Technical Notes

How to source an obsolete or hard-to-find industrial part

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When a calibrator, handset or process instrument is discontinued — or still listed somewhere but impossible to buy on a real lead time — the catalogue route fails. Obsidian Dynamics runs a small Instrument Exchange desk for that problem.

We help you locate a workable supply option. We do not publish a stock list, and we do not pretend to be an authorised distributor for every brand you might name.

When this is the right door

Use Instrument Exchange when:

  • You have a manufacturer and model, or a clear part number — or enough of either to investigate.
  • The unit is discontinued, obsolete, or awkward enough that a normal channel has already failed — or will clearly fail.
  • You can say what condition you will accept (new surplus, refurbished, used as-is, or unknown — we classify before any quote).
  • You need a UK commercial conversation with someone who understands measurement and instrumentation language.

If the model is still freely available from a current catalogue, say so. We will tell you when a standard channel is the better route.

What to send

Useful minimum:

  1. Manufacturer (if known)
  2. Model or part number (if known — not mandatory if you can describe the part and attach a nameplate photo)
  3. Quantity
  4. Timing (shutdown date, job hold, or flexible)
  5. Your name, company and work email

Helpful extras:

  • Range, medium, options, or firmware notes if you know them
  • A clear photo of the nameplate (see How to identify an industrial instrument from its nameplate)
  • Whether you need a calibration certificate — and whether that must be UKAS via a third-party laboratory (Obsidian Dynamics is not UKAS-accredited)

What we do next

  1. Send — you give us identity and the short requirement.
  2. Source — we investigate suitable supply options through specialist channels. Availability is never assumed.
  3. Verify — we check identity, condition class and obvious configuration before any quote.
  4. Supply — when a unit can be secured, we arrange supply on the agreed condition class.

We do not publish prices without a sourcing conversation.

What we will not claim

  • We are not inventing stock.
  • Brand names used as examples on our Instrument Exchange page are examples of what we can try to locate — not a catalogue, not inventory, and not an authorised-distributor listing.
  • We do not operate a calibration laboratory. Optional calibration is arranged through a third-party lab; UKAS certificates are labelled as such.

Related reading

Need one located?

Send the manufacturer and model or part number — or what you have, with a nameplate photo if possible. We will investigate suitable options, or tell you plainly if we cannot help.

Source a hard-to-find part