Lead Based Solder Alternatives

[H Brown]

The November 2004 issue of Printed Circuit Design and Manufactire has an
editorial that says theat the European Union is banning the importation of
electronic products containing lead, mercury, cadmium, etc. starting 1 July
2006.

Does anyone have any leads on what alternates there are available to use
instead of lead based solder? Sounds like a real problem to me. With the
quantity of posts on this forum, and my not knowing about the problem before
I may have missed past discussions on this subject.

Any directions 0n where to find more about this subject would be
appreciated.

Harry

 

[Ian Stirling]

The November 2004 issue of Printed Circuit Design and Manufactire has an
editorial that says theat the European Union is banning the importation of
electronic products containing lead, mercury, cadmium, etc. starting 1 July
2006.

More seriously, what about NiCd cells?

 

[Leon Heller]

The November 2004 issue of Printed Circuit Design and Manufactire has an
editorial that says theat the European Union is banning the importation of
electronic products containing lead, mercury, cadmium, etc. starting 1
July
2006.

Does anyone have any leads on what alternates there are available to use
instead of lead based solder? Sounds like a real problem to me. With the
quantity of posts on this forum, and my not knowing about the problem
before
I may have missed past discussions on this subject.

Any directions 0n where to find more about this subject would be
appreciated.

Lead-free solder is available from plenty of sources. I've tried some
samples and it works OK. The MP is higher than for ordinary lead/tin solder
but my Metcal equipment copes OK with it. The joints look nicer - much
shinier.

Leon

 

[H Brown]

The November 2004 issue of Printed Circuit Design and Manufactire has an
editorial that says theat the European Union is banning the importation of
electronic products containing lead, mercury, cadmium, etc. starting 1 July
2006.

More seriously, what about NiCd cells?

The editorial did say nothing about NiCad cells. It specifically mentioned
lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBD and PBDE.

 

[H Brown]

The November 2004 issue of Printed Circuit Design and Manufactire has an
editorial that says theat the European Union is banning the importation of
electronic products containing lead, mercury, cadmium, etc. starting 1 July
2006.

More seriously, what about NiCd cells?

The editorial did say nothing about NiCad cells. It specifically mentioned
lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBD and PBDE.

 

[Pooh Bear]

The November 2004 issue of Printed Circuit Design and Manufactire has an
editorial that says theat the European Union is banning the importation of
electronic products containing lead, mercury, cadmium, etc. starting 1 July
2006.

Does anyone have any leads on what alternates there are available to use
instead of lead based solder? Sounds like a real problem to me. With the
quantity of posts on this forum, and my not knowing about the problem before
I may have missed past discussions on this subject.

Any directions 0n where to find more about this subject would be
appreciated.

Google RoHS ( restriction of hazardous substances ).

Various lead free solders have been available for some time. The popular types
seem to contain tin and copper ( and maybe silver too ). 98% tin and 2% copper
seems popular IIRC. Soldering requires higher temps ( about 50C more ).

Japan instigated similar legislation a while back too IIRC.

Most component makers now have info on the lead free status of the tinning of
their component leads too. Was reading one just today.


Graham

 

[Mark Fergerson]

More seriously, what about NiCd cells?

The editorial did say nothing about NiCad cells. It specifically mentioned
lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBD and PBDE.

You _are_ aware that the Cd part of NiCd is the chemical
symbol for Cadmium?

Mark L. Fergerson

 

[Mike Page]

The November 2004 issue of Printed Circuit Design and Manufactire has an
editorial that says theat the European Union is banning the importation of
electronic products containing lead, mercury, cadmium, etc. starting 1 July
2006.

A nuisance, isn't it? Lead in batteries is exempt, so this scheme will
have very little obvious benefit.

 

[Jim Thompson]

A nuisance, isn't it? Lead in batteries is exempt, so this scheme will
have very little obvious benefit.

In the US, lead-based batteries must be recycled, and there is a fee
charged when you buy a new battery to pay for the recycling costs.

The same sort of thing for tires.

...Jim Thompson

 

[Rich Grise]

More seriously, what about NiCd cells?

The editorial did say nothing about NiCad cells. It specifically mentioned
lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBD and PBDE.

Not true. It said whatever it said about Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr+6, etc.

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

A nuisance, isn't it? Lead in batteries is exempt, so this scheme will
have very little obvious benefit.

Why? Are not car batteries just about 100% recycled where you are? The
only other lead-acid batteries I'm aware of are SLA batteries, and
they're not that prevalent.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[budgie]

Lead-free solder is available from plenty of sources. I've tried some
samples and it works OK. The MP is higher than for ordinary lead/tin solder
but my Metcal equipment copes OK with it. The joints look nicer - much
shinier.

I was reading an article about six months back (in some electronics industry
mag whose name escapes me now) about the issues with lead-free solders.
Mechanical stresses and shiny dry joints did crack a mention as two areas of
ongoing concern.

