EU lead-free directive

[Peter]

Hi,

This comes in mid-2006 and AIUI requires that lead content is below
0.1%.

Surely, one could achieve this by making the overall product heavier?

Or does it work on a per-circuit-board basis? In that case, the lead
in standard solder will probably weigh more than 0.1% of the weight of
the populated PCB....

This could be a serious problem for any company that is slowly running
down a stock of old chips. These won't be lead-free, and neither will
be any chips purchased from the many used chip vendors who pass on
surplus stock. I expect a lot of their business will dry up since many
companies are requiring *zero* lead content on *all* components.

Any views?

 

[martin griffith]

On Tue, 31 May 2005 11:43:25 +0100, in sci.electronics.design

Hi,

This comes in mid-2006 and AIUI requires that lead content is below
0.1%.

Surely, one could achieve this by making the overall product heavier?
snip
Any views?

LOL,

we could use all that spare depleted uranium that's hanging around




martin

 

[Rene Tschaggelar]

Hi,

This comes in mid-2006 and AIUI requires that lead content is below
0.1%.

Surely, one could achieve this by making the overall product heavier?

Or does it work on a per-circuit-board basis? In that case, the lead
in standard solder will probably weigh more than 0.1% of the weight of
the populated PCB....

This could be a serious problem for any company that is slowly running
down a stock of old chips. These won't be lead-free, and neither will
be any chips purchased from the many used chip vendors who pass on
surplus stock. I expect a lot of their business will dry up since many
companies are requiring *zero* lead content on *all* components.

Any views?

I heard that too, that you can pass the limits by
delivering the electronics on top of a 5 pound solid
steel slab. That is almost infinitely silly.

Since the leaded cases can easily be combined with the
rest of the leadfree technology, eg leadfree pcb,
leadfree solder, ... I'd just use up the stock
and just don't tell anyone.

Rene

 

[Tilmann Reh]

This comes in mid-2006 and AIUI requires that lead content is below
0.1%.

Surely, one could achieve this by making the overall product heavier?

Or does it work on a per-circuit-board basis? In that case, the lead
in standard solder will probably weigh more than 0.1% of the weight of
the populated PCB....

It works on a per-material basis.

This could be a serious problem for any company that is slowly running
down a stock of old chips. These won't be lead-free, and neither will
be any chips purchased from the many used chip vendors who pass on
surplus stock. I expect a lot of their business will dry up since many
companies are requiring *zero* lead content on *all* components.

Yes, it is a problem, and it has already been discussed here and elsewhere.

 

[Tilmann Reh]

Since the leaded cases can easily be combined with the
rest of the leadfree technology, eg leadfree pcb,
leadfree solder, ... I'd just use up the stock
and just don't tell anyone.

You're wrong, it works vice versa: you can easily use lead-free parts in a
lead-containing process (except for BGAs, and unless the higher soldering
temperature won't damage the older parts that were built for lower temperatures).
Once you have switched to leadfree solder in the wave soldering machine, any
lead-containing part (especially PCBs with HAL) will contaminate the solder. Of
course you need /many/ parts before the solder reaches 0.1% lead...

(SMT/Reflow is much simpler in this concern, as the solder does not touch
anything else.)

 

[Peter]

It works on a per-material basis.

What does this mean?

 

[Tilmann Reh]

What does this mean?

Each material must be RoHS conform, for example contain less than 0.1% lead
(similar tresholds exist for the other "evil" substances).

As an example, often an IC is used: it consists of
a) the die itself
b) the leadframe
c) the expoxy encasing
d) the surface finish of the leads.

*Each* of these materials must conform to the RoHS directive.

Another example is a simple cable, where the metal wire is defined as a single
material and the plastic insulation as another material, and both must conform
to the RoHS limits.

For assembled boards, this extents to the PCB base material, its surface finish
(HAL) where it persists after soldering, the solder, and all parts (for those
see above).

 

[Peter]

Each material must be RoHS conform, for example contain less than 0.1% lead
(similar tresholds exist for the other "evil" substances).

As an example, often an IC is used: it consists of
a) the die itself
b) the leadframe
c) the expoxy encasing
d) the surface finish of the leads.

*Each* of these materials must conform to the RoHS directive.

Another example is a simple cable, where the metal wire is defined as a single
material and the plastic insulation as another material, and both must conform
to the RoHS limits.

For assembled boards, this extents to the PCB base material, its surface finish
(HAL) where it persists after soldering, the solder, and all parts (for those
see above).

Thank you for the explanation. This in effect means that chips (SMT ot
PTH) with leaded solder on their legs cannot be used.

There will be a LOT of stock being scrapped. Smaller companies will
just lie Remove the datecodes on any such chips of course, as
anything dated before about 2004 isn't likely to be ROHS compliant.

A really stupid regulation, given the huge amount of lead used in car
batteries for example....

 

[Dave Hansen]

[...]

