...ACS Technologies, Corp. Farmington, AR, North American distributor for Lantronic B.V., the leading manufacture of Hot Air Solder Leveling (HASL) systems. ACS has successfully installed 10 Lead-Free HASL systems in North America with plans to install two more systems next month. Lantronics installation base has totaled 55 Lead-Free HASL systems globally.... more...

...Since the Directive was enacted, empirical evidence has come in - not from the EU, but from the US - where evidence has shown that lead in landfill sites causes no leaching problems at all. Furthermore, environmentally conscious campaigners claim that lead-free solutions are actually environmentally worse.... more...

...This, it turns out, has been a major omission on our part as, with the Directive coming into force on 1 July, only now is it emerging that this will be imposing billions of pounds in extra costs to industries throughout the world, to deal with a non-existent threat, and increasing the harmful impact on the environment. In short, while there is no shortage of examples of harmful EU legislation, this directive must qualify as one of the most, if not the most egregious example.... more...

...European Union (EU) regulations designed to facilitate trade and promote competition within the 35-nation bloc are about to restrict what U.S. makers of electrical and electronic equipment can include in their products.... more...

...Californian Bill SB50 is due to take effect on 1 January 2007 emulating the RoHS ban on Cd, Hg, Pb, hex Cr (not flame retardants) for 'covered' electronic products.... more...

...Wednesday's sessions at the CMSE Europe conference will focus on some of today's hottest topics of concern for manufacturers of high-reliability and long-lifetime products. Use of COTS components, the impact of the RoHS directive and managing obsolescence will all be included. Andy Gothard reports.... more...

... Think your company is having problems complying with the European Union's environmental legislation. You are not alone. As part of The Japan External Trade Organization's (JETRO) annual survey of Japanese manufacturers in Europe and Turkey, the study released today finds they are having a greater degree of difficulty with the environmental regulations compared to the previous year.... more...

...Research reveals that only 12% of design engineers, buyers and MRO engineers are fully RoHS compliant in readiness for the 1st July 2006 deadline.... more...

...To answer some of the final questions leading up to the [RoHS] deadline, Intelligent Manufacturing Solutions (IMS), in association with Arrow Electronics, present Time's up! What do we do now? A RoHS Compliance Symposium, on June 13, 2006, at the Radisson Hotel, Chelmsford, Mass.... more...

...When China's version of RoHS becomes active on March 1, four standards must be met: (1) "Concentration Limits" of hazardous substances, (2) "Marking" to indicate the presence of hazardous substances, as well as a safe-to-use period and the packaging material; (3) "Testing Procedures" and; (4) a "Catalogue" of products which are subject to substance restrictions and mandatory certification.... more...

...How can you assure survival of your PCBs at high LF-soldering temperatures? Engelmaier Associates, L.C. announces the availability of a multi-client study/white paper titled: "WHITE PAPER REPORT: Recommendations for PCB FAB Notes and Specifications in Printed Circuit Board Drawings for SnPb and Lead-Free Soldering Assemblies, the Qualification of PCB Shops and Activities to Assure Continued Quality."... more...

...Advantech had converted 20% of its manufacturing processes to lead-free ones by January of this year, to comply with the RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment) directive, the slowest conversion rate among eight leading industrial PC (IPC) makers in Taiwan, according to industry sources.... more...

...Germany, one of the founding members of the European Community, which was established in 1952, transposed both WEEE and RoHS into law on March 16, 2005. And with German precision, the laws went into effect a week later on March 24, 2005 with stiff penalties awaiting infractions.... more...

...More than one company has admitted privately that its supply chain is completely out of balance, and that the only solution is to dump leaded parts in a landfill to get ready for the new rules. While in some cases that may be the quickest solution to getting the supply chain in order, it flies in the face of why the RoHS rules were created.... more...

...The final day of the CMSE conference looks set to be dominated by problems caused by the lead-free directive and the related issues of reliability and obsolescence Steve Rogerson spoke to some of the speakers.... more...

...This is the last paper in a three-part series that reviews the interaction and impact of the stencil and squeegee blade on the lead-free process. The printing process can be separated into three sub-processes: (1) aperture fill, (2) paste release and (3) positional placement of the solder brick on the printed-circuit-board (PCB) pad.... more...

...Those engineers buying parts for maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) haven't worried much about the switch to lead-free parts. MRO is exempt from the European Union's (EU) Restrictions of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) legislation. Yet lately, MRO engineers are beginning to find that the industry move to RoHS compliance has sneaked into their supply chain and changed their parts.... more...

