There’s a lot of talk in the industry around the challenges of product obsolescence. It’s an issue we’ve discussed here briefly before and is becoming a hot topic as organisations look to update or modernise systems and components but are unable to source the necessary replacement materials. It’s a problem that’s only going to become more acute – but it’s also an area where our customers are discovering that we’re able to help.

I think the best way to explain how we can add value is by referring to one of our recent projects. We work for a multinational company that designs, develops and manufactures aircraft engines and spacecraft propulsion systems, along with aerospace and defence-related equipment. They needed to replace a component in an analogue aviation sensor but the original material had become obsolete, so they approached us for advice.

Over the years we’ve built extensive technical expertise to provide our customers with comprehensive metallurgy support that goes way beyond simply sourcing product. We believe it’s a real differentiator. For this project we chose to partner with our colleagues at the Plymouth Electron Microscopy Centre (PEMC) at Plymouth University. Their cutting-edge electron microscopy allows us to investigate material composition and structure under different conditions at high resolution.

With the help of the Plymouth team, using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis we were able to determine the characteristics of the obsolete material in order to reverse engineer a replacement product with the same properties and an identical electromagnetic filed shape. Because the original product qualities were so accurately recreated in our replica, the requirement for extensive testing and recertification was avoided, saving our customer a lot of time, hassle and unnecessary expense.

As I mentioned earlier, product obsolescence is increasingly common, so it’s important to check that all the materials you’re likely to require are still in production – especially if you’re planning any component updates or improvements in the future. If you can’t source a replacement, why not tap-in to our technical expertise and reverse engineering experience? Our partnership with PEMC gives you access to the very best research and analysis facilities, which combine with our own skills to create market-leading results.

Please get in touch if you’re concerned about materials you use becoming obsolete, or if you have a specific reverse engineering requirement you’d like to discuss.