LEM, SCRM Consultant
I help companies and organizations manage the unique challenges created by electronics obsolescence.
How GDCA Solved an Impossible Legacy Hardware Challenge | Ep.1: The Customer Challenge & GDCA’s Role
Dawn Dela Rosa, Director of Manufacturing at GDCA, takes the stage on our YouTube channel with a new three-part short video series exploring a recent sustainment challenge that we recently undertook for a military program struggling to find a source for their critical but obsolete hardware. The first episode introduces the major problem of this particular project and what GDCA did to solve it. A Sustainment Project with an Inevitable Challenge Mission critical electronics systems are often the most susceptible to obsolescence and supply chain issues, because they need to be in service at least five years or more–and more often than not, over several decades. And when the components for these systems become obsolete, they become increasingly more difficult to source in a way that is safe and reliable. For this particular military customer, GDCA knew that they had several components at risk of becoming obsolete, if they weren’t already. Initially, we took a very proactive approach to sourcing, testing, and storing every available component that we could find to keep the program running. Our team went to extreme lengths to track down and secure those parts from sources worldwide, testing each and every component to make sure that they were safe and reliable. However, despite all of our efforts, and the fact that we had built up what we’d assumed would be enough inventory, the inevitable happened–we ran out of a component that was absolutely critical to production. Without it, the customer’s program was at risk of shutting down. A Proactive Response to Keep the System Running As soon as GDCA’s team knew that we were going to run out of the component earlier than our forecasts had anticipated, we launched into action. Rather than telling the customer that there was nothing more we could do, our engineering team began a massive internal project to find a solution that could keep the customer’s system running without the need for that missing part. They redesigned the entire board, overcoming several technical hurdles in order to create a long-term solution that would sustain the customer’s system for years to come–and that’s just the beginning. Over the next couple of weeks, Dawn will be continuing the story in our next YouTube uploads, exploring the various challenges that GDCA’s engineers overcame in order to provide a proper solution for our customers. Check out the first episode on GDCA’s YouTube channel as well so you don’t miss a thing!
NEW Amelia’s Weekly Fish Fry Podcast Episode
🎙️ Had a great time on Amelia Dalton’s Fish Fry podcast discussing how OEMs can tackle obsolescence challenges with smarter legacy support. 🎧 Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gXtSmmwn hashtag#ObsolescenceManagement hashtag#OEM hashtag#LegacySupport hashtag#Podcast
Unlocking OEM Potential: The Power of Legacy Support (Video)
At the Embedded Tech Trends Conference, I had the opportunity to discuss a critical challenge facing embedded OEMs: balancing innovation with long-term product sustainment. In this episode of Insights from the Road, I dive into: ✅ The hidden value in legacy products ✅ Strategies to extend product lifecycles without sacrificing innovation ✅ Why mastering legacy support is key to OEM success
NEW YouTube Channel
Speaking of forward-leaning innovation, I’m also excited to share the launch of my new YouTube channel, Legacy Insights, where I’ll explore strategies and stories to empower industry and government leaders. Thank you to everyone who made this event memorable. Onward to innovation!
Military Obsolescence
“Fun and informative way to express the chronic problem of electronics obsolescence. Many folks may not know that many active defense systems have obsolete parts in them before the high-rate production run is done. So how do we more affordably sustain these systems throughout lifecycles that span decades?”
We are coming to Embedded Tech Trends conference 2025!
I’m looking forward to reconnecting with folks in San Antonio next week for VITA’s annual Embedded Tech Trends conference. This year I’ll be talking about how Embedded OEMs (companies who make computers that control things: think radar systems, baggage scanners, medical devices, etc…) can unlock more of their potential by mastering legacy support. If you’re attending this year, let us know and we can meet up!
DoD Maintenance Symposium 2024
“We recently created as new YouTube video with my road-notes from this year’s DoD Maintenance Symposium, coming out next week. In the meantime…. Check out this great overview of the conference by Kevin Sampels. Given the rising tensions and the great power struggle with China, I want to foot-stomp Kevin’s emphasis on the IMPERATIVE of resolving many of the challenges related to resilient supply chains – especially how Industry and Government can work together for affordable sustainment of defense systems.”
AAAA Cribbins Readiness Conference 2024
“I enjoyed sitting alongside some smart folks at the AAAA Cribbins Readiness Conference recently in Huntsville, Alabama. Our panel was called Maintaining Readiness Through Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM). Good to hear about the how the Army and Bell have put in place a comprehensive SCRM framework for FLRAA. My perspective? electronics obsolescence is the single largest and most consistent disruptor to affordable readiness; solving obsolescence is the gateway to effective SCRM.”
IIOM 2024 / Stacy Newstead
“Great first hand insights of what it takes to expand domestic production (and mining) of critical raw materials. One of several fantastic presentations today!”
Hill Skill Will Commerical
“Apart from encouraging folks to consider external suppliers to more easily solve their electronics obsolescence issues, this video was an interesting experience in AI. Despite a little post-production, the pictures and music were all AI generated!”