...Innovative processing technologies allow 100% RoHS compliance for industrial connectors while fulfilling requirements for corrosion resistance, EMC behaviour and aesthetic appearance.... more...

...The European RoHS directive will, as you all know, not only affect Europe but any manufacturing country that also exports its products to Europe.... more...

...A design engineer from Lockheed Martin who spoke to us on the condition of anonymity believes its time we learned more about what actually causes tin whiskers. At this point, whisker growth is still a mystery.... more...

...This Guidance Document has been developed through discussions within the "EU RoHS Enforcement Authorities Informal Network" and aims to harmonise national enforcement and provide clarity to industry on compliance.... more...

...ELFNET - European Lead-Free Soldering Network - has collaborated with COST 531 to deliver a much-needed database of physical and mechanical properties for the new Tin-Silver-Copper (SnAgCu) lead-free solder alloys. This data is key to modelling behaviour of lead-free solder joints that from July 2006 will be at the heart of most electrical and electronic equipment in Europe.... more...

...Demand for ENVIRON's web systems for managing collection and recycling of business-to-business WEEE across Europe continues to grow. This week ENVIRON celebrated building its 15th WEEE website, taking the total number of companies who have benefited from ENVIRON's WEEE and RoHS compliance services to more than 100.... more...

...Now in their eighth year, the UK National Recycling Awards organised by 'Materials Recycling Week' are widely recognised as the stamp of excellence in the recycling industry.... more...

...A key issue with the RoHS directive is the variety of ways it can be implemented. Each of the European Union's 25 member states can localize the directive, filling in details any way they want, which often creates confusion, complexity and cost. United Kingdom authorities, however, have been on a mission to make the RoHS directive workable. Though the U.K. fell shamefully behind in WEEE implementation, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), as well as consultant groups such as ERA Technology Ltd., have been working closely with Brussels, trade associations and industry to shape RoHS as it goes from paper to practice.... more...

...My essay, "Calls to Throw Out RoHS Unnecessary," has generated a number of acrimonious responses from people opposed to the RoHS ban on lead (Pb). I have read through each one and the cited references. After giving it much thought I have reached the conclusion that the source of the contention is a collision of values.... more...

...With only a month away from the European Union RoHS deadline, Allied Electronics has announced that it has significantly improved its packing slip to simplify RoHS compliance for customers.... more...

...Two standards within China's RoHS Directive - a standard on 'Concentration Limits' of hazardous substances; and a 'Marking' standard used to indicate hazardous substance content and the safe-to-use period and packaging material, are ready for approval from the Ministry of Information Industry (MII).... more...

...DEK has concluded research into screen printing for 0201 SMT components using SnPb and SAC solder pastes, highlighting new assembly and board design parameters for robust, high-volume assembly with minimal application-specific modifications. Among the observations from analysing a large number of test assemblies post reflow, DEK found that SAC pastes have an inherently wider process window.... more...

...Dr Yan Liu will review her findings on the reliability of lead-free soldering in a presentation to be delivered at the SMTA/CAVE Harsh Environment Electronics Workshop in Indianapolis.... more...

...Three weeks ago a web site was launched to publicize an engineering based initiative called "Pushback" at http://www.RoHSUSA.com. The initiative addresses ONLY one thing; and that is petitioning to remove the European ban on lead in solders for most classes of electronics equipment.... more...

...A RoHS screening service for finished products and subassemblies will help electronics manufacturers comply with the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive.... more...

...Two standards - on 'Concentration Limits' and 'Marking' - stipulated by China's RoHS type regulation are ready for Ministerial approval. The two standard per se do not require extra work from companies whose products already comply with the EU's RoHS Directive. But a yet to be published Catalogue will subject certain products to mandatory certification.... more...

...The launch of ALPHA OM-338 PT, a new lead-free no-clean solder paste, has been announced by Cookson Electronics Assembly Materials. The product offers 'unparalleled' pin testability, while allowing high print speeds and delivering 'excellent' throughput and yield, says the company.... more...

...Here is a second response to my essay, "Calls to Throw Out RoHS Unnecessary." This one is from Gordon Davy who penned the opus "Irresistible Force Meets Immovable Object - A Lead Free Essay."... more...

...Answering the need for increased reflow temperatures mandated by the adoption of lead-free solder, Phase 1 Electronics of Portsmouth has acquired a Dima Solano reflow oven.... more...

