1. technology and computing

Newsletter March 2015
Diary
Chairman’s Report
Studying the Past – to Define the Future
As we make the transition into the International Institute of
Obsolescence Management (IIOM) I thought it appropriate
to look back at what we have collectively achieved as the
Component Obsolescence Group. Some of the statistics
surprised me.
Since its inception, 17 years ago, COG has been successful as a networking and
knowledge sharing membership organisation that boasts a loyal membership in
both the UK and German groups.
It has brought together many individuals and organisations concerned with
addressing and mitigating the effects of obsolescence. Through the mutual and
voluntary sharing of obsolescence issues, strategies and solutions, COG has
promoted a pro-active approach to the management of obsolescence and the
development of processes for dealing with it.
Our membership has grown to include over 200 international companies from
more than fifteen countries since the organisation started in 1997.
We have representation from many industry sectors including Aerospace,
Defence, railway, Nuclear Energy, Oil & Gas, Medical & Automotive
Members come from a variety of disciplines concerned with reducing
obsolescence risk and these include hardware engineers, designers, procurement,
logistics and obsolescence specialists, software engineers, systems engineers,
sales and marketing, and professional consultancy.
Training and Networking Events
•
62 members meetings have taken place to date with an average attendance
of 70
•
39 educational, training workshops on more than 30 topics related to
Obsolescence Management
•
COG has developed and held 8 conferences
•
With the input from experts within member companies COG has published
13 Guidance Booklets, of which 10,000 copies have been distributed. Several
titles have been translated for the German market
Research
•
COG members have contributed to multiple research projects conducted by
Universities to improve Obsolescence Management tools and processes.
Next Steps
I’m sure many will agree that COG has become a leading light in the Obsolescence
Management discipline and IIOM will continue to deliver all of the above.
Becoming an Institute will allow us to further enhance our program to improve
and develop both the discipline, and our members.
IIOM has a commitment to ensure that the current Obsolescence Management
training is developed into a more meaningful structure with recognised
accreditation against an appropriate body. As there is no relevant body existing
today under this discipline, the proposed direction is to develop this training into
formal Certificates and Diplomas under the accreditation of the International
Institute of Obsolescence Management.
Evolving into an Institute will allow COG to further enhance its current
membership benefits by becoming more universally accepted across many
sectors and countries
It will ensure that we will continue to be recognised as a professional body of the
highest standing.
Stuart Kelly
COG Chairman
TLS Ltd
Reflections on the importance of Data at the October
Component Obsolescence Group Members (COG) Meeting
A big thank you to LSC for Sponsoring our October meeting
last year. A key message was the importance of Data in
minimising the impact of Obsolescence.
Managing assets through-life demands a rigorous and robust
supply chain. Information and Data flows throughout the supply chain, and it is
important that it is managed, understood and informs every decision.
Steve Wyatt, LSC Group Managing Director commented “Effective information
management allows us to understand the risks of increased costs, supply chain
delays, poor data quality and inefficient ways of working. It also allows us to
integrate obsolescence management throughout the asset life-cycle.”
Supply chain collaboration was recognised as another important factor, beyond
the traditional Tier 1, 2 and 3 suppliers. And, with the evolution of COG to the
International Institute of Obsolescence Management, this testifies to the global
impact of Obsolescence and the international reach of the supply chain.
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research
Council (EPSRC) is the UK’s main agency for
funding research in engineering and the physical
sciences. EPSRC invests around £800 million a year in research and postgraduate
training, to help the nation handle the next generation of technological change.
An initiative that COG is involved in is the Through Life Engineering Services that is
being managed by Cranfield & Durham Universities
Through -life Engineering Services (TES) -Are the technical services that are
necessary to guarantee the required and predictable performance of a complex
engineering system throughout its expected operational life with the optimum
whole-life cost.
There are many industrial partners including Rolls-Royce, Bombardier , BAE
Systems, ADS, BSI, Northrop Grumman, and Siemens.
An initial investment of £11.2 million will focus on areas such as No fault found
diagnosis, degradation of components systems design, self-healing system,
autonomous maintenance and deterioration of linear machines.
The next TES conference takes place on the 30th June - 2nd July 2015 and our
members are encouraged to attend
We plan to invite Cranfield University to speak on aspects of the programme at
future member meetings.
