EOL Components and Last Time Buys: Navigating Supply Chain Challenges in Medical Devices

As supply chains become more precarious, manufacturers—especially in the medical device space—face mounting risks. A single component shortage could critically delay or even halt a product launch.

I recently caught up with Arena Account Executive Aubray Helm to learn about her previous role managing complex supply chains in the medical device industry. With a wealth of experience navigating regulatory hurdles, component lifecycles, and the challenges of outdated systems, Aubray offers a compelling look at how modern supply chain intelligence (SCI) solutions could have transformed her past work—and how they’re poised to transform the industry today.

AUBRAY, PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE BEFORE JOINING PTC.

Aubray: For several years, I worked in supply chain for a medical device company in the San Francisco Bay Area. We designed and manufactured our own devices and did contract manufacturing for companies like Johnson & Johnson, Boston Scientific, and Medtronic.

WHAT WERE YOUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES IN THAT SUPPLY CHAIN ROLE?

Aubray: I collaborated across the product lifecycle, from new product introduction (NPI) through to service. That meant working closely with engineering on new designs, managing component selection, and ensuring availability.

The company was small—about 250 employees—so we managed multiple product lines. I handled everything from chassis and overlays to printed circuit boards (PCBs) and harnesses. My role was broad and hands-on.

HOW DOES SUPPLY CHAIN IN LIFE SCIENCES COMPARE TO OTHER INDUSTRIES?

Aubray: It’s more regulated. In high-tech, you can get a product to market in a couple of years. In life sciences, the FDA approval process can take much longer. This extended timeline increases the risk that electronic components specified during new product development (NPD) will go end of life (EOL) before production.

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES YOU FACED?

Aubray: Component lifecycle management was a huge issue. A lot of it was manual, involving part-by-part checks. We did not have electronic component databases or cloud product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions to gain a clear view of component risk. Instead, we relied heavily on outdated manufacturing resource planning (MRP) systems and document control.

By the time we went into production, many parts had already reached EOL. Changes to essential components like field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or power supplies triggered a 510(k) re-submission to the FDA, introducing additional expenses and delays. This is why design for supply chain (DfSC) is so crucial for life sciences companies today.

In many instances, we would buy enough inventory to last several years and keep it as safety stock to mitigate the impact of EOL components. Consequently, we incurred high holding costs.