The Q Universal CPU list in bulletin FA-A-0418-A has a 30 September 2026 global order deadline and an October 2026 production end. Mitsubishi's September 2026 bulletin FA-A-0495-A covers additional Q models with later deadlines. Check your exact item in the manufacturer model database.
Confirmed lifecycle milestones
| Date | Manufacturer milestone |
|---|---|
| 30 September 2026 | Last global order date for the specifically listed Q Universal CPUs |
| 30 October 2026 | Production end for those FA-A-0418-A Universal CPUs |
| 30 September 2029 | Order deadline for selected further Q-series models in FA-A-0495-A |
| 31 December 2029 | Production end for those later listed models |
Dates and scope are manufacturer-led; check individual catalogue numbers, market-specific rules and any updates before placing orders.
Which QCPUs are affected by the 2026 bulletin?
Mitsubishi bulletin FA-A-0418-A names the following Universal model CPUs: Q03UDCPU, Q03UDECPU, Q04UDHCPU, Q04UDEHCPU, Q06UDHCPU, Q06UDEHCPU, Q10UDHCPU, Q10UDEHCPU, Q13UDHCPU, Q13UDEHCPU, Q20UDHCPU, Q20UDEHCPU, Q26UDHCPU and Q26UDEHCPU. It does not establish an identical date for every Q rack, power supply, I/O module or newer QnUDV processor.
If you run one of those specific CPUs, treat September 2026 as the manufacturer last-order milestone already passed, not as a date when the PLC stops working. Contact your authorised distributor for remaining legitimate supply and confirm the exact part number before considering surplus stock.
What happens to the remaining Q series in 2029?
Mitsubishi's newer FA-A-0495-A bulletin addresses additional MELSEC-Q models, with the manufacturer's discontinued-model database showing 30 September 2029 orders, 31 December 2029 production and 31 December 2036 repair support for many listed components. Some Q parts fall outside those dates or were discontinued earlier.
The safest approach is to query the manufacturer's model-level database and notice rather than apply a single Q-series end date across the whole plant. Subfamilies such as QnUDV and specific communications cards need separate confirmation.
Where Q series plants are most exposed
For maintenance purposes, the CPU is only part of the risk. Record QJ71 communication modules, QX/QY digital I/O, Q68 or other analogue cards, power supplies, base units and any motion or safety integration. The machine may depend on a CC-Link, Ethernet, serial or special-function module that cannot be substituted merely because it fits the same rack.
Back up the programme and parameters, retain the correct GX Works2 or GX Developer project where applicable, document network station assignments and check any battery-backed memory. A tested recovery plan is often more valuable than a shelf containing an unidentified spare CPU.
Should you stock spares or change to iQ-R?
MELSEC iQ-R may be a successor direction, but conversion is a controlled engineering project. Review the Q rack, I/O point assignment, instruction support, interlocks, CC-Link architecture, external wiring and commissioning risk. Do not assume that a revised processor is plug-compatible without confirming the manufacturer's conversion documentation.
For a reliable machine with little planned downtime, critical replacement stock may buy time. For a plant that faces mounting module failures or difficult network dependencies, scope a staged upgrade before the final-order window closes.
Questions engineers ask
Are Q03UDECPU and Q06UDEHCPU obsolete?
They appear in FA-A-0418-A, which sets the 2026 global order and production deadlines. Check manufacturer inventory and regional distributor arrangements.
Are QnUDV processors discontinued in October 2026?
Do not assume so: the earlier bulletin covers a named Universal QCPU list, not all QnUDV products. Check the separate 2029 notice and the model database.
Is CC-Link I/O automatically compatible with iQ-R?
No. Network type, master modules, station settings, mapping and the surrounding programme must be verified during any migration.
Official manufacturer references
These are manufacturer product records and notices, not secondary resale listings. Check each source for more recent revisions.
Editorial review: 8 October 2026 · Prepared by Automation Outlet, an independent UK controls-engineering business. This article provides lifecycle information, not a guarantee of stock or technical interchangeability.