Electronic systems consist of an extended bill-of-material (BOM), which is majorly occupied by active and passive components. The selection of components is based primarily on the core technical features and solutions the system tries to provide. The choice of components determines the actual functioning of the electronic system and the circuits' schematic requirements. However, component selection is beyond getting the system to work!
The COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on the global supply chain of electronic components. The immediate effect of this was seen in the delay in R&D delivery and production schedule. In cases, where component procurement was not done by following the proper process, we saw huge product lines shut down overnight and R&D projects put on the back burner due to extremely long lead times on certain critical components.
The eventual goal during components selection is to ensure we have a BOM that can expedite the initial R&D prototype development and ensure there are no roadblocks when the production scale ramps up.
Despite the size and scale of any project, it is extremely important that a very rigid process be followed when it comes to component selection if the eventual goal is to hit production and scale.
1. Alternate component selection
Most electronic components have a standard industry-approved size and footprint. Generic components often tend to adopt the same pin assignment as well. It is advisable to have components having the same footprint, and pin assignment, and yet from a different manufacturer and label them as alternate components. This ensures production schedules of independent component delivery time do not affect the overall project delivery. In an event where the supply chain is disrupted, the resilience of the system is indicated by the shortest recovery time to get the production line back on track. Having an alternate components list in the backup will ensure a quick instruction replacement, which will ensure the lines are working.
2. Prototype-friendly components
Electronic components have a very fine pitch and are not breadboard friendly at times and, in some cases, it’s not possible to hand solder them without certain expertise or high-grade equipment. The selection of components should ensure that components can be assembled at the lab level. This will eliminate the need for reliance on an external vendor at an early stage. This allows for rapid changes and iteration of the design on the bench level.
3. Locally available components
It is critical to either select components which are available locally or identify vendors who stock a wide range of components. Depending upon the region of operation, importing components for initial research and development can be extremely time ineffective. In most NPD 60% of the timeline is usually occupied by component sourcing. It is very important to realize this and work on reducing this time to the lowest.
4. Avoid obsolete devices labeled NRND
Most electronic components manufacturers provide live production status of components. This is either provided on their online catalog or it is provided to authorized stockists or distributors such as Digi Key, Mouser, or Arrow. It is advisable to understand a projection of the components' production time for at least 5-10 years before it goes into the design. Usually, an ‘ACTIVE’ label might be considered a safe-to-use design for a minimum of 5 years.
5. Traceability
It is important to select components that provide a convenient platform to ensure component traceability. We need to be sure the components have a batch code on them, and we could trace the manufacturing date and QC report on them[KM1]. Having a batch code and QC report allows us to ensure parts are genuine and from the original vendors and is not a counterfeit product. The date code also allows us to verify the parts have not crossed the shelf-life duration. This requirement becomes more critical when your procurement process needs ISO 9001 or ISO 13485 clearance.
6. Identifying vendors
Off late we have a lot of leading retailers dealing with electronic components delivery via online sales. This has been highly effective and enables quick access to components. But in most cases, these retailers also have a B2B division, which would enable us to contact them directly and establish a line of interest for long-term orders. It is important we establish steady vendors who can provide quotations on short notice, stock a range of generic components, and source critical components with small lead time.
Despite the best efforts by any organization and following best practices, we do end up facing supply chain problems. One of the prime reasons for this, we do not revisit the BOM once the design is locked. An active BOM must be tracked on a regular basis to ensure that are no gaps in the system. This includes tracking the information provided by the manufacturers and maintaining healthy relationships with your distributor and stockist. Rushed decisions on BOM can lead to huge unavoidable delays. This part of development is not something we can cut corners.
If you want to have a stronger understanding of our resilient supply chain network, feel free to reach out to us at info@lifeboundtech.com
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