...Whether the challenge may be switching SMT lines to lead free, implementing RoHS and WEEE, incorporating new technology, or selecting new materials, the technical conference at IPC Printed Circuits Expo, APEX and the Designers Summit will cover issues affecting the electronics industry's entire supply chain. The three-day technical conference will take place February 8-10, 2006 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif....

...Farnell InOne is providing a free bill of materials (BoM) conversion service to ease the transition to RoHS for design engineers....

...Catalyst Semiconductor, Inc has introduced its new RoHS-compliant serial EEPROM product portfolio with new I2C devices. As part of Catalyst Semiconductor's memory product strategy, this new EEPROM family offers a more robust serial interface product line with all "Green & Gold" NiPdAu, RoHS-compliant packages....

...Manufacturers and governments need to tackle the growing incidence of electronic goods dumping - E-waste - before the problem escalates to uncontrollable levels, says Stephane Rejasse, General Manager, Middle East, Fujitsu Siemens Computers - Europe's leading IT manufacturer....

...As the electronics industry dumps its use of lead, mercury and other hazardous materials, its appetite for clean, green materials is set to increase. A new study published by Business Communications Co. of Norwalk, Conn. finds that the global market for green materials will rise from $6.1 billion in 2005 to $8.7 billion by 2010, showing an annual growth rate of 7.4 percent....

...The Electronics Group of Henkel has announced the recent customer qualification of a lead-free SOIC package, a result of the company's complete material sets expertise....

...Remploy Electronics has embarked on an investment programme to add lead-free capability to its five manufacturing sites in the coming year....

...The Hakko FX-951 soldering iron is specifically designed for lead (Pb)-free applications. It is applicable for eutectic solder as well as Pb-free solder. The composite tip (the soldering tip, the heating element and the sensor are in one assembly) has superior thermal recovery and reliable temperature accuracy....

...Customer Comet, a leading electrical retailer in the UK. Challenge To find a cost-effective, socially responsible solution to manage end of life products covered by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) legislation....

...For those of you that think it can't be done, a colleague's company has just received interim WEEE registration in Germany. They worked with one of the firms like Ageus Solutions that can assist in this regard....

...Adhering to RoHS is more than designers ticking the 'compliance required' box on their drawings and letting the suppliers sort it out, which could be product suicide. Andy Hughes says deal with RoHS early in the supply chain...

...About 71% of electronics suppliers globally say they will change part numbers for components that comply with the Restriction on the Use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) law, according to a new survey....

...China is making progress toward introduction of its version of the European Union's RoHS directive but the timeline for eliminating the use of hazardous materials will lag behind Europe's. The final draft of China RoHS, officially known as "The Administration on the Control of Pollution Caused by Electronic Information Products", will be released in early January and is expected to be passed into law in July 2006...

...UGS Corp., a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services, today announced a software development and marketing relationship with Synapsis Technology Inc. through which the companies will offer a comprehensive set of solutions to assist companies in the automotive and high tech electronics industries to comply with a significantly increased set of environmental regulations....

...With a month to go until the start of producer registration for the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive, and still no word from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the channel is anxious....

...Advanced Circuits, the country's leading source for quick-turn printed circuit boards, today announced the availability of lead-free solder as a plating finish. This is good news for those customers requiring a value-priced alternative to other more costly lead free finishes....

...A free evening event, which is being jointly organised by the government-funded Envirowise programme and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), is being held on 30 November at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford to highlight how electronics companies can identify, manage and reduce hazardous waste - and how in some cases they could save money in the process....

...Europe's directive on waste electronics is proving to be benefit for recycling specialists, with Australian company Sims Group doubling its capacity....

...Dr. Porst, German e-waste management expert has underlined the need to immediately conduct a Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) assessment in Chennai....

...Nickel silver is fast becoming the preferred alloy for the majority of board level shielding tasks according to Precision Micro, the Birmingham based precision metal components manufacturer...

...Whiskers--and more benign raised formations called hillocks--are believed to be a metal's means of relieving stress generated by the electroplating process...In a recent paper in Acta Materialia, they reported that the surfaces of tin-copper deposits developed extremely long whiskers while pure tin deposits (the simplest lead-free plating finish) only produced hillocks. By comparison, the soon-to-be-banned tin-lead deposits did not form either type of deformity, a characteristic known since the 1960s....

