BS EN 9278:2018 pdf download.Aerospace series – General Principles of Obsolescence Management of chemicals, materials and processes.
4 Objectives of the obsolescence management process The aim of this process is to ensure that the product, subject of the programme, can be manufactured and supported throughout its life cycle (maintenance, spares, reparations, etc.). It enables to anticipates obsolescences and minimise their impact and their cost on the products of the organisation (actual and in the near future). The process consists in scheduled and coordinated actions intended to ensure the availability of a product during its operating life, through technically and economically practicable means of replacement. The process shall include the strategic vision of the operators of the supply chain (this vision can differ from an operator to another), the organisation-supplier balance of power (suppliers’ certification) as well as global environment (media pressure, brand image). All the actors of the supply chain are responsible for obsolescence management throughout the life cycle of a finished product with regards to customers or users. In particular, a purchaser shall state to his suppliers the requirements to which he shall himself comply. However, beyond these considerations, the key of obsolescence management is the circulation of information so that information received by any operator of the organisation, programme or supply chain can be reported, centralised in one unique focal point, and then treated, analysed, made used of and finally passed on at programme or service levels. The aim of this process is to give priority as far as possible to proactive treatment above reactive treatment (endured). Detectability is especially important and belongs to the organisation and the programme. In the aerospace field, action plans to be implemented in order to resolve obsolescences are often long and costly. Thus, an obsolescence detected early enough allows an easier implementation while ensuring a safety margin. Furthermore, the sooner the impacts are identified, the sooner it is possible to make sure that all applications are taken care of, and, in this way, to avoid “bad surprises” when the time comes to implement the replacement solution or to stop the current solution. Obsolescence risk management is part of a process that is similar to risk management as described in the EN 9239, given in the following Figure 1 as a reminder.This process relates both to the organisation (then including, for example, all obsolete products at the same time) and the programmes (affected by their own obsolescences). One of the issues is optimising the structure between actions carried on by the organisation and those dealt with by each programme. Another issue is to share the efforts between various programmes within one organisation, or even between several organisations. The organisation is the owner of the obsolescence management process, and the programme is in charge of the development of this process within an obsolescence management plan meeting in particular the customer’s requirements.BS EN 9278 pdf download.