I heard that too, that you can pass the limits by
delivering the electronics on top of a 5 pound solid
steel slab. That is almost infinitely silly.

I am reminded of a mass-produced packaged "lunch" sold by a well-known
American company that consists of crackers, lunch meat (e.g., cold
ham, turkey, or sausage), cheese slices, a small candy bar, and a
container of fruit juice. Because of the labeling laws in the U.S.,
the weight of the juice was included in the weight of the product, and
the weight of "fat" as a proportion of the total weight of the product
was below a specified threshold, so it could be sold as "low fat."

Regards,

-=Dave

 

[Rene Tschaggelar]

A really stupid regulation, given the huge amount of lead used in car
batteries for example....

The car batteries are supposedly recycled. The last
report I've seen though suggests partly otherwise.
There was valley in serbia or so having a train
station and the purpose of the valley was to dump
lead acid batteries. They threw them off the train
into the mud. Squarekilometers of batteries in the
mud. Somewhere at the bottom of the valley there
was a hut where a few men melted the lead with
open flames. Yep, a decade or so ago. But they made
good money and worked to everyones, aka our exporters,
interest, so I assume this business is still running.

Rene

 

[Frank Bemelman]

Hi,

This comes in mid-2006 and AIUI requires that lead content is below
0.1%.

Surely, one could achieve this by making the overall product heavier?

Or does it work on a per-circuit-board basis? In that case, the lead
in standard solder will probably weigh more than 0.1% of the weight of
the populated PCB....

This could be a serious problem for any company that is slowly running
down a stock of old chips. These won't be lead-free, and neither will
be any chips purchased from the many used chip vendors who pass on
surplus stock. I expect a lot of their business will dry up since many
companies are requiring *zero* lead content on *all* components.

Any views?

It's laws and directives on one side, and people and companies not
(fully) complying with them on the other side. It has always been
that way. So you can take a risk, pay a fine if you get caught, and
probably a very damn small one, if you explain your situation. Soup
is not consumed as hot as it is prepared.

 

[Tilmann Reh]

A really stupid regulation, given the huge amount of lead used in car
batteries for example....

Exactly. And particularly these are one of the exceptions, and will be used
without any change.

 

[GMM50]

Note that this requirement will probably trickle down to the engineer.
Management will ask the eng. to state that the product complies.
Guess who gets the blame.

gm

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

The car batteries are supposedly recycled. The last
report I've seen though suggests partly otherwise.
There was valley in serbia or so having a train
station and the purpose of the valley was to dump
lead acid batteries. They threw them off the train
into the mud. Squarekilometers of batteries in the
mud. Somewhere at the bottom of the valley there
was a hut where a few men melted the lead with
open flames. Yep, a decade or so ago. But they made
good money and worked to everyones, aka our exporters,
interest, so I assume this business is still running.

Rene

AFAIUI, automotive lead-acid batteries are 96%+ domestically recycled
here (under stringent environmental controls).

I suspect the numbers are far less for SLA batteries used in alarm
systems toy cars and scooters etc.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[R Adsett]

AFAIUI, automotive lead-acid batteries are 96%+ domestically recycled
here (under stringent environmental controls).

I suspect the numbers are far less for SLA batteries used in alarm
systems toy cars and scooters etc.

And probaly higher for industrial EVs

Robert

 

[Bryan Hackney]

Peter wrote:
[...]

Thank you for the explanation. This in effect means that chips (SMT ot
PTH) with leaded solder on their legs cannot be used.

There will be a LOT of stock being scrapped. Smaller companies will
just lie Remove the datecodes on any such chips of course, as
anything dated before about 2004 isn't likely to be ROHS compliant.

A really stupid regulation, given the huge amount of lead used in car
batteries for example....

Not really, considering the usually responsible way used up batteries are
dealt with, and the usually convenient way used up electronics are dealt
with.

 

[[email protected]]

Note that this requirement will probably trickle down to the engineer.
Management will ask the eng. to state that the product complies.
Guess who gets the blame.

As long as you have a RoHS statement from the manufacturer, there is no
way you as an engineer can be held culpable if the mfr doesn't fully
comply.

 

[GMM50]

Oh so management will take the blame.... I don't think so.

Anyway it's certainly a big change in components and change in process
that will take a relative long time to iorn out.

gm

 

[Joerg]

Hello Bryan,

Not really, considering the usually responsible way used up batteries are
dealt with, and the usually convenient way used up electronics are dealt
with.

Car batteries yes. Mostly. But what about those things with sealed lead
acid batteries in them?

Regards, Joerg

 

[Luhan Monat]

Note that this requirement will probably trickle down to the engineer.
Management will ask the eng. to state that the product complies.
Guess who gets the blame.

gm

Speaking of who gets blamed, I once insisted on working a contract type
job as an employee. It was medical equipment. Anybody sues us, they
can't sue an employee, as they could a subcontractor.