Strategies to the Prediction, Mitigation, and Management of Product Obsolescence

Supply chains for electronic products are primarily driven by consumer electronics. Every year new mobile phones, computers and gaming consoles are introduced, driving the continued applicability of Moore's law. The semiconductor manufacturing industry is highly dynamic and releases new, better and cheaper products day by day. But what happens to long-field life products like airplanes or ships, which need the same components for decades? How do electronic and also non-electronic systems that need to be manufactured and supported of decades manage to continue operation using parts that were available for a few years at most? This book attempts to answer these questions.

This is the only book on the market that covers obsolescence forecasting methodologies, including forecasting tactics for hardware and software that enable cost-effective proactive product life-cycle management. This book describes how to implement a comprehensive obsolescence management system within diverse companies. Strategies to the Prediction, Mitigation and Management of Product Obsolescence is a must-have work for all professionals in product/project management, sustainment engineering and purchasing.

Bjoern Bartels is a senior consultant and obsolescence management competence lead with a masters degree in international business and a German diploma in industrial engineering and business management.

Ulrich Ermel is Head of Department Materials and Obsolescence Management at TQ Systems GmbH and Chairman of the Component Obsolescence Group in Germany.

Peter Sandborn, PhD, is Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the CALCE Electronic Products and Systems Center at the University of Maryland.

Michael G. Pecht, PhD, is Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Center for Advanced Life Cycle Engineering (CALCE) at the University of Maryland. He is also a visiting Professor in Electronics Engineering at City University in Hong Kong.