...Speaking for John Burke, Joe Fjelstad, and Harvey Miller, the target is the RoHS ban on lead in solder, not the other bans. The ban on lead is an enormous negative for the environment and for electronic equipment reliability.... more...

...European Lead-Free Soldering Network - has collaborated with COST 531 to deliver a much-needed database of physical and mechanical properties for the new Tin-Silver-Copper (SnAgCu) lead-free solder alloys. This data is key to modelling behaviour of lead-free solder joints, that from July 2006 will be at the heart of most electrical and electronic equipment in Europe.... more...

...The EU directive RoHS ["Restriction of use of certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment"], due to come into effect on 1 July 2006, has significant consequences for South African suppliers of electronic and electrical equipment or components to the EU as well as certain world markets.... more...

...Buyers can expect tight supply and higher prices for lead-terminated resistors because most resistor manufacturers have transitioned to lead-free production to meet the requirements of the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive.... more...

...Korea issued its RoHS/WEEE/ELV-like legislation called "The Act for Resource Recycling of Electrical/Electronic Products and Automobiles" to the World Trade Organization (WTO) on March 30, 2006.... more...

..."Lead-times are already lengthening and the industry could be drifting towards a new cycle of allocation," warned Coady.... more...

...Soldertec Global is offering the electronics industry a new RoHS screening service specifically for finished products and sub assemblies to help them comply with the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive. This new service will be officially launched on 1st July to coincide with the enforcement date of the RoHS Directive within the EU States. The final report from this service will become an extra assurance that materials declarations from the supply chain are trustworthy.... more...

...The threat of counterfeit parts is not a new problem for electronics buyers, but it could take on a new wrinkle as the deadline for the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive approaches.... more...

...Retailer Argos Distributors (Ireland) has been fined in the Irish courts after pleading guilty to charges relating to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive. Although the Directive is far from active in the UK, the effects of the legislation are starting to be felt in other EU countries, including Ireland.... more...

...Almost every electronics company in the U.K. will be affected by a the EU's Energy using Products directive, which aims to cut energy consumption. "It promises to have an even more profound effect on industry than the RoHS directive," Gary Nevison, who heads RoHS work at distributor Premier Farnell, told Electronics Weekly.... more...

...Indium Corporation’s Research Chemist, Dr. Yan Liu will review her findings on the reliability of lead-free soldering in a presentation to be delivered at the SMTA/CAVE Harsh Environment Electronics Workshop in Indianapolis, IN, USA on July 19-20, 2006.... more...

...With programming costs dipping below $0.03 per part, lead-free creates additional challenges to IC programming. Affecting primarily BGA and microBGA packages, decreased socket life and high failure rates have impacted IC programming processes.... more...

...to accommodate constraints imposed by large components with high thermal mass requiring higher peak temperature for longer durations, a tighter process control is required to achieve good soldering results in lead-free assemblies.... more...

...A number of contract manufacturers told Electronics Weekly there has been a marked increase in business in the last six months with customers looking to get compliant product into the market ahead of the July RoHS deadline.... more...

...The Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) Inc., in conjunction with the Centre for Microelectronics Assembly and Packaging (CMAP), will hold a major international conference on lead-free soldering in Ontario May 16-18, 2006.... more...

...The Chinese government is making an environment-friendly standards for its electronic products in a bid to reduce electronic pollution and facilitate exports, an official with the Ministry of Information Industry said at a national conference Tuesday.... more...

...Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c26260) has announced the addition of China Sourcing Report: Transistors and Diodes to their offering. Discover suppliers plans for transitioning to lead-free manufacturing as required by the EUs RoHS and WEEE directives... more...

...MATERIAL declarations are a major headache for everyone involved with the Reduction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive. Product manufacturers have difficulty getting data from suppliers and suppliers are inundated with requests for declarations - all in different formats. To compound the issue for suppliers, they also have difficulty getting information from the manufacturers.... more...

...LGInternational, manufacturer of advanced labelling solutions, has announced its new RoHS compliance programme.... more...

...We are only a couple of months away from the approaching dreaded deadline of Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) implementation (July 1, 2006). However, the industry is far from even coming close to becoming RoHS compliant. There are three main reasons for this - lack of uniformity in legislation in different European Union (EU) member countries, supply chain issues, and numerous technical issues in RoHS compliance and implementation.... more...

