Hardware Sourcing Guide: How to Avoid Chip Shortage Pitfalls

A practical guide for electronics production engineers outlines a tiered sourcing strategy for memory chips and other ICs, with pricing data showing savings of up to 60% when moving from authorized distributors to manufacturer direct at 50k-unit volumes. The article emphasizes building BOM resilience through primary and secondary sources, buffer stock, and qualified alternates. For low-volume production (500-5k units/year), it recommends a mix of authorized distributors for passives and direct relationships for MCUs.