Case studies
A BOM audit ends with a figure per line item, not with an assessment. Here is what clients use it for, which line was reviewed, what a switch would have cost, and what was saved in the end.
01 / Applications
When do you use a BOM audit?
The trigger is rarely “let us take a look”. In every engagement so far there was a concrete decision pending for which a figure was missing.
The supplier will not move, and the conversation has no counterweight. The audit supplies one: the price of the same assembly at the manufacturer, the effort a switch would take, and the qualified alternative. That turns the negotiation from a request into a choice.
The notice arrives by email, with a deadline for the last order. The question is not whether a successor exists, but what the change costs in engineering hours and whether a last-time buy is the cheaper answer. The audit puts a figure on both routes.
The datasheet says “pin-compatible”; in the circuit the part behaves differently. The audit checks whether the alternative holds in your actual design: ESR window, derating under DC bias, timing, approvals. A second source counts only once it is qualified.
Investors ask about supply-chain risk, and a list will not do. The report names the severity, the replacement cost and the available alternative for every item. A document that can sit in the data room.
02 / Case studies
What came out of an audit in concrete terms?
AI
landed cost of the assembly
of software cost avoided
candidates reviewed
€33.61 through the distributor → ~€25.00 direct from the manufacturer
The analysis surfaced a direct OEM route to the same assembly at a substantially lower landed cost. The code review additionally showed that most of the driver software could be deleted rather than ported.
The decisive detail sat in a single paragraph on page 14 of the manufacturer’s manual, in dense technical English.
Read the full case study →
available for delivery
under review: broker market or redesign
redesign for the potential switch
A German electronics company needs an FPGA from a US manufacturer for a product launch in spring. Authorised distributors, however, hold no stock that can be delivered in time for the launch. That leaves the open broker market in Asia. And it is exactly there that these parts are frequently counterfeited or offered as reconditioned used parts.
I am reviewing the options so that purchasing and engineering can reach a decision they both stand behind. The engagement is ongoing; the full case study will follow once it has been approved.
Free intro call03 / Testimonials
Who has already worked with Sebastian Kirsch?
When critical components could no longer be sourced through the usual channels, Sebastian opened up alternatives for us on the Asian market: fast, structured and on site. He not only found suppliers, he also checked them for integrity and the goods for authenticity. In the end we had a clear and dependable basis for our decision.
Sebastian conducted a scalability audit of our systems and supply chain and helped us define a development and procurement roadmap aligned with our financial constraints. He identified a better-fit hardware component and supplier in China, projected to save tens of thousands of euros at scale, and supported the efficient integration into our software stack.
Sebastian combines deep technical understanding with strong system-level thinking across software, hardware, and global supply chains. He consistently demonstrated excellent analytical skills and the ability to communicate complex topics clearly across engineering and executive teams.
Sebastian led the implementation of a cloud-based platform with integrated edge devices for our municipality. He coordinated across software, hardware, and stakeholder groups and successfully delivered a system that operates reliably at scale. His ability to translate complex technical requirements into practical solutions was particularly valuable.
04 / Who does this
Who am I working with?
A computer science degree with a focus on machine learning, and alongside it Chinese up to negotiation level. Then years as a freelance software developer, during which he led Chinese software teams and spent six months working in China. Then the move into hardware: head of software development and later of the entire engineering department, then managing director of a deep-tech start-up.
Working languages
05 / The next step
How do I start?
Thirty minutes. Your situation, your product, your suppliers. At the end you have the potential check: how many alternative suppliers are worth considering, and what saving is realistically on the table.
