{"id":397,"date":"2015-08-20T16:13:50","date_gmt":"2015-08-20T21:13:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.repete.com\/?p=397"},"modified":"2015-08-20T16:13:50","modified_gmt":"2015-08-20T21:13:50","slug":"obsolescence-not-scary-enough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.repete.com\/thai\/2015\/08\/20\/obsolescence-not-scary-enough\/","title":{"rendered":"Obsolescence Not Scary Enough?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Obsolescence not scary enough?<\/strong>
\nIf you ever wanted to envision a collective shoulder shrug, there may be no better way than to read this: Many of today\u2019s manufacturing plant process automation systems could suddenly fail with costly consequences.
\nAcross the industry, companies are familiar with the threat of obsolescence. Few are prepared for it. While sound reasons for this exist, such as budget, one rather fuzzy and unspoken one may be at work.
\nCould it be the threat obsolescence just isn\u2019t scary enough? After all, the way you feel about something can profoundly influence your perception of risk. If you don\u2019t really perceive that obsolescence will cause imminent harm, a shoulder shrug may be all you can muster.
\nWhen people calculate risk, they rely more on feeling than fact (Source: Peters, Burraston, and Mertz; OSU). It\u2019s hard to take action and prepare for a risk if we don\u2019t feel it\u2019s imminent.
\nRisk perception disconnection.<\/strong>
\nThere\u2019s also a gap in the way we perceive risk, according to risk-perception consultant and author David Ropeik. \u201cWe are often more afraid of some risks than evidence says we need to be,\u201d Ropeik says, \u201cand we are just as often not as afraid of some risks as the evidence says we ought to be.\u201d
\nShould you be afraid of obsolescence? In 1990, the average lifespan for automation hardware and software was 12 years. By 2012, the lifespan was seven years and declining. That seems reasonably scary.
\nProcess manufacturers certainly recognize the reality of obsolescence. According to a 2010 study from ARC Advisory Group, more than 90 percent of process manufacturers said they use automation beyond the manufacturer\u2019s obsolescence date.
\nARC research also discovered that 58 percent of process manufacturers say they don\u2019t have a formal plan for managing their equipment\u2019s lifecycle.
\nClosing the gap between awareness and action.<\/strong>
\nIf you are concerned about obsolescence but not sure where to turn, the first thing to do is analyze your situation.
\nBring in a trusted outside resource like Repete that offers objective input. A good firm will possess the following characteristics:<\/p>\n