After-Sales Obsolescence Risk Management In Long-Life Defense Projects

Abstract

In the defense industry, products are often complex systems developed and maintained with detailed and complex business processes. In such systems, management and planning are difficult and complex in cases such as parts supply or production. The end-of-life phase of products is the final stage of the product lifecycle, which begins with product retirement and ends with the expiration of all service contracts. Obsolescence will occur at the end of its useful life, where remanufacturing used or obsolete products can be an alternative source of obtaining spare parts. For this reason, the proper methods should be selected and applied for each stage. This study proposes an obsolescence management model of critical materials to be determined in a large-scale defense industry company. The model aims to reduce the adverse effects of problems throughout the life cycle of products and also to eliminate existing communication and integration deficiencies in processes. With this model, outputs such as purchasing a sufficient number of products to meet the system's requirements during its predicted life, minimizing the cost by optimizing the process, and maximizing the availability of spare parts have been achieved.

Keywords: Obsolescence Management, Defense Industry, Spare parts

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1003057