{"id":3800,"date":"2026-05-08T18:43:31","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T18:43:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/?p=3800"},"modified":"2026-06-17T14:11:03","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T14:11:03","slug":"the-complete-guide-to-nis-hardware-product-lifecycle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/the-complete-guide-to-nis-hardware-product-lifecycle\/","title":{"rendered":"The Complete Guide to NI\u2019s Hardware Product Lifecycle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Complete-Guide-to-NI-Hardware-Lifecycle.mp3\"><\/audio><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong><em>Click here to listen to this post!<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Every test and measurement setup is unique in its lifespan and maintenance needs. With this in mind, NI (now a part of Emerson) has developed an in-depth product lifecycle for their hardware that utilizes modern tools and anticipates technological advancements. In this post, we will examine the importance of product lifecycles as a whole, dive into the different stages of NI\u2019s own product lifecycle, and take a look at how Apex Waves fills in the gaps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-f3d271036fcaf3b2ecc25ca88dd054c7\" style=\"font-size:26px\"><strong>What is a Product Lifecycle?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">A<strong> product lifecycle <\/strong>describes the phases that a product goes through as it enters, is established in, and exits the market.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Product lifecycles are not unique to NI. In fact, one of the first published instances of this concept goes all the way back to the 1920s\/1930s with New York advertising agency founder Otto Kleppner\u2019s <em><a href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=FEPTAAAAMAAJ&amp;pg=PA3&amp;source=gbs_toc_r&amp;cad=4#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false\">Advertising Procedure.<\/a> <\/em>In this book, Kleppner outlines \u201c<strong>pioneering<\/strong>\u201d, \u201c<strong>competitive<\/strong>\u201d, and \u201c<strong>retentive<\/strong>\u201d as three distinct stages of a rudimentary product lifecycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">In 1985, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.globaluniversityalliance.org\/research\/product-lifecycle-management\/\">American Motors<\/a> became one of the first companies to embrace a contemporary product lifecycle management system with the release of the <strong>Jeep Grand Cherokee<\/strong> in order to compete with larger rivals and expedite product development.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">In our modern world of rapid technological advancements, product lifecycles are a vital structure for helping manufacturers plan for updates, mitigate the impacts of obsolescence, and take advantage of the most recent technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"637\" src=\"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GenericFamilyStockPhotos-copy-2-1-1024x637.png\" alt=\"A variety of NI hardware products stacked together\" class=\"wp-image-3802\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GenericFamilyStockPhotos-copy-2-1-1024x637.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GenericFamilyStockPhotos-copy-2-1-300x187.png 300w, https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GenericFamilyStockPhotos-copy-2-1.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-e1fbcf274d3b214c17e972514b6343b9\" style=\"font-size:25px\"><strong>NI\u2019s Product Lifecycle Services<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Products going through NI\u2019s lifecycle are facilitated by a personal contact from NI&#8217;s sales operations team. The services focus on replacing and repairing products with the same model, and NI maintains intellectual property for that specific purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Every year, NI undergoes a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ni.com\/en\/shop\/services\/hardware\/product-life-cycle-services.html?srsltid=AfmBOoqTDTFT2hLvpxCDTQS78Vud4LvniosWAjnNNjN-o_b6T6AsK2cR\">program management review<\/a>. This results in a thorough evaluation of product lifecycle status and goes over suggested improvements, helping to sustain engineering planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-54abcb3090ac3a360f7d01ba48552904\" style=\"font-size:25px\"><strong>The Stages of NI\u2019s Product Lifecycle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">NI\u2019s product lifecycle initially had four phases: Active, Mature, Maintenance, and Discontinued. In 2024, these phases were expanded into the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ni.com\/en\/support\/hardware-product-life-cycle-policies.html\">current six-phase model<\/a>, which includes <strong>Active, Mature, Last Time Buy, Standard Support, Limited Support, <\/strong>and <strong>Discontinued <\/strong>phases.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">\u201c<strong>Active<\/strong>\u201d products refer to the most current ones on the market. \u201c<strong>Mature<\/strong>\u201d products are still available for purchase from the manufacturer but are being phased out of production. This phase-out begins when NI no longer recommends the product for new designs because an upgraded replacement has been chosen. The length of this phase depends on when the recommended replacement is set to be released and when a <strong>Last Time Buy Date<\/strong> is announced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">A Last Time Buy Date marks the official last date that a specific part can be purchased from the manufacturer. The Mature phase may be skipped entirely if a product is given a Last Time Buy Date without having a planned replacement part. The \u201c<strong>Last Time Buy<\/strong>\u201d phase is based on and concludes with the Last Time Buy date.