An old client dropped me a line (I have no idea how he managed
>to find valid contact information! I will have to look into that...) >
>He was concerned over the possibility of "import duties" levied
>on the components in one of the devices Id designed for him.
>
>To be honest, I've never looked at WHERE a component was sourced
>as part of the selection process. <frown>
>
>My advice to him was essentially that of how one would handle
>an obsolete component:
>- redesign the hardware with necessary substitutions
>- port the software to accommodate any necessary changes
>- update production documents
>
>Porting the software is, by far, the easiest and shortest effort (as
>it was designed and written with this as a goal).
>
>Updating production documents/procedures should be a no-brainer. >
>And, the hardware redesign should be easy -- EXCEPT for the
>added task of identifying component sources (country of origin). >
>I figure 3 man months for the whole exercise -- assuming domestic
>sources are available for all components. So, it should be
>relatively easy to put a price tag on that effort -- even if
>taken in anticipation of a future problem.
>
>Are folks undertaking such analysis? Or, waiting to see what
>ACTUALLY happens? (Politicians are renowned for making all sorts
>of claims and not following through -- has anyone seen that check
>from Mexico for the wall?)
There are companies that do such an analysis as a service, including second sources and part end-of-life estimates. I can't recall a name just now.