...The Component Obsolescence Group, COG, has published a series of reference booklets with the theme 'Obsolescence Minefield'. The latest publication 'the Pb-free Minefield', produced in association with National Physical Laboratory (NPL), and sponsored by ELFNET, gives a comprehensive evaluation of the impact and mitigation of technical and obsolescence risks associated with the transition to lead-free.soldering and RoHS compliance....

...In the second of our in-depth articles from Vic Clements of RFI Global, we examine the hot topic of compliance with the RoHS Directive, particularly what levels and types of evidence are required...

...The third case examines how to improve Solder Joint Reliability (SJR). SJR performance is governed by two properties: the Bulk property of solder itself and the property of the interface formed between the solder and base metal or pad. This case study highlights SAC material technology advancements to optimize both Bulk and Interface properties to improve shock performance....

...Electrical and computer waste damages the environment and new laws aim to impose strict controls on its disposal. We explain how this affects you and how you can help out...

...DEK has published its latest findings on screen printing with lead-free pastes, focusing on the implications for stencil design rules. The results also underline the importance of using an enclosed head and nickel stencils to maximise quality and yield....

...Spectro Analytical Instruments has a free information package available for those interested in the analytical requirements for the European Union's RoHS (Restriction of certain Hazardous Substances) and WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) directives...

...Contract equipment manufacturer Remploy Electronics has embarked on an investment programme that will extend lead-free capability across all five group sites in the coming year....

...The materials covered in the survey include lead-free solders and lead-free solder coatings, replacements for chromium, cadmium, and other environmentally challenged chemicals used in the electronics manufacturing process....

...This Report forms part of the Government's response to recommendations in the Better Regulation Task Force Report, "Environmental Regulation: Getting the message across"....

...We're now all becoming familiar with the WEEE Directive (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) which aims to reduce waste production and improve recycling rates, but exactly how serious is the problem, and what is the solution?...

...As the electronics industry grapples with the coming RoHS deadline, new environmental compliance mysteries loom from China’s recently released environmental law. China issued its own RoHS-type directive in late October, leaving more questions than answers....

...The latest addition to the 'Obsolescence Minefield' series of publications is a 24 page booklet - The Pb-Free Minefield - which has been supported and sponsored by ELFNET - the European Lead-Free Soldering Network...

...companies throughout the supply chain are stepping up to lend a hand in partnering with their customers with the expectation of a flurry of activity once 2006 arrives....

...IPC (Association Connecting Electronics Industries) and JEDEC (the Solid State Technology Association) announce the 12th International Conference on Lead Free Electronic Components and Assemblies, to take place March 6th to 8th, 2006, in Santa Clara, Calif. Both associations are seeking technical papers from environmental menagers and technical staff on relevant subjects....

...In June 2006 lead based pliable electrical conduit will become obsolete under the new RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) Directive which will outlaw the use of lead....

...What are the reliability risks associated with the higher thermal profile demanded when reflow soldering with SAC305 solder pastes? Are there reliability risks associated with SAC305 or Tin-Copper wave soldering? And more...

...The legislation, which should come into force in the UK in June 2006, presents significant challenges, the company says, not least dealing with different interpretations of the directive in different member states....

...Boots Group has awarded Exel a three-year contract to undertake its packaging waste calculation, helping the health and beauty retailer to comply with the Packaging Waste Regulations....

...The VT-RNS-ptH desktop AOI system, designed for off-line inspection by smaller manufacturers running low-volume or prototyping assembly lines, uses color-highlight technology to identify defects....

...PricewaterhouseCoopers is set to warn UK businesses that new laws covering IT recycling will bring a clutch of legal problems...

...Brian Hatcher from Acal warns against underestimating the challenge of flushing non-compliant product through the supply chain...

...DEK has published "Understanding Stencil Printing Requirements for a Lead-free Mass Imaging Process," a report detailing findings on screen printing using lead-free pastes that focuses on implications for stencil design rules....

...Many vendors are still failing to take steps to clean up their act, and legislation such as the WEEE directive won’t do enough, says pressure group...

...The electronics group of Henkel has launched its latest lead-free solder paste, Multicore WS300, a high activity, water washable material with superior cleaning characteristics and suitable for fine pitch, high speed printing applications....

...Samtec Inc. has announced it will begin shipping matte tin as the standard plating for most connectors with tin plating in 2006. This includes pins that are all tin plated (Samtec's -T plating option) and pins with selective gold/tin plating (Samtec's -S, -F, and -L and plating options)....