...Since August 2005, Europe’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive has required companies selling electronics into the European Union to demonstrate that they are taking back and recycling their gadgets. That's the general idea. But Europe is now a diverse 25-country mosaic stretching from Finland to Malta, and the practical details of WEEE implementation are left up to the member states. So that means that registration, reporting, take-back and recycling are open to interpretation in as many as 25 different ways.... more...

...WITH less than two months to go, electronics companies all around the world should be in the final stages of implementing processes to comply with the European Union’s Reduction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directives. If not, they could be in for some financial hardship come 1 July.... more...

...A lead-free wave soldering system is claimed to be the first of its kind in Europe and uses an innovative electromagnetic pumping system to generate and control the solder wave flow.... more...

...The Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) Inc., in conjunction with the Centre for Microelectronics Assembly and Packaging (CMAP), will hold a major international conference on lead-free soldering in Ontario. ( Wyndham Bristol Place Hotel, Toronto, Ontario, Canada May 16-18, 2006)... more...

...Even as the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) enforcement deadline fast approaches, new legislation is emerging in other parts of the world, and companies must prepare for requirements beyond the EU environmental directives.... more...

...The latest round of informal industry consultation for the implementation of the European Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive in the UK will end tomorrow with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) predicting that the controversial rules will finally be incorporated into domestic law next year.... more...

... JEDEC and the International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) announced the availability of two documents intended to help manufacturers reduce the risk of tin whiskers in lead-free products. The first is JEDEC standard JESD201, "Environmental Acceptance Requirements for Tin Whisker Susceptibility of Tin and Tin Alloy Surface Finishes," and the second is a JEDEC/IPC joint publication, JP002, "Current Tin Whiskers Theory and Mitigation Practices Guideline."... more...

...Lead-free no-clean solder paste promises unparalleled pin testability, while allowing high print speeds and delivering excellent throughput and yield. Cookson Electronics Assembly Materials is pleased to announce the launch of its Alpha OM-338 PT lead-free no-clean solder paste.... more...

...RoHS experts will share information about the impending legislation at a series of UK seminars to help people everywhere with specific queries and concerns. Farnell InOne, the number one source for RoHS compliant products and information, announces the latest series of seminars at which its RoHS experts will share information about the impending legislation.... more...

...SMTA is again co-locating its annual conference, SMTA International, with the Assembly Tech Expo (ATExpo) show this fall at the Donald Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois (Conference: September 24-28; Exhibits: September 26-28).... more...

...The RoHS directive is the first of many small steps along a path. The path leads to a healthier world for all by eliminating environmental hazards. Along one side of the path are cheerleaders urging the walkers forward. On the other side are nay-sayers urging the walkers to veer off onto a different path.... more...

...A seven-metre high robotic figure made out of old household appliance parts is going on display in Bristol.... more...

...A recent article about Swatch supports this point. Apparently Swatch is having reliability concerns with their watches because of tin whisker formation in the leadfree solder joints. This article goes on to state that Swatch has applied for an exemption because of this tin whisker concern. It refers to the entire Swatch issue as a "mortal blow" for leadfree solder.... more...

...The great irony of the switch to lead-free components is that the exempt industries - aerospace, defense, medical and portions of telecom - are having the hardest time adjusting to the change. Those industries exempt from the RoHS legislation are under no compulsion to quit using components that contain lead. Yet these industries are facing a world of lead-free parts that may hinder their ability to buy the high-reliability leaded parts. In response to this, industry groups have recently released documents that are designed to help companies reduce the risk of whisker growth in lead-free parts.... more...

...Shimadzu Scientific Instruments (SSI), a developer of analytical instrumentation in the US, has announced the availability of its new free white paper 'Understanding RoHS'. The 'Understanding RoHS' paper offers guidance and tips for the many organizations that need to comply with the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substance (RoHS) regulations, which are scheduled to take effect in July of this year (2006).... more...

...Organized by the SMTA, many events are planned for industry professionals who have an interest in lead-free soldering technology and environmental compliance issues. In order to help industry professionals understand the challenges of lead-free, this year's event will feature the following lead-free specific offerings: 10 courses, close to 60 technical papers, the ever-popular Lead-free Soldering Symposium, and other special events.... more...

...Disposing of old technology is a serious issue and failure to deal with it now could cost your clients dear. Few people outside the Bush administration now doubt there's such a thing as global warming, and most responsible business people will want to feel they are doing their bit to combat it.... more...