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"507\" src=\"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Template-copy-2-1024x507.png\" alt=\"A variety of NI hardware products stacked together\" class=\"wp-image-3803\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Template-copy-2-1024x507.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Template-copy-2-300x149.png 300w, https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Template-copy-2.png 1420w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">After the product is officially no longer available for purchase from NI, it moves on to the \u201c<strong>Standard Support<\/strong>\u201d phase. During this phase of the lifecycle, support services such as repair and calibration are still offered in accordance with the warranty of the product. This typically lasts for one year, but it may be longer for any clients with extended warranties. The following \u201c<strong>Limited Support<\/strong>\u201d phase indicates that the product is nearing the end of its lifecycle. Repairs and calibrations are no longer guaranteed, and NI offers only \u201creasonable effort\u201d for servicing these products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">The final stage of NI\u2019s product lifecycle, \u201c<strong>Discontinued<\/strong>,\u201d is when the product is no longer supported by NI. The only exception is an offer of \u201creasonable effort\u201d for calibration of these parts. Products in this phase are also commonly referred to as \u201c<strong>Obsolete<\/strong>,\u201d \u201c<strong>End-of-Life<\/strong>,\u201d or \u201c<strong>Legacy<\/strong>\u201d.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a9eab866a02b7872490600837de2c935\" style=\"font-size:25px\">APEX WAVES FILLS IN THE GAPS FOR OBSOLETE HARDWARE<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Many critical industries, such as <strong>aerospace <\/strong>and <strong>defense<\/strong>, are subject to guidelines and restrictions that necessitate the use of specific test benches for decades. This reliance on specific test equipment can cause issues with obsolescence, as upgraded replacements and new designs of products can impact the lifecycle status of the specific parts that are needed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"690\" height=\"690\" src=\"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pomelli_photoshoot_image_9_16_0507-1-copy-edited.jpg\" alt=\"Test engineer touching a PXI card in a chassis at the bottom of a stack of NI hardware\" class=\"wp-image-3805\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pomelli_photoshoot_image_9_16_0507-1-copy-edited.jpg 690w, https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pomelli_photoshoot_image_9_16_0507-1-copy-edited-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pomelli_photoshoot_image_9_16_0507-1-copy-edited-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 690px) 100vw, 690px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">This is where <strong>Apex Waves <\/strong>steps in. We specialize in obsolete and legacy equipment, with over 10,000 models in stock and ready to ship. There are no \u201cLast Time Buy Dates\u201d with us, and we <strong>buy<\/strong>, <strong>sell<\/strong>, and <strong>repair <\/strong>models regardless of their current phase in the product lifecycle.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">We prevent harmful downtime by offering significantly quicker lead times for companies that are waiting on a specific product to keep their system running. We offer extensive warranty guarantees dependent on part condition, and we are able to quickly send parts to NI for calibration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">We offer <strong>international and expedited shipping options<\/strong>, as well as<strong> free ground shipping<\/strong> within the United States. If you need to purchase or receive support services for an obsolete product, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/fast-quote.php\">get in touch<\/a><\/strong> with us today!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Every test and measurement setup is unique in its lifespan and maintenance needs. With this in mind, NI (now a part of Emerson) has developed an in-depth product lifecycle for their hardware that utilizes modern tools and anticipates technological advancements. In this post, we will examine the importance of product lifecycles as a whole, dive [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3801,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,1],"tags":[393,437,1001,1020,921],"class_list":["post-3800","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national-instruments","category-uncategorized","tag-national-instruments","tag-ni","tag-ni-hardware","tag-product-lifecycle","tag-test-equipment"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3800","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3800"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3800\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3829,"href":"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3800\/revisions\/3829"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3801"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3800"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3800"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.apexwaves.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3800"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}