Obsolescence Management and Diminishing
Manufacturing Sources
Obsolescence management is a discipline in and of itself. As the service life of a product ex- tends beyond the technology life cycle incorporated in the design, obsolescence and DMSMS problems arise. Both the defense and commercial markets must find ways to plan for and man- age obsolescence and DMSMS, because every product is subject to their effects. In other words, to be successful, parts management must address DMSMS throughout the product's life cycle.
Identification and resolution of DMSMS problems have both proactive and reactive ele- ments. On the proactive side, prospective DMSMS situations need to be addressed during the initial phases of product development or modification. Current and potential DMSMS items need to be identified early in the product design phase, and associated design tradeoffs must be made to minimize life-cycle vulnerability. Reactive efforts, on the other hand, find cost-effec- tive solutions to DMSMS problems identified during the production phase or in fielded units. A coordinated program approach, one that includes both proactive and reactive efforts, will support product availability and readiness objectives.
Several commercial companies identify obsolete parts and DMSMS and predict the life ex- pectancy of parts. Other sources of information include GIDEP, which is the source of DMSMS information for the military services' DMSMS programs, and the Parts Management Advisory Team (PMAT). Both groups perform parts DMSMS obsolescence screening, data gathering, and dissemination for DoD and its contractors. One or more of these services should be an active part of the DMSMS and obsolescence program of every organization involved in the design and production of electrical and mechanical products.
Subcontractor Management
Engineers and/or parts management personnel should participate in the technical evaluation of a subcontractor's response to a solicitation to ensure that the subcontractor has complied with parts management requirements. The prime contractor must ensure compliance to their parts management plan or program. The parts management engineer, or equivalent, should be re- sponsible for reviewing, verifying, and approving the subcontractors' parts management process.
In addition, a monitoring and feedback process should be used to review and evaluate any changes to established procedures. A good way to assess parts management is to form an IPT consisting of representatives of the contractor and subcontractors. The engineer should assist the IPT by analyzing the subcontractors' parts data. The IPT should review and resolve any adverse findings. The contractor may request that the customer participate on this IPT.
Source: https://assist.dla.mil -- Downloaded:
Check the source to verify that this is the current version before use. 19
For Parts Inquires call Parts Hangar, Inc (727) 493-0744
© Copyright 2015 Integrated Publishing, Inc.
A Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business