...Companies aren’t as boxed in as they may think they are when it comes to Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS). Due to the numerous requests from the electric and electronic industries for exemptions of applications related to the use of certain hazardous substances included in the Commission's RoHS directive 2002/95/EC, the Technical Adaptation Committee (TAC), chaired by the European Commission and consisting of representatives from EU member states, has been meeting regularly to discuss implementing the directive, including adopting additional exemptions.... more...

...The great irony of the switch to lead-free components is that the exempt industries - aerospace, defense, medical and portions of telecom - are having the hardest time adjusting to the change. Those industries exempt from the RoHS legislation are under no compulsion to quit using components that contain lead. Yet these industries are facing a world of lead-free parts that may hinder their ability to buy the high-reliability leaded parts.... more...

...This is the first of a two-part series that looks at tin whisker problems facing design engineers in industries such as defense, aerospace and medical equipment. The exempt OEMs don't need to use RoHS-compliant parts, but they may soon find that non-compliant parts are unavailable. So, some engineers are considering using compliant parts that may be susceptible to whisker growth.... more...

...JEDEC and the International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) have published two documents intended to help manufacturers reduce the risk of tin whiskers in lead-free products.... more...

...Lead- free solder has just been dealt a mortal blow. After 2 years of seriously trying to comply with the RoHS provisions against lead in solder, the Swatch Group plans to return to lead, either high 90% - sanctioned by RoHS or low 37% - banned. The reason is tin whiskers, "generating short circuits which end the watch's function."... more...

...U.S. electronics manufacturers who are converting to lead-free assembly can gain a wealth of essential information at three lead-free RoHS seminars next month. Hosted jointly by global soldering giants Vitronics Soltec and Kester, these seminars will be held in three different locations across the USA during the month of June 2006.... more...

...The European Commission looks set to review a loophole in the restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive which may be allowing some manufacturers to claim their products are exempt from the lead-free rules. The EC has asked a number of RoHS specialists, including one in the U.K., to re-assess the definitions for two categories of product which currently fall outside the legislation.... more...

...Distributor Farnell InOne has announced the latest dates in its 'School of RoHS' series, which aims to provide expert information on the lead-free legislation. In addition, Farnell's RoHS evangelist Gary Nevison will speak at NEEDS, the National Electrical and Electronic Directives show, on Tuesday May 16. Nevison will run an interactive session on the impact of the legislation.... more...

...Companies in the electrical and electronic industries face a staggering and growing number of laws and trade regulations worldwide restricting hazardous substances in products and production processes. At the upcoming inaugural HSPM2006 International Leadership Symposium, experts will examine a new International Electrotechnical Commission standard, entitled IECQ HSPM (Hazardous Substance Process Management), and detail why it's being adopted around the world as a common sense approach to satisfying requirements imposed by RoHS, WEEE, Green Process Management and related trade regulations in China and the U.S.... more...

...On the basis of its recent test results Philips have recommended a SAC101 lead-free solder alloy as an excellent solution to the problems of solder ball adhesion and reduced drop test performance seen with SAC405 solder balls.... more...

...A consulting group tracking China's RoHS-related Marking and Maximum Concentration Value standards has found "significant differences between the previous drafts and the reported 'final' drafts" that were just released.... more...

...Argos Distributors Ireland has pleaded guilty to charges brought by the Environmental Protection Agency in relation to two offences under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2005.... more...

..."Lead-free pastes have an inherent difficulty with pin test yields. Thanks to our global market intelligence gathering, and world class team of product formulators, OM-338 PT has proven to be a very promising innovation," said Mitch Holtzer, Cookson Electronics' Global Product Manager.... more...

...Newark InOne, a subsidiary of global Premier Farnell plc, and the leading small-quantity distributor of electronic components, test equipment and RoHS compliant solutions in North America, announces the launch of Product Watch, a new proactive notification service that alerts customers when a product will no longer be available.... more...

...Tin whiskers can be reduced, but it's doubtful they will ever be eliminated once lead is completely removed from solder. . . "This document took us more than three years to do," said Joe Smetana, who chairs iNEMI's tin whiskers user group. We started even before there was a user group and rolled in five companies. We spent a tremendous amount of time. But the conclusion is there is no way to take test data and no way to definitively say a coating won't whisker."... more...

...The RoHS regulations are especially significant for Taiwan as many of these products or components for these products are manufactured on the island. On the whole, the news is quite good. According to figures compiled by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) most of the companies that will be affected seem to have got the message.... more...

