Working groups developing new initiatives between quarterly meetings.

Booklet helps navigate the Pb-free minefield

23 November 2005 - Component Obsolescence Group (COG) Primarily as a result of a DTI initiative and through the full support of members of the Component Obsolescence Group's External Liaison Group, COG is publishing a series of reference booklets about various aspects of electronic components and other areas threatened by obsolescence and the ways in which these impact on elements of industry. The 'Obsolescence minefield' series of publications are designed to be comprehensive, very informative but easily understood by both engineers and management. Some of the subjects covered in the series include date coding, the supply chain, long term storage of components and the pitfalls associated with redundant stock.

COG booklet tackles RoHS

22 November 2005 - Component Obsolescence Group (COG) Lead-free technology is the latest subject under the microscope in the latest in a series of reference booklets from the Component Obsolescence Group about various aspects of electronic component and other areas threatened by obsolescence and the ways in which these impact on elements of industry.

COG is publishing a series of reference booklets about various aspects of electronic components

20 October 2005 - Component Obsolescence Group (COG) Now, as the industry moves towards the cutoff date for the elimination of hazardous material and devices, the latest publication is designed to provide a comprehensive step-by-step evaluation of the impact and mitigation of technical and obsolescence risks associated with the transition to Pb-free solder and RoHS compliance, most of which will still be viable and helpful once the legislation is in force.

DSEI supplement to components in Eelectronics

01 August 2005 - Component Obsolescence Group (COG) In 1984, aerospace and defence components represented some 9% of the electronic, electrical and electromechanical components market. Today it is around a tenth of that; the reduction is caused by both the relative increase in other markets, and by the drive in high-reliability markets owards the use of commercial off-the-shelf components.

Component obsolescence comes under scrutiny

15 July 2005 - Component Obsolescence Group (COG) Speakers from the US Department of Defence, the UK Ministry of Defence, Westinghouse Rail, Rochester Electronics and BAE Systems have all been lined up to address a major conference on how organisations which need to maintain expensive, long lifespan equipment can deal with the growing problem of component obsolescence. 'Obsolescence: Risks, Strategies and Effective Management Processes' is being hosted by the Component Obsolescence Group and is due to take place from June 28-30 at St David s Hotel in Cardiff, Wales. There will also be an associated trade exhibition. Ted Glum, Director of Defence Microelectronics Activity (part of the US Department of Defence) and Howard Perkins, Director of Enabling Services, UK Ministry of Defence will give keynote speeches with further contributions from Logistical & Mechanical Services of South Africa, and the Georgia Tech Research Institute in the US. The conference will cover obsolescence management strategies and potential future problems and ways of dealing with them, the effectiveness of using off-the-shelf commercial components to replace parts designed for the industrial market and the impact of the new RoHs and WEEE directives. System and component obsolescence case studies will also be presented.

Short lifetimes of nanometre chips are centre-stage in the obsolescence debate

14 June 2005 - Component Obsolescence Group (COG) Arguably today's biggest dilemma for designers of military and aerospace systems is how to deal with the dramatic reduction in chip operating life caused by the semiconductor industry's move to nanometre processes which is entirely geared towards throwaway consumer products.

Off The Shelf commercial components are not catch-all solution to Industry's obsolescence problems

10 May 2005 - Component Obsolescence Group (COG) Organisations which need to maintain in service vital long-lifespan electronic equipment should use extreme care when looking for alternatives as replacements for obsolete components, especially where only 'commercial off-the-shelf COTS' devices are available, says the Component Obsolescence Group.

Design engineers and obsolescence - the distributor interface

01 May 2005 - Component Obsolescence Group (COG) According to Arrow Electronics, each desktop computer with a typical monitor contains an average of 4 to 8 pounds of lead. The 315 million computers that became functionally obsolete between 1997 and 2004 contained a total of more than 1.2 billion pounds of lead. This is just one of the very good reasons why we need to take some positive action against the growing mountain of hazardous materials, but the implementation of the EU Directives is likely to add to the already massive headache that is posed by component obsolescence.

Obsolescence sends shockwaves through the city

01 April 2005 - Component Obsolescence Group (COG) Problems which could undermine the industry's ability to keep vital long lifespan equipment up and running are moving up the agenda of City analysts who monitor the most 'at risk' sectors, new research from the Component Obsolescence Group suggests.

Tracking down obsolete parts

02 March 2005 - Component Obsolescence Group (COG) Component obsolescence hits the headlines in national newspapers, you might think that would be an unlikely news story to make the daily papers, but it happened in the United Kingdom at the end of 2004. It arose because the national news media discovered that a company involved with the maintenance of the London Underground railway system had been buying parts on the eBay auction Web site to keep older electronic systems operating.

New research from the Component Obsolescence Group

18 February 2005 - Component Obsolescence Group (COG) COG's findings reveal that component obsolescence is recognised by more than half (55%) of the analysts polled as a business risk that companies need to manage effectively. However, less than a third (30%) factor the issue into their analyses, and only a quarter say companies give them any information on the obsolescence problems they face and how they manage them.

Thinking ahead is the key to managing the burgeoning problem of component obsolescence

01 January 2005 - Component Obsolescence Group (COG) How long do you think the components in your design will be available? If it's been around for a couple of years, then the chances are that you'll have to start thinking about what happens to those parts in the next three to five years. Of course, if you are designing fast moving consumer goods or mobile phones, you have nothing to worry about. But, for an increasing number of applications in the industrial, transportation, automotive and medical sectors, the issue of component obsolescence is becoming increasingly important.

WEEE and RoHS Directives to accelerate obsolescence problems

25 October 2004 - Component Obsolescence Group (COG) EU proposals to ban the use of lead in electronic equipment are likely to accelerate industry's already growing problem of how it can maintain expensive, long-lifespan equipment when components become obsolete, says the Component Obsolescence Group (COG).

Obsolescence – The growing industrial menace

15 June 2004 - Component Obsolescence Group (COG) Recently, a seminar on parts obsolescence was organised by the Railway Industry Association and the Association of Train Operating Companies. The event was an acknowledgement of the fact that the railway industry, like many other industrial sectors, is suffering from a growing problem caused by the inability economically to obtain replacement parts.

How to survive a short lifespan

10 June 2004 - Component Obsolescence Group (COG) Given the pace of technology, consumers should be thankful for the Component Obsolescence Group. Since 1997 the group has provided a platform to discuss the problem of outdated equipment and Teri-Ann Winslow, its new chairwoman, will be encouraging more companies to take part.

Negotiating the Supply Chain Minefield new booklet on managing component obsolescence

23 January 2004 - Component Obsolescence Group (COG) New guidance on managing the issue of component obsolescence to maximise supply chain efficiency has been issued by the Component Obsolescence Group, in the third of its series of information booklets. According to COG, if a component within a piece of equipment becomes obsolete, failure to get suitable replacement parts quickly or at all could incur considerable costs. It could mean that the equipment has to go out of service or parts of it may need to be re-designed, and in extreme cases, it could significantly damage an organisation's reputation and customer relationships.

Seeking a new way forward

19 June 2003 - Component Obsolescence Group (COG) Professor Roulston, OBE, FRSE, FIEE, CEng is also Industrial Professor of Electronics at Edinburgh University. His work with BAE Systems is concentrated on the Avionics Group, and his views on the changing face of the electronics industry made a big impact when he presented the keynote speech that opened the recent COG conference on The Application of Obsolescence Strategies.