...Sealevel Systems, Inc. announces the first RoHS-compliant multi-interface PCI serial I/O card, the ULTRA 530.LPCI. The board offers a selectable RS-232/422/485/530 interface and is MD1 low profile and universal bus compatible (3.3V or 5V). The ULTRA 530.LPCI is the first in a series of forthcoming RoHS-compliant product introductions as Sealevel embraces this important environmental initiative....

...The hazardous effects of e-waste are a worrisome problem, says Vinutha V....

...While most electronics companies are working to meet the deadline for the Restriction on the use of Hazardous Substances law, there is another deadline looming for them....

...Loughborough University has developed a Web-based resource to help firms come to grips with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive. The software, called SortED, aims to show businesses how to navigate the legislation...

...However, pure electroplated tin and lead-free tin alloys tend to spontaneously grow metallic whiskers (thin filament-like structures often several millimeters long) during service. These defects can lead to electrical shorts and failures across component leads and connectors....

...Finding alternatives to lead and the other banned substances is only half the battle. Companies will have to show that they comply with RoHS. However, eight months before the RoHS deadline, the European Union (EU) has not said what kind of documentation will be needed. It is possible that the EU will not offer any specifics....

...Indium Corp.'s senior technologist, Ronald C. Lasky, Ph.D., PE, and Tim Jensen, Pb-free programs manager, are scheduled to speak at several educational forums for the SMTA's regional North American chapters. Their goal is to help prepare members for the European Union's directives for WEEE/RoHS compliance....

...the late starters have the potential to learn from the leaders... RoHS and WEEE Specialists director Roland Sommer, in conjunction with Dr Harvey Stone MD of the Goodbye Chain Group, will co-present a two-day training course on RoHS and WEEE....

...With the clock ticking and just months to go before the RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) compliance deadline, IPC and JEDEC - the Solid State Technology Association are announcing the 12th International Conference on Lead Free Electronic Components and Assemblies. The conference will be held March 6-8, 2006, in Santa Clara, Calif....

...IPC and Soldertec Global have announced the 4th International Conference on Lead-Free Electronics and Implementation of the RoHS Directive to be held in Europe....

...At the recent "Lead-free Technology Forum and Workshop," presented by Dage Precision Industries and hosted at the Circuit Technology Center in Haverhill, Mass., I had the chance to hand-solder thru-hole components onto a board using lead-free solder....

...Last month we presented a case study for 'Manufacturer X', a well-known electronics producer preparing for full-scale lead-free soldering process implementation. We looked at his requirements, the test regime undertaken, and the results of the work carried out. As promised, this time we scrutinize the lead-free process preparations of another well-known electronics manufacturer that we shall call 'Manufacturer Y'. This manufacturer had different requirements for his lead-free solder pastes, so different process evaluations were applied accordingly....

...Coretec Inc. (TSX:CYY) announced today it is considering licensing the company's proprietary scripting technology that provides detailed material content reports in compliance with the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive....

...The Environment Agency (EA) has responded to channel concerns over a lack of licensed electronic waste disposal sites in preparation for the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive that comes into force next year....

...A low cost hot air tool is designed for removing and replacing thermally demanding lead-free components, from 0201s to 304-pin QFPs....

...New software, developed at Loughborough University, aims to show businesses how to navigate the latest legislation on handling electrical and electronic equipment at the end of its useful life....

...New legislation, 'green collar workers' and a desire to save costs are driving businesses to change their ways...

...What to do with the millions of PCs and peripheral devices as they are retired has sparked a new debate that is likely to intensify, prompting the inevitable involvement of lawmakers and government....

...At a RoHS software demo yesterday (EMA Design Automation) the subject came up about counterfeit RoHS compliant parts. Have you heard anything about this area? How widespread is it?...

...An English version of China’s new environmental directive is available at the Design Chain Associates site. China’s law, called the Administration on the Control of Pollution Caused by Electronic Information Products, includes some of the language of the Cleaner Production Promotion Law which was passed by the People’s Republic of China in 2002....

...There are several issues weighing on the minds of those in the industry regarding lead-free: higher reflow temperatures, poor wetting, less component self-correction, running two lines concurrently in one facility and others....

...Slightly off-topic, but perhaps interesting...Germany succeeded on Friday in delaying a decision by European Union states on a landmark bill to test and register thousands of chemicals produced in and imported into the EU that could cost industry billions of euros....

