Introduction

In the world of electronic product development, component obsolescence is a major challenge that designers and engineers face. When a component reaches its end-of-life (EOL), it can cause significant disruptions in the product development process, leading to costly redesigns, delays, and even product cancellations. To address this issue, Altium, a leading provider of electronic design automation software, has partnered with IHS Markit, a global information and analytics company, to provide designers with real-time component lifecycle data within the PCB design environment.

The Impact of Component Obsolescence

Component obsolescence is a growing concern in the electronics industry. As technology advances rapidly, components become outdated quickly, and manufacturers discontinue their production. This can happen for various reasons, such as:

• Advancements in technology that render older components obsolete
• Changes in market demand that make certain components less profitable to produce
• Regulatory changes that restrict the use of certain materials or substances in components

When a component becomes obsolete, it can have a significant impact on product development:

1. Redesign Costs: If a component is no longer available, designers must find a suitable replacement and redesign the PCB to accommodate the new component. This process can be time-consuming and costly.

2. Delays: Redesigning a PCB to replace an obsolete component can cause significant delays in the product development timeline, potentially missing market opportunities.

3. Inventory Obsolescence: If a company has stockpiled components that become obsolete, they may be left with unusable inventory, leading to financial losses.

4. Product Cancellations: In some cases, the cost and time required to redesign a product due to component obsolescence may be too high, leading to the cancellation of the product altogether.

The Altium and IHS Markit Partnership

To help designers mitigate the risks of component obsolescence, Altium has partnered with IHS Markit to integrate component lifecycle data into the PCB design process. This partnership brings together Altium’s expertise in electronic design automation and IHS Markit’s extensive component database and lifecycle information.

How It Works

The integration of IHS Markit’s component data into Altium’s design software allows designers to access real-time component lifecycle information directly within their design environment. This information includes:

• Product Change Notifications (PCNs): Alerts designers to changes in a component’s specifications, manufacturing process, or materials.
• End-of-Life (EOL) Notices: Informs designers when a component is being discontinued by the manufacturer.
• Estimated Years to End-of-Life: Provides designers with an estimate of how long a component will be available, enabling them to plan for potential obsolescence.

By having access to this information during the design process, designers can make informed decisions about component selection and proactively address potential obsolescence issues.

Benefits of the Partnership

The Altium and IHS Markit partnership offers several key benefits to electronics designers and engineers:

1. Early Obsolescence Detection: By integrating component lifecycle data into the design process, designers can identify potential obsolescence issues early in the development cycle, allowing them to take corrective action before it becomes a major problem.

2. Informed Component Selection: With access to real-time component data, designers can select components that have a longer expected lifecycle, reducing the risk of obsolescence.

3. Proactive Supply Chain Management: The partnership enables companies to proactively manage their supply chain by identifying components that may become obsolete and securing alternative sources or stockpiling critical components.

4. Reduced Redesign Costs: By identifying and addressing obsolescence issues early, companies can minimize the need for costly redesigns later in the product development process.

5. Faster Time-to-Market: With fewer disruptions due to component obsolescence, companies can bring their products to market faster, gaining a competitive edge.

Implementing the Altium and IHS Markit Solution

To take advantage of the benefits offered by the Altium and IHS Markit partnership, companies need to integrate the solution into their existing design workflows. This involves the following steps:

1. Altium Software Update: Ensure that the latest version of Altium Designer is installed, which includes the IHS Markit component data integration.

2. IHS Markit Subscription: Obtain a subscription to IHS Markit’s component database, which provides access to the extensive component lifecycle information.

3. Design Process Integration: Incorporate the component lifecycle data into the PCB design process, using it to guide component selection and obsolescence management decisions.

4. Training and Adoption: Provide training to designers and engineers on how to effectively use the IHS Markit data within Altium Designer and establish best practices for component selection and obsolescence management.

By following these steps, companies can seamlessly integrate the Altium and IHS Markit solution into their design workflows, enabling them to proactively address component obsolescence issues.

Case Studies

Several companies have already successfully implemented the Altium and IHS Markit solution to manage component obsolescence in their product development processes. Here are a few examples:

Company A: Automotive Electronics Manufacturer

Company A, a leading automotive electronics manufacturer, faced significant challenges due to component obsolescence. With the rapid advancement of automotive technology, many of the components used in their designs were becoming obsolete quickly, leading to costly redesigns and delays in product launches.