...Businesses in the UK will be made responsible for recycling old electrical equipment or IT if not replacing it with similar new equipment, the DTI has said.... more...

...Even as the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) enforcement deadline fast approaches, new legislation is emerging in other parts of the world, and companies must prepare for requirements beyond the EU environmental directives. In the U.S., legislation has been active at the state level, with activity beginning at the federal level as well. Among the environmentally active states, California has been a leader in establishing environmental regulations.... more...

...IPC have released their new Certification for RoHS Lead Free Electronics Assembly Process Capability program into Europe.... more...

...JEDEC and the International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) today announced the availability of two documents intended to help manufacturers reduce the risk of tin whiskers in lead-free products.... more...

...Kester and Vitronics Soltec will host a series of day-long Pb-free RoHS seminars in three different locations throughout June. The free technical sessions are designed to help the North American industry get answers to their Pb-free assembly questions.... more...

...Design Chain Associates have asked the Korean Ministry of Environment to clarify the scope of electrical and electronic products as described in Article 2 of the legislation and received further information.... more...

...Farnell InOne's BoM (bill of materials) Response Team is expecting a rapid rise over the next three months in the number of BoMs requiring conversion.... more...

...The EC has set targets for the recovery and recycling of spent batteries after the parliament and ministers from member states settled their differences to agree a compromise on the issue.... more...

...Coherent, whose annual sales total more than $500 million, has spent millions of dollars working with suppliers to identify the substances, locate environmentally friendly substitutes and redesign and test its modified products. Mr. Barker, Coherent's vice president of environmental initiatives, isn't convinced that Europe's rules will make the world much safer, pointing out that the electronics industry accounts for just 2 percent of the world's lead. But with 28 percent of his company's sales in Europe, he can't risk running afoul of the new law.... more...

...Tin whiskers can be reduced, but it's doubtful they will ever be eliminated once lead is completely removed from solder. iNEMI has developed a list or recommendations for testing and mitigation. But the group says the body of information is still not perfect for long-life products, and whiskers will still form under certain conditions.... more...

...IPC - Association Connecting Electronics Industries has launched the Certification for RoHS Lead Free Electronics Assembly Process Capability Program in North America and Europe.... more...

...Electronic Automation Services, Inc. (EAS), a global supplier of PCB assembly equipment for the electronics industry, recently announced their New Lead Free product division. EAS supplies both New and Pre-Owned equipment, and provides Support, Installation and Training services for a wide variety of equipment.... more...

...IPC invites industry members to submit abstracts and course proposals for the IPCWorks Conference "The Impact of Implementing Lead Free Technology" to take place September 10-14 in Fort Worth, Texas.... more...

...A new state of the art handheld XRF gun will allow SGS United Kingdom to take its RoHS screening service into its customers' warehouses.... more...

...JEDEC and International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) have published two documents that are designed to help manufacturers reduce the risk of tin whiskers in lead-free products.... more...

...Toshiba TEC Europe has claimed it is the first retail and industrial automation solutions provider to be fully compliant with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) EU directive. Despite the fact that the UK government has still not implemented the WEEE regulations into UK law, Toshiba TEC said it has already introduced measures that will enable it to comply with WEEE.... more...

...The global electronics industry has made tin a hot commodity. But that's cold comfort to the miners of Walikale. . . Cassiterite, the ore that contains tin, is a hot commodity now that environmental regulations have forced the global electronics industry to use tin instead of lead in circuitboards and other components. The price of tin has nearly doubled since 2002, to about $7,000 a ton. But few end users are aware of the hazardous conditions and low wages that miners like Kasereka endure.... more...

...Dell Inc. has joined an AMD group focused on unchecked datacenter power consumption. Designed to increase awareness of the pressing power issues, The Green Grid was founded last month with the mission of bringing a variety of industry perspectives together to define solutions to power and cooling costs in the world's fast growing datacenters.... more...

...EU ministers yesterday agreed that at least 45% of all batteries in use in the EU be saved rather than incinerated or dumped in landfill sites, by 2016. And at least half of the collected batteries must be recycled.... more...

...European ministers and MEPs have agreed a compromise on a new Directive that will make producers responsible for collecting and recycling spent batteries. A series of meetings in recent weeks culminated in last night's agreement in which MEPs managed to introduce new requirements for batteries to be labelled to help consumers take more informed environmental choices.... more...