COG Germany Members Meeting
• 25th March 2015, Kassel
National Electronics Week
• 21st-22nd April 2015
NEC, Birmingham
Electronics Sourcing ES Live
• 14th May 2015
Madejski Stadium, Reading
COG Germany Members Meeting
• 20th May, Munich
IIOM Conference & Exhibition
• 16th-18th June 2015
The Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh
Safety and Reliability Society
Conference
• 23rd-25th June 2015
Burleigh Court Conference Centre,
Loughborough University
DSEI
• 15th-18th September 2015
ExCel, London
Electronics Design Show
• 21st-22nd October 2015
Ricoh Arena, Coventry
International Through-Life
Engineering Services Conference
• 3rd-4th November 2015
Cranfield University
DMSMS Conference
• 30th Nov-4th Dec 2015
Phoenix, AZ USA
In Brief
ÂÂ Website Development
The current COG website will
be changing to feature the IIOM
branding in the coming months, we
appreciate your patience through
this transition. A new IIOM site is
intended for the future
ÂÂ Online Blog for Environmental
legislation
If your role requires you to keep
abreast of pending national and
international component related
environmental legislation you may
find this blog by Gary Nevison from
Farnell Components/Element 14
really useful.
Click Here
ÂÂ Support for obsolete memory
products
Please note that Solid State
Supplies is franchised to supply
Alliance Memory Inc alternatives to
old Micron products.
Products include SDRAM, various
SRAM ranges and other parts;
these are manufactured with the
full consent of Micron Technology
Inc.
ÂÂ REACH Update
The list of SVHC’s included in annex
XIV of REACH has been updated
as of 14th august, and now
includes 31 substances. The full
Authorisation list, with the Sunset
Dates can be found here.
In addition, The European
chemicals Agency have issued their
6th recommendation of substances
for inclusion into Annex XIV on
1st September. It is probable that
these substances will go into Annex
XIV in early 2016, and sunset dates
are expected to be 2019 or 2020.
This list can be found here.
ÂÂ International Chapter Plans
We are in early discussions with
potential secretariat providers in
Australia, the USA and Benelux.
A Benelux exploratory meeting is
planned for September 2015 where
we will gauge local interest. This
is being organised in partnership
with Converge and their partners
in the Arrow Group and also COG
Germany.
The National Museum of Computing (TNMOC)
Last year Ian Blackman lucky enough to be invited to attend an event at the
TNMOC that included a free tour of the facility.
The National Museum of Computing (TNMOC), located at Bletchley Park, is an
independent charity housing the largest collection of functional historic computers
in Europe, including a rebuilt Colossus, the world’s first electronic computer. The
purpose of the NMOC is to collect and restore computer systems particularly
those developed in Britain and to enable people to explore that collection for
inspiration, learning and enjoyment.”
TNMOC enables visitors to follow the development of computing from the ultrasecret pioneering efforts of the 1940s through the mainframes of the 1960s and
1970s, and the rise of personal computing in the 1980s. New working exhibits are
regularly unveiled and the public can already view a rebuilt and fully operational
Colossus, the restored Harwell Dekatron/WITCH computer, an ICL 2966, one of
the workhorse mainframes computers of the 1980s, many of the earliest desktops
of the 1980s and 1990s, plus the NPL Technology of the Internet Gallery. In June
2010 TNMOC hosted Britain’s first-ever Vintage Computer Festival.
Well worth a visit, Bletchley Park has a separate entry but could be an extra activity
if you were able to spare the time.
Rolls-Royce combines businesses
to bring new benefits to engine life
management
In June 2014 Rolls-Royce announced
the merger of two wholly owned
subsidiaries, Aero Engine Controls
(AEC) and Optimized Systems and
Solutions (OSyS), to form a new
business, Controls and Data Services
(CDS), which will continue to operate
as part of the Rolls-Royce Group.
The new business will bring together
equipment sensors, controls and
monitoring systems with performance
analysis and health management
services, delivering greater asset
intelligence at a faster pace.
Controls and Data Services will
operate across all Rolls-Royce market
sectors, Civil and Defense aerospace,
Industrial Power and Marine. The
business will continue to support
current customers in High Integrity
Controls and Monitoring and Data
Solutions functions, strengthening the
current offering while building new
integrated capability.
Inaugural IIOM Conference 2015
The IIOM steering group are looking forward to delivering the first IIOM
Conference in Edinburgh in June 2015 and establishing IIOM as a world leading
thought leadership community for Obsolescence Management, building on the
successes of the COG legacy.
Entitled “Obsolescence - Everything’s Affected; Everyone’s Involved”
The event will be held in central Edinburgh which is very easy to reach and
travel around once there. Delegates will be staying at The George Hotel and the
conference will be held at the nearby Assembly rooms. Both venues are modern
and attractive. As with previous events the evening dinners will provide great
networking opportunities for all attendees.
We have received abstracts from countries around the world and the agreed
programme will include speakers from Germany, New Zealand and the USA. This
year we are expecting attendees from throughout Europe and a strong contingent
from North America.
Sponsorship support has been excellent with IHS taking the principal sponsorship,
Astute Electronics are sponsoring the gala dinner, Jactron will supply the
conference memory sticks, BAE Systems and AVCOM are sponsoring the welcome
reception at the caves. There are further sponsorship opportunities available but
the interest is very high so act fast.
