Increased Support For Military Electronics
Specialist distributor Dionics Plc has launched a dedicated Military and Obsolete Division (MOD), aimed at increasing the support available to military and other long-life electronics manufacturers.

"Our solution to obsolescence is very simple," said Paul Chinery, Managing Director. "We have created a broad portfolio of high reliability, heavily obsolete components. Some of the devices date back to the late seventies, from manufacturers who no longer exist. However, these aren't museum pieces. These pristine components come exclusively from major European military manufacturers and are carefully housed in a facility externally audited to BS EN 61340-5-1." This searchable inventory, which is not limited to semiconductors, is available at www.high-rel.com.

In a recent survey commissioned by the Ministry of Defence, QinetiQ and Arinc collaborated to explore the costs associated with various obsolescence solutions.

Source: Ministry of Defence

"We don't emulate, reverse engineer or remanufacture," said Chinery. "There are numerous solution providers that already perform these services extremely well. We simply stock original product. The recent cost metrics study proves our solution is the most cost effective, but it also offers additional advantages. For instance, as no engineering or manufacturing is necessary, components that disappeared decades ago can be ordered for next day delivery".

Initially intended for military OEMs, Dionics' rare inventory allows additional flexibility, enabling them to support organisations and projects of all sizes. Whereas remanufacturing requires a minimum production quantity to make it economically viable, holding original inventory does not impose similar restrictions.

This is particularly important when one considers that any solution to obsolescence is temporary. What is typically required is a bridging solution until the opportunity to design out obsolescence presents itself.

Any electronics' manufacturing organisation naturally strives to create is a bill of materials (BOM) free of obsolescence. However, with some 13,000 components disappearing every month, this is an impossible challenge that obviously gets more difficult the longer the equipment is in service.

It was these concerns that lead to the creation of this new service Chinery explained, "We recognised the difficulties many organisations face. As soon as one problem has been resolved, another presents itself. There is no single solution to component obsolescence - engineers and buyers typically rely on a whole series of solutions, using the most appropriate for any given project. Our aim is to simply add another option to their arsenal of tools."

t: +44 (0) 2476 71 3366
f: +44 (0) 2476 71 4488
e: paul@dionics.com
w: www.dionics.com
EDI-around-the-industry-wk28-2005