Every year, manufacturers announce components that are moving to Not Recommended for New Designs (NRND) or reaching End of Life (EOL). For businesses supporting products over many years, understanding what these notices mean can help avoid unnecessary component sourcing challenges, production delays and redesign costs.
While the terminology may sound concerning, component obsolescence is a normal part of electronics manufacturing. The key is understanding what the notices mean and what options are available when they appear.
What is NRND?
NRND stands for Not Recommended for New Designs. When a manufacturer assigns this status to a component, it is signalling that newer alternatives are available and that future products should consider those options instead.
Importantly, an NRND component is not obsolete. It may still be in production and available to purchase. For existing products, there is often no immediate action required. However, for businesses designing new products, NRND status can be a useful indicator that a component’s long-term future may be changing.
In many cases, NRND is the first sign that a component is moving towards the later stages of its lifecycle.
What is an End of Life Notice?
An End of Life notice is the formal announcement that a manufacturer intends to discontinue a component. This does not usually mean production stops immediately. Manufacturers will often provide advance notice and may offer a final ordering period, allowing time to secure stock before manufacturing ceases.
The purpose of an EOL notice is to give businesses time to assess the impact on their products and decide how they plan to support future production requirements.
The amount of notice provided can vary depending on the manufacturer and the component involved.
Why Do Components Reach End of Life?
There are several reasons why manufacturers discontinue components. Technology continues to evolve, creating newer alternatives with improved performance, efficiency or functionality. Demand for older components may reduce over time, making continued production less commercially viable.
Manufacturers may also streamline product ranges, retire older manufacturing processes or focus investment on newer technologies.
This is particularly common in areas such as semiconductors, connectivity modules and processing technologies, where development cycles can move quickly compared to the lifespan of the products they support.
Which Components Are Most Commonly Affected?
Almost any electronic component can eventually become obsolete, but some categories tend to experience more frequent change than others.
These include:
- Microcontrollers and processors
- Semiconductors
- Wireless and connectivity modules
- Memory devices
- Legacy communication components
What Options Do Manufacturers Have?
When a component reaches End of Life, there are typically several options available. One approach is to secure sufficient stock during the final ordering period. This can support future production and servicing requirements without requiring any design changes.
Where suitable alternatives exist, components may be substituted with minimal impact on the wider design.
In some situations, a redesign may be required. This is more common when a component performs a specialised function or when no suitable replacement is available.
Planning for Long-Term Product Support
Component obsolescence is a normal part of electronics manufacturing and something every manufacturer will encounter at some stage.
Understanding the difference between NRND and End of Life notices, and knowing the routes available when they occur, helps businesses make informed decisions about future production and product support.
At AEMS, component sourcing forms an important part of what we do. By monitoring component availability and lifecycle status, we can help customers identify potential issues early and assess suitable alternatives. If you need advice on component sourcing, product support or a new design, our team is always happy to help.