Manufacturing submitted a deviation to use MACHINED sockets in place 
of stamped sockets for Pitfighter VRAMs because the stamped sockets 
had a16 week lead time. Instead, I deviated out the socket altogether. 
(Machined sockets are 3 to 6 times the price of stamped sockets.) 

There are two reasons for socketing these types of parts.
One  reason is that it is easier to debug boards using the shotgun
method without ruining expensive parts if the more complex components 
are removable.
The second reason is to recover costs from overbuilds. If expensive, 
reusable parts are socketed, these parts can be recovered. This is 
only worth while on the more expensive parts, and if you don't pay an 
arm and a leg for the sockets. The total price for the socket over 
the entire game run (including any overbuild) must be less that the 
totat recovered cost of the socketable parts.
One to three percent of the material cost of a board is sockets, 
including program and graphics memory sockets.