We are pleased to have secured New Electronics, Electronics Sourcing, Aerospace
Manufacturing, and Railway Professional as media sponsors for the event with
further in industry specific sectors being sought
Exhibition stands are selling well, almost half the stands have been taken and
interest from members and non-members has been strong.
Early booking for attendees finishes at the end of March 2015 and offers
substantial savings on the full price.
Please pass on details of the conference to members of your own organisation
and your supply chain. If you use social media platforms please share our LinkedIn
and Twitter messages.
To find out more about the event and to register online please look here.
New Members
ASL (Aerospace Logistics Ltd) is a privately owned business, with its
Head Office in Horsham, United Kingdom and International offices
in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, UAE and Oman. With over
20,000 sq.ft. of warehousing for 200,000 lines of stocked aircraft
components, they offer systems integration, repair and overhaul to
both civil and military organisations.
The Alenia Aermacchi site at Venegono Superiore, near Varese,
designs, builds and supports military training aircraft. It is located on
a company-owned airfield, which is used for development, training
and customer delivery activities. Its signature product is the M-346
advanced trainer, which was designed and is now built there. The
site also makes aero-structures for both military and commercial
programs, often within international collaborations.
The Center for Advanced Life Cycle Engineering (CALCE) is recognized
as a founder and driving force behind the development and
implementation of physics-of-failure (PoF) approaches to reliability, as
well as a world leader in accelerated testing, electronic parts selection
and management, and supply-chain management.
TRW Automotive is the global leader in automotive safety.
With the broadest portfolio of active and passive safety technologies
of any supplier, TRW produces advanced active systems in braking;
steering and suspension; and sophisticated occupant safety systems,
including airbags, seat belts and steering wheels. TRW has over
65,000 employees working in more than 185 locations in every
vehicle-producing region worldwide.
Maritime Services is a £600M business with 3,500 employees, based
across five sites. There end to end maritime services range from
warship availability, equipment and facilities management, training,
product development and through life support for radar, torpedoes
and small boats.
From concept through to manufacture and in-service support, they
use their manufacturing, supply chain, engineering and logistics
expertise to ensure their customers get the optimum availability from
their equipment and systems.
Edif Group is a leading independent provider of technical solutions
to Industrial markets worldwide. Edif adds value for its customers
by helping improve the quality, safety and reliability of critical assets
and infrastructure. Edif provides a range of inspection, testing and
consultancy services. From vendor inspection and expediting to asset
integrity consultancy, capability assurance and power engineering, Edif
supports clients across the lifecycle of their equipment and assets.
We serve clients across a range of industrial markets that include
Oil & Gas, Power, Defence, Rail and Aerospace. We have long term
relationships with clients built on our ability to enable their success.
Cranfield Online Obsolescence
Management Training
Cranfield University are coordinating
delegates for the next 6-week Online
Obsolescence Management course.
Call the Operations Excellence team at
Cranfield on 01234 754059 for further
details.
Cranfield University offers a roadmap
on how to manage the obsolescence
risk and how to understand the impact
of obsolescence on though-life costs.
Study time is flexible according to your
work and personal commitments and
is 100% online.
Converge expands its European
presence by opening a new
office in the United Kingdom, in
addition to expanding its German
sales operation. Converge retains
warehousing and engineering support
for Europe in Amsterdam, with a
complete engineering, testing and
quality inspection process on site,
complementing Asia and America
operations. Converge has a wide
network of offices from Amsterdam to
Tel Aviv, and many places in between
which has allowed the company to
capitalize on emerging/expanding
markets and stay competitive while
meeting the demands of customers
regionally.
Cassidian Test and Services, a world
leader in test systems for defence and
aerospace equipment, has confirmed
its exit from the Airbus Group. A
former business within the Airbus
Defence and Space division, the new
entity, SPHEREA, has become a midcap company with 500 employees and
in 2013, revenues of 100 million euros.
The principle operating sites are at
Toulouse and Elancourt in France, at
Ulm in Germany and at Wimborne
in the UK. All sites and jobs are
preserved and with new investors on
board the company enters a new era
with ambitions of revenues of 150 to
200 million Euros by 2018.
IHS has released the industry’s
largest electronic database to provide
engineers with access to over 413
million electronic components. This
database is now over 37% larger than
its nearest competitor. New CAPS
Universe, IHS single part lookup tool
was released in April. New BOM
Manager will be released in early
October. This database also contains
an average of 131 attributes per part,
over 250% larger than other similar
databases. The breadth of IHS new
database will ensure engineers find
the part they need to help them
manage their supply chains.
The evolution of an idea
The Component Obsolescence Group, Unit 3, Curo Park, St Albans, Herts, AL2 2DD
Email
Tel:+44 (0) 1727 876 029