risk. We recommend qualifying a drop-in or form-fit-function replacement as part of routine design reviews for any program with a service life over five years.
Work with suppliers who do last-time-buys right
When a last-time-buy is unavoidable, work with a supplier who can advise on realistic lifetime demand forecasting and, where possible, offer long-term storage or lifetime-buy programs rather than a single bulk purchase.
How SCSC helps
Our engineering team supports obsolescence programs directly — from identifying drop-in replacements to running custom qualification on parts that need it. If you have a part going EOL, reach out before it becomes a production emergency.