By implementing the Altium and IHS Markit solution, Company A was able to:

• Identify potential obsolescence issues early in the design process
• Select components with longer lifecycles, reducing the risk of obsolescence
• Proactively manage their supply chain to ensure the availability of critical components
• Reduce redesign costs by 35% and improve time-to-market by 20%

Company B: Medical Device Manufacturer

Company B, a medical device manufacturer, had strict regulatory requirements that made component obsolescence a major concern. They needed to ensure that their products could be consistently manufactured and supported for many years without disruption.

By leveraging the Altium and IHS Markit partnership, Company B was able to:

• Access real-time component lifecycle data to guide their component selection process
• Identify and mitigate obsolescence risks early in the product development cycle
• Establish long-term supply agreements with component manufacturers to ensure availability
• Achieve a 98% component availability rate and reduce obsolescence-related redesigns by 50%

These case studies demonstrate the real-world benefits that companies can achieve by implementing the Altium and IHS Markit solution to address component obsolescence issues in their PCB design processes.

Future Developments

As the electronics industry continues to evolve and component obsolescence remains a pressing concern, Altium and IHS Markit are committed to enhancing their solution to meet the changing needs of designers and engineers. Some potential future developments include:

1. Predictive Analytics: Leveraging advanced analytics and machine learning techniques to predict component obsolescence risks even earlier in the product lifecycle.

2. Automated Component Recommendations: Providing designers with intelligent component recommendations based on lifecycle data, performance requirements, and supply chain availability.

3. Expanded Component Coverage: Continuously expanding the IHS Markit component database to include a wider range of components and technologies.

4. Integration with Other Design Tools: Exploring opportunities to integrate the component lifecycle data into other design tools and platforms, enabling a more seamless obsolescence management process.

By staying at the forefront of technology and listening to the needs of the electronics design community, Altium and IHS Markit aim to provide an increasingly powerful solution for managing component obsolescence in PCB design.

Conclusion

Component obsolescence is a significant challenge in the electronics industry, causing costly redesigns, delays, and product cancellations. The partnership between Altium and IHS Markit addresses this issue by integrating real-time component lifecycle data into the PCB design process. By providing designers with early visibility into potential obsolescence risks, this solution enables informed component selection, proactive supply chain management, and reduced redesign costs.

As demonstrated by the case studies, companies that have implemented the Altium and IHS Markit solution have seen significant benefits, including improved time-to-market, reduced obsolescence-related redesigns, and increased component availability. As the partnership continues to evolve and enhance its offerings, it is poised to become an essential tool for electronics designers and engineers looking to mitigate the risks of component obsolescence in their product development processes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is component obsolescence, and why is it a concern in PCB design?
   Component obsolescence refers to the situation where a component is no longer available from the manufacturer, either due to discontinuation or end-of-life. It is a concern in PCB design because it can lead to costly redesigns, delays, and even product cancellations.

2. How does the Altium and IHS Markit partnership help address component obsolescence?
   The partnership integrates IHS Markit’s extensive component database and lifecycle information into Altium’s PCB design software. This allows designers to access real-time component lifecycle data directly within their design environment, enabling them to identify potential obsolescence issues early and make informed component selection decisions.

3. What types of component lifecycle information are provided through the partnership?
   The IHS Markit component database provides various types of lifecycle information, including Product Change Notifications (PCNs), End-of-Life (EOL) Notices, and Estimated Years to End-of-Life. This information helps designers stay informed about changes in component specifications, availability, and potential obsolescence risks.

4. How can companies implement the Altium and IHS Markit solution into their design workflows?
   To implement the solution, companies need to ensure they have the latest version of Altium Designer, which includes the IHS Markit component data integration. They also need to obtain a subscription to IHS Markit’s component database. Once set up, designers can incorporate the component lifecycle data into their PCB design process, using it to guide component selection and obsolescence management decisions.

5. What are some of the future developments planned for the Altium and IHS Markit partnership?
   Future developments may include predictive analytics to predict component obsolescence risks earlier, automated component recommendations based on lifecycle data and requirements, expanded component coverage in the IHS Markit database, and integration with other design tools and platforms. These enhancements aim to provide an increasingly powerful solution for managing component obsolescence in PCB design.

Feature	Benefit
Real-time component lifecycle data	Early identification of potential obsolescence issues
Extensive component database	Access to a wide range of components and their lifecycle information
Integration with Altium Designer	Seamless access to component data within the PCB design environment
Product Change Notifications (PCNs)	Alerts designers to changes in component specifications or manufacturing
End-of-Life (EOL) Notices	Informs designers when a component is being discontinued by the manufacturer
Estimated Years to End-of-Life	Helps designers plan for potential obsolescence and find alternative components

By leveraging these features and benefits, electronics designers and engineers can proactively address component obsolescence issues, reduce redesign costs, and improve time-to-market for their products.