Neither the extent nor the end of the current general material problems in electronics production are in sight. Resourceful creativity is therefore required here: for example, functionally compatible replacement circuits can be used instead of certain components that are difficult or impossible to obtain. Kraus Hardware offers this approach and can already point to successful projects of this kind.
If a different available type of IC is only rewired, the replacement circuit can be used overhead - recognizable here on the module by the green surface. The picture below shows the rewired ICs in use and individually
In the specific case of a customer example, an unavailable SO IC had to be replaced urgently because otherwise production could not have continued. The Kraus development department therefore replicated the functions of the missing IC on a functionally compatible adapter board using alternative circuits. This replacement circuit was then used in the intended place for the original IC on the module. With this solution, the Kraus customer's production order could be continued without any problems.
In the simplest case, an available design is adapted to the originally intended housing shape using an adapter - i.e. rewired. This means that the available housing shape, which does not match the connection diagram, can be used on the existing module without redesign. If the replacement circuit is reproduced on an adapter board using several components, the solution approach in this more complex form also offers a further advantage: additional circuit functionalities that the original chip did not have can be implemented. In both cases, machine processing of the adapters and the use of taped components allows efficient series production to be achieved, even with smaller batch sizes. Kraus also offers further alternatives to counter material shortages within the framework of tried and tested rework processes with component repair, component/component recovery or the refreshing of components.