...Battery manufacturers and resellers are to be forced to dispose of spent units, especially those used in laptops and mobile phones, and new batteries will be restricted in the amount of mercury and cadmium they can contain, according to a deal agreed by European Union lawmakers as part of a contentious health and safety directive.... more...

...Companies are fudging the move to RoHS compliance this summer by insisting to contract manufacturers that their products are exempt even when this may not be certain. A senior executive at one contract manufacturer told Electronics Weekly: "Perhaps as many as 90 percent of customers are telling us that they do not need lead-free processes because their products are exempt." He added that there is nervousness in the industry due to the number and range of application-specific exemptions to the RoHS directive.... more...

...Repic, the not-for-profit compliance scheme, has launched a new website designed to make registration for pan-European compliance with the WEEE Directive an easier process for the producer community.... more...

...European Union legislators will agree new rules Tuesday on collecting and recycling batteries in a bid to limit pollution caused by their incineration and burial in leaky landfill sites, a program estimated to cost industry at least EUR200 million.... more...

...the law incorporates every materials ban that was in place by the individual member European countries, and rolled up into one new law called RoHS. . . The interesting point though is that not one of those countries has ever banned lead in solders. With no evidence to support the ban, I am not surprised that even those very environmentally-conscious countries did not ban the use of lead years ago.... more...

...For many manufacturers, recent federal regulations on product and part traceability have placed new demands on their production process. Compliance with the TREAD Act, RoHS, and SPEC 2000 has caused concern and sent companies scrambling to meet these industry and governmental requirements.... more...

...Remember when the 0402 was the smallest passive component you had to worry about? That part's dimensions - 1 millimeter long, 0.5 millimeter wide, and 0.35 millimeter thick - were cake compared with the latest chip to come off the reel, the 01005.... more...

...For IT users, there is the possibility that some vendors may accelerate product end-of-life announcements, and putting RoHS-compliant parts into production systems may require testing in some cases. Although some vendors and consultants are advising users to ask suppliers about their RoHS compliance plans, the issue hasn't been getting much attention in the U.S.... more...

...Small businesses making machinery and equipment are invited to take part in an EU-funded project - to help companies reduce the amount of hazardous waste they produce - and save money.... more...

...My father once told me that the result of an irresistible force meeting an immovable object is an indescribable collision. Indescribable as the collision may be, I want to discuss in some detail the events I think are likely to unfold in Europe during the weeks and months following July 1.... more...

...Add South Korea to the growing list of nations imposing environmental controls on the global electronics industry. On March 30, the country published proposed legislation, titled "The Act for Resource Recycling of Electrical/Electronic Products and Automobiles," and submitted it to the World Trade Organization.... more...

...It's not just electronics companies that struggle with figuring out how to comply with the EU's environmental directives. Even EU member governments are having a problem providing the necessary support regulations.... more...

...Last month, the trade association IPC released a "RoHS Lead-Free Electronics Assembly Process Capability Certification" for electronics equipment manufacturers. Two EMS companies took part in the beta test with IPC and have received certification. They are Solectron Corp.'s Charlotte, N.C., facility and Raven Industries Inc.'s Electronics Systems Division, in Sioux Falls, S.D.... more...

...Many uninformed mothers may applaud also as their children's handheld gaming units and MP3 players boast new safety standards and can safely be called "green." But manufacturers worldwide, including many in the United States, are pumping billions of dollars into testing new materials and converting assembly lines on a whim of ecological alarmism.... more...

...Converting the supply chain to Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive-compliant, non-leaded parts has not hurt the components distribution market, according to Avnet, which reported revenues of $3.61bn for its fiscal Q3, up 31.1 per cent over the year ago quarter’s revenues of $2.76bn.... more...

...Visitors to Nepcon UK exhibition will be able to discuss their lead-free process issues and requirements, and participate in demonstrations of some exciting new innovations in lead-free products.... more...

...As the deadline for the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substances directive quickly approaches, all players in the electronics supply chain should be beyond planning their approach to RoHS compliancy and well into execution of this monumental transition. . . The directive has created tremendous complexity throughout the electronics supply chain. During the period of compliance preparation, these factors have provided the most risk to the supply chain:... more...

...yesterday, Toshiba TEC Europe became the first retail and industrial automation solutions provider to announce full compliance with Europe's Directive on Waste management of Electrical and Electronic Equipment -- or WEEE... more...