Guides
Practical guides on obsolescence, end-of-life notices and sourcing hard-to-find electronic components.
Last time buy: how to plan and calculate the right quantity
A last time buy (LTB) is your final chance to order a discontinued component from the manufacturer. Getting the quantity right means adding up remaining production and service demand, allowing for scrap and a safety buffer, and subtracting stock you already hold. Missed the date? Distributor stock and the open market are the remaining options.
Last updated 29 September 2026
Obsolescence management for electronic components: a practical guide
Obsolescence management is the discipline of anticipating and handling components that go end-of-life before they stop production or repair. It combines monitoring — PCNs, lifecycle data, BOM reviews — with a set of resolution options: last time buy, open-market sourcing, alternatives and redesign. The earlier a discontinuation is caught, the cheaper it is to solve.
Last updated 29 September 2026
Product change notifications and EOL notices: what they mean and how to respond
Manufacturers announce changes to a component with a product change notification (PCN) and its discontinuation with a PDN or EOL notice. Each notice has deadlines — for acknowledging a change, placing a last time buy or raising objections. Companies that route notices to a named owner, check which products are affected and respond in time avoid most obsolescence surprises.
Last updated 29 September 2026