Hardware Solutions for the Global Crisis

Global Market, Global Problem 

The crisis had a profound impact on the global market, and its effects are still felt today. During the crisis, most electronic equipment manufacturers couldn't meet customer demands. A large number of orders were postponed or canceled, and company profits sharply declined. Subsequently, stores closed, facilities shut down, and, of course, layoffs occurred.

All this forced electronic equipment manufacturers to react quickly to salvage or sustain their businesses. In those moments, manufacturers had to rely entirely on their engineering teams, primarily hardware engineers. However, even for them, the task was not easy, as most hardware engineers were facing such a problem for the first time.

At the outset, engineers approached the problem with various strategies to alleviate the crisis and continue production. What proved to be the most effective approach, at least from personal experience, was a form of redundant design of electronic boards.

This approach by hardware design engineers requires them to go through all electronic design components and for each find at least one alternative component from another manufacturer, whose components are not currently used. It is essential that this alternate component be identical in dimensions to the original. In case of a production halt for the current component, the alternative is used and placed in an identical location.

Component dimensions are just one of the requirements. Electrical properties and characteristics of alternative component are also crucial. These characteristics must be equal to or better than the existing ones to maintain the functionality of the electronic device in case of replacement.

After finding components that match the dimensions, engineers take into account their electrical characteristics and select alternative components that meet all the requirements imposed on the original component. This process significantly helped sustain production.

With the onset of the crisis, additional actions began to be implemented, primarily in the domain of new design. These actions required engineers not only to prepare alternative components but also to leave additional space for them in future designs. This means that we are no longer constrained by the dimensions of the original component; now, there is additional space in the design, providing more opportunities to easily cover the shortage of one component with another.

After taking all the measures mentioned above, the situation regarding the production of electronic devices has significantly stabilized, and most manufacturing facilities can meet customer needs.

Until the next challenge!