...International investigations on the shipment of waste from European ports have found that almost half of containers checked violated EU law. But, it seems the Irish have virtually wiped out the practice of shipping waste out of the country illegally - with a new permanent waste enforcement unit in Dublin....

...Green laws are no longer voluntary, and maybe that's one reason why the majority of large companies worldwide are on track for compliance with the European Union's environmental directives....

...Cookson Electronics Assembly Materials announces the launch of Alpha Coolcap thermal protection devices, developed to cool components during high temperature lead-free reflow and rework processes....

...At the Productronica show, to take place November 15 thru 18, 2005, in Munich, visitors to ECD's booth (A4.240) will be amongst the first to see ECD's new RoHS-compliant SuperM.O.L.E. Gold thermal profiler....

...how do we find a manufacturer who will interrupt his massive tin production for ground applications to make the minuscule quantity of outdated lead components that we need for space? The result is that we will often have to reprocess pure tin finishes and terminations in some way that prevents whiskers....

...The law is strongly patterned after RoHS. Virtually every kind of electrical or electronic gear is covered, even including software (presumably packaging and media). The following are key points taken from specific articles in the measure....

...ROHS features are popping up in pc-board-design software. "You have to solve the compliance issue as far upstream as possible," says Manny Marcano, president of EMA Design Automation Inc....

...The National Physical Laboratory is to host the second Electrically Conductive Adhesives Workshop which will draw on data from the DTI funded project by NPL & TWI with the aim to develop test methods for determining the reliability of conductive adhesives (CAs)....

...European penalties focus on a restriction of market access, potentially a much more potent remedy. Indeed, legislation in Ireland calls for penalties including product recall, liability of corporate directors and newspaper notices, among others, he said....

...OEMs are requesting compliance data from their suppliers in one format, and the suppliers are often delivering the information in a different format. Plus, the data requested by the OEM is often not the same data that the supplier delivers....

...AMI DODUCO, announced that it will feature its Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) compliant electronic coatings and electrical contact materials at Productronica, held November 15-18, 2005 in Munich....

...Equipment manufacturers will be at risk if they rely only on certificates of conformity to prove they have complied with UK RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive) legislation which comes into force next July....

...Most large component suppliers are in good shape for meeting the RoHS deadline, but anecdotal evidence shows there are real problems at smaller component manufacturers....

...Dr. Jennie Hwang will deliver five-part lead-free tutorials in San Diego on December 13, 14, 15, 2005...

...A low cost hot air hand-held convection tool for lead-free processes has been designed for removing and replacing thermally demanding lead-free components, from 0201s to 304-pin QFPs....

...OEMs may have plenty to worry about as the RoHS deadline nears. Some of their smaller suppliers may not be ready with compliant parts in time for the July 1, 2006 deadline. In other cases it’s worse; suppliers may submit false certificates of compliance, and the OEMs may end up facing fines and embargoed products....

...LTK Industries Ltd., a Hong Kong-based cable and wire producer, has chosen Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) of Northbrook, Ill. to establish its compliance with the European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive....

...You may be running out of time to comply with the European Union's Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive, said Richard Vermeij, director of product marketing for Arena Solutions...The date for building a new bill of materials (BOM) is not July 1; it's well before the deadline date...

...According to a Lockheed Martin engineer, budget cuts at OEMs are preventing full consideration of potential system failures due to tin whisker growth on RoHS compliant parts....

...Experts from Speedline Technologies will address the issues involved with the challenge of Tin Whiskers in SMT manufacturing in a free, live, Web seminar, titled "Tin Whiskers," on Thursday, November 17h, from 11 AM to 12 Noon, U.S. Eastern time....

...A recent Zestron study has concluded that chemically supported cleaning will offset the potential for climatic failures presented by lead-free solder pastes....

...An excellent story of one company's RoHS conversion saga....

...Electronics recycler Environcom has added a second recycling line at its CRT reprocessing plant in Grantham, Lincolnshire....

...Last-minute discussions on new waste electronics regulations are focussing on how producer responsibility costs will be shared out between electronics manufacturers....

...Brooktrout Technology, Inc., a leading supplier of media processing and call control products, today announced new products in its TR1000 voice processing board family that are the industry's first telephony platforms that meet the European Union Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive....

...It appears that California is banning from sale any product that can't be sold in the EU... Note that you only have until 1 Jan 2007 to comply... California's definiton of the "covered electronic device" may also be more narrow than the EU's....

