Type of component shortage

One of the many contingencies of PCB underdevelopment and PCB manufacturing delays is not having enough components. Component shortages can be classified as planned or unplanned based on foreseeable levels in the industry prior to their occurrence.

Planned component shortage

Technical Change – One of the most common reasons for a shortage of planned components is a technical change due to new materials, packaging, or machining. These changes may come from developments in commercial research and development (R&D) or basic research.

Insufficient demand – Another cause of component shortages is the normal out-of-date component life cycle at the end of production. The decrease in part production may be a result of functional requirements.

Shortage of unplanned components

Unexpected demand increases – in some cases, including the current shortage of electronic components, manufacturers have underestimated market demand and have been unable to keep up.

Manufacturers shut down — in addition, increased demand could be due to the loss of key suppliers, political sanctions or other unforeseen reasons. Natural disasters, accidents or other rare events may cause the manufacturer to lose the ability to deliver components. These types of availability losses often lead to price increases, further exacerbating the impact of component shortages.

Depending on your PCB development stage and the type of component shortage, it may be necessary to redesign the PCB to accommodate alternative components or replacement components. This can add a lot of time and cost to your product overhead.

How to avoid component shortages

Although component shortages can be disruptive and costly to your PCB development, there are steps you can take to mitigate the severity of their impact. The most effective way to avoid the negative impact of planned or unplanned component shortages on PCB development is to be prepared for the inevitable.

Component shortage in preparation plan

Technology consciousness – the constant demand for higher performance and smaller products, and the pursuit of higher performance, means that new technologies will continue to replace existing products. Understanding these developments can help you anticipate and prepare for component changes.

Know the component lifecycle – By understanding the component lifecycle of the product you are using in your design, you can predict shortages more directly. This is often more important for high-performance or specialized components.

Prepare for unplanned component shortages

Substitute components – Assuming that your component may not be available at some point, this is just a good preparation. One way to implement this principle is to use components with available alternatives, preferably with similar packaging and performance characteristics.

Buy in bulk – Another good preparation strategy is to buy a large number of components in advance. Although this option may curb costs, buying enough components to meet your future manufacturing needs is the most effective way to prevent component shortages.

“Be prepared” is an excellent motto to follow when it comes to avoiding component shortages. Disruption of PCB development due to component unavailability can have serious consequences. So it’s better to plan for the unexpected rather than be caught off guard.