04/06/2026
After years in electronics manufacturing and component sourcing, I've noticed something interesting:
The parts most likely to stop a production line are often not the most expensive ones.
Not the CPU.
Not the FPGA.
Not the GPU.
More often, it's:
• A connector that has no approved alternative
• An Ethernet PHY with a 52-week lead time
• A PMIC tied to a specific software design
• A memory device that requires requalification
• A tiny passive component hidden deep inside the BOM
Many teams manage cost.
Fewer teams manage BOM risk.
The best engineering organizations ask:
"What happens if we can't buy it six months from now?"
Engineering is not only about designing products.
It's about designing resilience.