...With the help of the well-known US law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Design Chain Associates has been able to obtain and post an unofficial English translation of the Chinese legislation entitled "Administrative Measures on the Control of Pollution Caused by Electronic Information Products", or "China RoHS", as it's commonly called. The official version is in Chinese and the Chinese government has no plans to offer a translation any time soon....

...A study commissioned by the U.K.'s Waste and Resources Action Program (WRAP) has found that sorting e-waste is likely to be cheaper and more environmentally sound than either landfill or incineration....

...Speedprint Technology Ltd. has announced that it will co-host lead-free clinics with Tecan Stencils in booth A4.121 at the upcoming Productronica trade show and exhibition, scheduled to take place November 15 to 18, 2005, at the New Munich Trade Fair Center in Munich, Germany....

...Ingram Micro has signed an agreement with Hewlett Packard (HP) to limit the impact of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive for European Ingram resellers selling HP-branded products....

...In addition to wrapping up Oktoberfest, Germany still claims to be enforcing November 24, 2005 as the date by which products need to be registered for WEEE in order to be sold after that date. Have you done that yet? Only 19 days left!...

...Parvus to transition to lead-free production of embedded PC products by July 1, 2006; Parvus to focus on reliability assurance and risk mitigation techniques with high-reliability customers...

...A leading law firm has raised a number of questions about the effectiveness of new environmentally friendly regulations for the proper disposal of obsolete tech kit....

...Last year, Taiwan turned out US$169.7 billion worth of electrical and electronic equipment, over half of which went overseas. However, this export cash cow could face a serious setback next year if manufacturers of electronic devices fail to comply with a European Union (EU) environmental protection directive that will come into...

...When it comes to replacement parts, you don’t have to worry about using lead-free components because the maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) segment is exempt, right?...

...With the RoHS Directive looming ever closer, a survey by Farnell InOne suggests that the Internet will be crucial for information, news and legislation updates....

...Location: Texatronics Incorporated, Dallas. Dates: 11/2/2005 - 11/4/2005. A comprehensive workshop covering every aspect of the new directives - from the business, technical, and legal underpinnings to the multitude of possible solutions and the myriad of unintended consequences....

...Distributors are spending a lot of time educating buyers and engineering about what the law means to them. In addition, distributors are building databases of the new RoHS-compliant parts....

...To help the industry company with the EU’s RoHS Directive, the SMTA is offering a one-day mini-conference on Complying with RoHS. The event, moderated by Harvey Stone of the Goodbye Chain Group, will take place December 7 at the Richardson Hotel in Richardson, TX....

...A document has been published to help explain how electronics producers can guide recyclers of WEEE in the future. The guidance will help meet the demands of Europe's WEEE Directive, which requires electronics producers to provide information on the dismantling and recovery of any products they place on the market....

...The Lead-free Interactive Forum is a daily hands-on experience with all aspects of lead-free materials and production equipment. The Lead-free Interactive Forum will offer a mixture of free technical presentations, panel discussions and hands-on demonstrations in a live production environment....

...A study commissioned by WRAP has found that sorting e-waste is likely to be cheaper and more environmentally sound than either landfill or incineration....

... New Green Wire product is 100% Tin and Whisker Test Proven. The Green Wire can be manufactured with or without a nickel barrier layer, with uniform thickness and outstanding solderability, and 150 degree C/1 hour heat treat availability....

...Course Description: SSCE/WEEE, Duration 1day Participants on this 1 day course, through discussion and an open forum, will understand the intentions and requirements of the WEEE legislation. Furthermore they will understand how the WEEE requirements are expected to be implemented....

...Environmental consultant eco3 has produced a compliance toolkit for the WEEE and RoHS Directives....

...The non-uniform transposition of the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) directive across member states has created an administrative nightmare and widely diverging WEEE management costs that will contribute around 0.3 to 3% to the retail price of EEE products....

...HP has announced a goal to eliminate the brominated flame retardant (BFR) tetrabromobisphenol A from external case parts of all new HP brand products introduced after Dec. 31, 2006....

...An interim report on a project investigating the waste management options for mixed waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) polymers containing brominated flame retardants (BFRs) has found that separation and treatment to remove the additives is likely to be more commercially and environmentally beneficial than disposal or incineration with energy recovery....

...Impending European legislation to more closely control use of hazardous substances in manufactured products is winning plaudits from environmentalists. Lawmakers in other countries have taken note, and a raft of copycat legislation is expected....

...Company expects to be able to manage, analyze content of products to ensure full compliance with industry regulations...