With technology progressing in leaps and bounds, things will become redundant. New developments require new products. This is true for most of the things that we use, and electronic components are among them. That is how things have always been. The new will constantly enter the scene to substitute all that is old. That is how progress works after all.
One can enumerate many reasons why electronic components may become obsolete. One of the most common reasons is that the products that use the components might have become obsolete. If a product has a short life cycle, it follows that the components that it uses will become redundant along with it. Thus, when that product goes out of the market and manufactures cease, it might just be the end for the components that it uses.
One of the reasons for components becoming obsolete has been the various government policies. Some time ago, when the European Union decided to ban some hazardous parts, component buyers had to come face to face with many issues. In this case, among the parts to go were those that were not lead-free. With the EU ban in place, people who needed parts composed of lead or the other banned substances were hit hard. This was especially a problem in places like the United States, where the law pertaining to hazardous substances was not valid.
One of the effects that the banning of specific components have is that entire machinery might need some major overhauling. For instance, it may become difficult to utilize non-leaded components in machinery that uses leaded parts. This is because the temperatures that they need may not be the same. Thus, if manufactures cease for one part, several others may be facing the ends of their lives.
Of course, a number of pieces of the various components shall remain with suppliers. However, it is safe to say that finding these components could be quite a difficult task. Some semiconductors might not be found easily and it may become difficult to locate obsolete integrated circuits. End of life electronic parts remain with a few suppliers to assist people who have no other choice but to use the old machines.
Nowadays, however, one does have it a lot easier when it comes to finding the people who do store obsolete electronic components. Even a quick online search for the words "end of life electronic components" should provide effective results. With buyers and suppliers looking for trade in electronic components even on the Internet, things have been simplified a great deal.
