Issue link: https://resources.mouser.com/i/1442853
18 in your design decisions," Sule explains. "How are you going to support the customer for another ten years to fifteen years after product launch? How easy is it to service this equipment over the life of the setup? That answer weighs heavily on design decisions." Physical design and backward compatibility. Some companies decide up front that their product will occupy a certain amount of physical space and that the physical footprint of newer versions will be exactly the same as the previous product. That way, it's easy to take out the old device and install a new one. Another approach is to build a new product on a layout that plugs into the space that the old device occupies. The new device does not need to conform perfectly to the older footprint. For example, a new device may have a large screen size, where the old device had a smaller display. The footprint changes, but the new device can have a base or connector that mounts on the base that the old device occupied. Electric components, backward compatibility, and expandability. Sule says, "You have to plan for component obsolescence because the electronics in the equipment control systems will not last as long as the equipment." Designers must keep several factors in mind, including component footprints that affect the extent of redesigns needed in hardware upgrades and the ability to replace electronic components easily to support new capabilities. "We try to design hardware in such a way that we can replace components as needed," Sule says. Componentized designs make it easy to plug in replacement circuit boards or add modules that can support additional capabilities. Sule notes that although you have to balance cost and design features, ideally, you should include hooks so that you can add hardware in the future. For example, if more sensors are needed, you can plug in an additional module to accept the sensors without having to dismantle or redesign the product. "We try to design hardware in such a way that we can replace components as needed."