Maxim appreciates the long time horizons of military programs and has for many years supported the industry with a 100% nonobsolescence policy. Unfortunately, in recent years technology obsolescence has caught up to Maxim in that some of the original wafer fabs where the earliest of our parts were made have closed, or been purchased and then closed. So we too are facing some limited product obsolescence on the mil spec parts.
COTS parts are another matter, manufacturing processes are advanced fairly quickly (Moore's Law) and as one generation supplants another, COTS products are rapidly migrated to the new technology. Given the long life requirements for military programs Maxim is committed to continuing to provide sufficient numbers of devices to support future demand. Fortunately, Maxim devices serve a number of different markets and as such remain in production for a longer period. This helps mitigate the military customers' obsolescence exposure.
Maxim has a well defined end-of-life (EOL) policy and program. See
Maxim Product Discontinuation Policy (PDF, 22kB) page to review the procedures for an end-of-line announcement. You may also view those parts already discontinued on the
No Longer Available link.
Maxim understands that even a small change in a process can have a major impact on a customer. When Maxim makes a change we notify our distributors, known customers, and also DSCC with a Maxim PCN.
Contact Maxim's
Military Business Manager with questions regarding our EOL, LTB, and PCN procedures.
