The technological world always tends to face toward the future.
New components, systems and software are released yearly, and
there is always a skunkworks team working on the “next big
thing.” Much like the automotive industry, support for consumer
electronics seems to last just long enough for the newest model
to come out. The manufactures’ expectations are that the product
will be used and abused, then eventually traded out for the
newest model. This kind of process definitely exists within the
consumer electronics world, where innovation and tech lust may
rule over economic viability. In the industrial world,
especially OEMs, technology is meant to last a long time. OEM
suppliers are also looking toward the future, but instead of
trying to figure out the next upgrade, are mapping out a
product’s or system’s lifecycle to better serve their clients.
At the beginning of a design cycle, suppliers and OEMs then have
to come up with a detailed description for the end of life
services that can be provided. This i