Component shortages - Have you heard? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: PetrosA
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2010, 08:42:10 am
content: Someone posted this message from a US lighting distributor on an electrical forum I take part in:QuoteAnother user found this article:http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKLNE64N01X20100524Are any of you feeling the crunch yet? I know that it will get ugly if we can't replace things like electronic ballasts here in the US.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2010, 10:08:39 am
content: There are major leadtime issues on a lot of components at the moment - my subcontractor was just quoted 52 week leadtime on an Omron relay, luckily this was for another customer!I very nearly got caught on a part for a product I just built, which went from plenty of stock at 2 distis to nothing over a weekend. Fortunately I had an alternative, but I know many people are having problems. This is exacerbated by people over-ordering & panic buying.This is caused by manufacturers cutting back on production capacity and stock during the recession years and then getting caught out when things pick up.Another factor is manufacturers concentrating produciton capacity to parts for large customers - If Apple ask you for a gazillion capacitors, the smaller customers aren't going to get a look-in.Even a few PICs are getting hard to find, and that pretty much never happens!

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2010, 10:54:09 am
content: Ouch, this will drive up prices on everything electronic. So buy the overstock gear now folks.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2010, 12:34:41 pm
content: The delay in shipping from China could also be an issue. I think people haven't been keeping a large enough stock of electronic items during the recession. Anyway this is good news as it's sign of the recovery. I hope our government haven't messed it up by cutting spending too soon.

author: tesla500
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2010, 07:46:05 pm
content: I'm definitely feeling the crunch, both at work and for hobby projects. Some parts for my project went from good stock (thousands) to nothing on digikey in the week between selecting parts and placing the order. If anything good comes out of this, it's that the shortage does point out any single source or rare parts you're using, if you can't find an alternative it may be worth considering using a more common part. In particular there was a SOT-23 adjustable regulator that can go down to 0.7V which is unavailable anywhere else, or from anyone other than TI.Counterfeit components are also becoming a big problem, companies are resorting to buying from less reputable brokers because they're the only ones who claim to have any stock. Some will remark parts to whatever the customer orders. Some counterfeit parts look genuine, some are done carelessly, like a STP12NM50 MOSFET I found at work, bearing the part number "P12NM50&". Obviously someone was careless while typing the the part number into the marking machine! Most, however, require electrical tests to determine that they're counterfeit.David

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2010, 07:50:55 pm
content: Ouch, counterfeit is the worst. It will likely kill, or has killed, the non-traditional outlets for components. You put a lot of faith in the spec sheets where you look at parts numbers, and to not know it will work to its spec rating without testing everything you receive just adds terrible delays. You now have do your own QA on parts normally done by the component manufacturers.Quote from: tesla500 on June 24, 2010, 07:46:05 pm

author: charliex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 25, 2010, 06:12:50 am
content: Definitely. Being trying to get AT90CAN* and AD45DB*