(I filed this in a dusty corner of my mental archive as I don't export to Japan
or EU, and still use leaded solders although I have tried silver-plated PCBs
with mixed reviews.)

 

[Pooh Bear]

A nuisance, isn't it? Lead in batteries is exempt, so this scheme will
have very little obvious benefit.

Utterly hilarious. Although lead acid batteries rarely find themselves in
landfill - they get recycled. Consumer electronics ends up in landfill - that's
the reason for this.


Graham

 

[Robert Baer]

The November 2004 issue of Printed Circuit Design and Manufactire has an
editorial that says theat the European Union is banning the importation of
electronic products containing lead, mercury, cadmium, etc. starting 1 July
2006.

Does anyone have any leads on what alternates there are available to use
instead of lead based solder? Sounds like a real problem to me. With the
quantity of posts on this forum, and my not knowing about the problem before
I may have missed past discussions on this subject.

Any directions 0n where to find more about this subject would be
appreciated.

Harry

Here are the solders that i know about:
1) Sn63, Pb37 MP is 183C (361F) with a max recommended use to 149C
(300F).
2) Sn95.8, Ag3.5, Cu0.7 MP is 217C (423F)
3) Sn96.5, Ag3.5 MP is 221C (430F)
4) Sn65, Sb5 MP is 232C (450F)
I have only personally worked with #1 and #4 and one needs a rather
hot iron to not get cold solder joints with #4.
That makes it a bitch, as that heat tends to make problems with the
ICs one is soldering...

 

[Pooh Bear]

I was reading an article about six months back (in some electronics industry
mag whose name escapes me now) about the issues with lead-free solders.
Mechanical stresses and shiny dry joints did crack a mention as two areas of
ongoing concern.

(I filed this in a dusty corner of my mental archive as I don't export to Japan
or EU, and still use leaded solders although I have tried silver-plated PCBs
with mixed reviews.)

Latest thinking is that lead free joints actually perform better.

The increased temperature for lead-free soldering is the one that bothers me. For
decades, those semi makers have been telling us to keep exposure to heat to a
minimum.


Graham

 

[Pooh Bear]

Not true. It said whatever it said about Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr+6, etc.

Ahhh - hexavalent chrome. Reminded me of the film Erin Brockovich.


Graham

 

[Glen Walpert]

Here are the solders that i know about:
1) Sn63, Pb37 MP is 183C (361F) with a max recommended use to 149C
(300F).
2) Sn95.8, Ag3.5, Cu0.7 MP is 217C (423F)
3) Sn96.5, Ag3.5 MP is 221C (430F)
4) Sn65, Sb5 MP is 232C (450F)
I have only personally worked with #1 and #4 and one needs a rather
hot iron to not get cold solder joints with #4.
That makes it a bitch, as that heat tends to make problems with the
ICs one is soldering...

#2 (with very slight variations in Ag and Cu permitted) has been
adopted by NEMI and essentially all high volume electronic consumer
product manufacturers as the standard lead free electronic solder
alloy. Indium Corp ad on the back cover of the October SMT magazine
claims that over 32 million cell phones have been made with their
version of this alloy for example. No other lead free alloy has yet
been used in high volume production, a situation which is unlikely to
change in the next few decades as essentially all possible alternative
alloys have been evaluated and are less well suited to high volume
production than the NEMI standard alloy.

 

[H Brown]

More seriously, what about NiCd cells?

The editorial did say nothing about NiCad cells. It specifically mentioned
lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBD and PBDE.

Not true. It said whatever it said about Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr+6, etc.

Cheers!
Rich
============================
Rich,

I don't understand your response. Unless you got a different copy of the
magazine than I did, my statement is true. My response was exactly what I
saw in the magazine and what I am looking at right now. It used exactly the
words I stated.

Thanks for those that provided useful references to review.

Harry

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

The November 2004 issue of Printed Circuit Design and Manufactire has an
editorial that says theat the European Union is banning the importation of
electronic products containing lead, mercury, cadmium, etc. starting 1 July
2006.

Does anyone have any leads on what alternates there are available to use
instead of lead based solder? Sounds like a real problem to me. With the
quantity of posts on this forum, and my not knowing about the problem before
I may have missed past discussions on this subject.

Any directions 0n where to find more about this subject would be
appreciated.

Harry

What are people specifying in terms of bare boards? Sometimes we have
to order enough for over 12 months, so the deadline is fast
approaching.



Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[Ken Smith]

budgie wrote: [...]
The increased temperature for lead-free soldering is the one that
bothers me. For
decades, those semi makers have been telling us to keep exposure to heat to a
minimum.

The trend seems to be silver alloys with lower and lower melting points.
I think in a few years a silver, unobtainium, upsidaisium, alloy will be
found with a melting point that match Sn/Pb solder nicely.

Until then, there will be a reliability hit.