Fullscreen HTML5Med Res (??MB)HTML4

SILICON SILIC CHIP www.siliconchip.com.au Publisher/Editor Nicholas Vinen Technical Editor John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.) Technical Staff Jim Rowe, B.A., B.Sc Bao Smith, B.Sc Tim Blythman, B.E., B.Sc Technical Contributor Duraid Madina, B.Sc, M.Sc, PhD Art Director & Production Manager Ross Tester Reader Services Ann Morris Advertising Enquiries Glyn Smith Phone (02) 9939 3295 Mobile 0431 792 293 glyn<at>siliconchip.com.au Regular Contributors Dave Thompson David Maddison B.App.Sc. (Hons 1), PhD, Grad.Dip.Entr.Innov. Geoff Graham Associate Professor Graham Parslow Ian Batty Cartoonist Brendan Akhurst Founding Editor (retired) Leo Simpson, B.Bus., FAICD Silicon Chip is published 12 times a year by Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd. ACN 626 922 870. ABN 20 880 526 923. All material is copyright ©. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Subscription rates (12 issues): $105.00 per year, post paid, in Australia. For overseas rates, see our website or email silicon<at>siliconchip.com.au Editorial office: Unit 1 (up ramp), 234 Harbord Rd, Brookvale, NSW 2100. Postal address: PO Box 139, Collaroy Beach, NSW 2097. Phone (02) 9939 3295. E-mail: silicon<at>siliconchip.com.au ISSN 1030-2662 * Recommended & maximum price only. Editorial Viewpoint “Second sourcing” should be applied to more than electronics You may have wondered why the same chip is available from different manufacturers – even relatively new parts which you would think they would want to keep exclusive. For example, the LM833 (OK, not that new a part…) was designed by National Semiconductor (as indicated by the LM prefix), but you can also buy LM833 chips made by ST Micro, On Semi and Texas Instruments (who now own NatSemi). Why is that? Well, mainly it comes down to the fact that many engineers (especially those designing products for military use) are unwilling to design using parts that are only available from a single source. No doubt they learned their lesson at some time in the past when a supplier went out of business, and could not get replacement parts for their multimillion-dollar new-fangled tank/fighter jet/whatever. Military contracts likely require second-sourcing, while commercial and industrial designers simply prefer having multiple sources to avoid future problems. I am reminded of this because of the supply chain disruptions due to the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. We rely heavily on goods from southeast Asia and China in particular, including critical supplies like pharmaceuticals and other medical supplies (sutures, bandages etc). No doubt, most medical electronics are made overseas, too. You don’t have to be Nostradamus to see the danger in this sort of reliance. Sure, overseas suppliers can produce these items at such a low cost that local suppliers probably can’t compete. But for anything critical like medical supplies, food, fuel and so on, any rational government body or organisation must surely consider all the possible sources of disruption and have plans to deal with them. As much as I hate government subsidies, there is a case to be made to subsidise local industries which produce such vital products. This is to ensure that we have at least some sort of supply in times of war, disease, natural disaster, widespread strikes etc. Thus far (touch wood!) the impact of coronavirus in Australia has been relatively small and relatively well managed. But as we go to press, the mainstream media is full of reports of panic buying – some, like sanitisers, etc, related to misplaced fears of contracting the virus. However, there are all sorts of relatively mundane products running out on supermarket shelves – and there doesn’t appear to be a good reason for it. Even if the local supply is relatively small, it’s better than nothing and should be able to be ramped up, to deal with a loss of incoming goods from overseas during times of disaster. Perhaps now it will be realised how short-sighted it was to put so much reliance on overseas suppliers for critical items like drugs, and I hope plans are being put in place to ‘second-source’ (and third-source, and fourth-source…) them as quickly as possible. Initially, that might mean alternative drug suppliers from places like India or the UK (both of which have large pharmaceutical industries), but in the long-term, we should have the capability for domestic production. Now would also be a good time for the government to organise an inquiry into what other critical industries might be disrupted by an unpredictable event and what we can do, short-term and long-term, to minimise the impacts. Printing and Distribution: Nicholas Vinen 24-26 Lilian Fowler Pl, Marrickville 2204 2 Silicon Chip Australia’s Australia’selectronics electronicsmagazine magazine siliconchip.com.au