EU Bound Electrical Goods Face Tough Tests
"Chinese-made appliances and electronic exports worth US$56 billion will be subject to increasingly strict tests before being shipped to the European Union (EU), it was announced yesterday. From January 18 next year, goods will undergo a national standard examination focusing on six hazardous substances including lead, mercury and cadmium, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, said. The move is to help China's manufactures better cope with the inevitable barriers set by the RoHS by pushing them to reduce the hazardous materials in their products." Source: chinadaily.com.cn
RoHS Preparation: Big Companies Win
"Major manufacturers and distributors in the electronics industry are well prepared to meet the requirements of the European Union’s RoHS and WEEE directives. But many of the small- to medium-size component suppliers are falling short in getting up to compliance. “Across the board large companies are more prepared than small companies. The large companies are prepared, so they don’t have to act immediately,” says Eric Karofsky, senior analyst at AMR Research. “The large companies always understand risk better. They have better planning capabilities and more capacity to spend time assessing risk.” He notes that large companies view regulations as risk factors and they have a institutional capacity to assess risk and plan mitigation strategies well in advance of regulation deadlines. Not so with small companies. “Companies like Motorola and HP are well under way in understanding what is necessary to comply,” says Karofsky. “Most of the small- to medium-size businesses are behind the times.”" Source: designnews.com
46 Segment LCD Driver is RoHS Compliant
"austriamicrosystems further expands its display driver portfolio by introducing AS1120 a new RoHS compliant LCD driver targeted for industrial and automation markets supports alphanumeric and bar graph displays. The chip can drive up to 46 segments of non-multiplexed LCD displays and can be cascaded to increase this number. The serial interface allows for an easy integration into microprocessor based solutions with minimal interface between the display and data source." Source: austriamicrosystems via businesswire.com
The RoHS Heat Is On
"The deadline for the European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) now looms less than a year away. Meanwhile, the EU has put an Aug. 13, 2005 deadline on registering for its Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive. Aside from the EU’s 25 member states, both China and California have their own set of rules in the works that will force suppliers to provide more environmental sound products, with the common factor to all countries being a push toward lead-free electronics. Is the industry ready for RoHS, which is set to hit first with a July 1, 2006 deadline marked on supply-chain calendars? The answer, according to Fern Abrams, director of environmental policy at IPC – Association Connecting Electronics Industries, is a resounding “No.”" Source: reed-electronics.com
RoHS and WEEE: Suppliers Rattled To Full Compliance
"China's electronics manufacturers are beating a European deadline to upgrade to environment-friendly manufacturing facilities. Non-compliance is estimated to cost the mainland's makers about $50 billion worth of electronic exports to Europe annually. The EU directives on the Restriction of certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) are expected to also affect Hong Kong companies with mainland facilities." Source: telecom.globalsources.com
RoHS Directive Countered by G Plan
"The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) kicked off the G (green) Plan on Wednesday and inaugurated for the GP (green product) User Group to cope with the imminent execution of the WEEE (Waste from Electronic and Electrical Equipment) and RoHS (Restriction on the Use of Hazardous Substances) directives imposed by the European Union. In 2003, the EU executive commission passed the WEEE and RoHS environmental-protection directives, which will be put into force in August this year and July next year, respectively." Source: gov.tw
RoHS Compliance Leader: Calumet Electronics
"Calumet Electronics Corp., long known for manufacturing printed circuit boards in the U.S., is blazing the path to meeting stringent new content restrictions for electronic equipment sold in Europe. CEC has developed a new line of printed circuit boards that comply with European Union Directive restrictions. RoHS Compliant circuit boards are made from an FR4 base material with the appropriate Tg rating is used to meet the higher process temperatures associated with lead-free assembly. Electroless Nickel/Immersion Gold (IPC-4552), Immersion Silver (IPC-4553), or Lead-Free Solder (Sn100CL) surface plating alternatives are available." Source: emsnow.com
RoHS To Be Enforced By Weights & Measures Lab in UK
"RoHS legislation enforcement in the UK will be handled by The National Weights and Measures Laboratory (NWML), based in Teddington, London. The Lab is the policy agency for weights and measures in the UK and its enforcement section supports local government Trading Standards departments. It is also involved in drafting weights and measures legislation as well as assessing due diligence systems. The NWML RoHS team will be setting up internal structures over the next few months, including sources of information for industry and an enquiry line with a dedicated contact team." Source: electronicsweekly.com
IPC RoHS Directive Webcast Guides Attendees
"'Only 246 working days to 1, July 2006!' a slide informed attendees during the IPC – Association Connecting Electronics Industries' Webcast, The RoHS Directive on the Restriction of Hazardous Substances, presented by Steve Andrews of the UK Department of Trade and Industry. Andrews gave attendees an overview of the RoHS Directive and an update on RoHS maximum concentration values. But what seemed to really bring attendees to the edge of their seats, and brought about the most attention during the Q&A session was the compliance and enforcement section." Source: smt.pennnet.com
Tool Support For RoHS Compliance From Mentor
"Mentor Graphics Corp. said Tuesday (July 26) that it has begun offering printed circuit board (PCB) tool support designed to help customers achieve Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) compliance. Mentor said the support would help original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) ensure compliance early and throughout the design process, eliminating costly iterations. Customers are able to leverage the component library data field flexibility to implement filtered search and bill of material (BOM) capabilities, enabling OEMs to design for RoHS compliance and avoid the cost associated with redesign time, Mentor said." Source: eetimes.com
Lead-Free Testing for RoHS Compliance
"Already in these columns, there has been much discussion about compliance with the RoHS Directive, and the need for electronics manufacturers to gather information about the composition of components and assembly materials from their suppliers. While it represents another administrative burden on all of those involved, it is nevertheless an accepted part of performing the exercise in 'due diligence' that the directive requires. But what do you do when that information is not readily available - perhaps because the original source in the supply chain is, as yet, unaware of the necessity to provide it?" Source: emsnow.com
RoHS-Readiness Study Results
"Avnet Electronics Marketing, the largest operating group of Avnet Inc. (NYSE: AVT), has commissioned a study of customers and suppliers to determine their readiness for next year's Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) legislation, which becomes law next year. The study, conducted by Technology Forecasters Inc. (TFI), outlines what electronics companies are doing/planning in regards to the environmental legislation that bans six hazardous substances in products sold in Europe after July 1, 2006." Source: Avnet via businesswire.com
Design Your Products With RoHS Compliant Parts
"Total Parts Plus, a leader in supply chain solutions, has added a parametric search feature to its online component database products. The parametric search feature enables users to search the Total Parts Plus electronic component database for passive and active components. It allows users to identify and locate lead-free and RoHS compliant electronic parts for new and existing designs." Source: Total Parts Plus, Inc. via Yahoo
Microwave Mixers Are RoHS Compliant
"Hittite Microwave Corp has two new SMT GaAs MMIC I/Q mixers and a new SMT GaAs MMIC double balanced mixer for Vsat, microwave radio, test equipment and sensor applications from 4 to 16GHz. For applications where a surface mount package is required, the popular HMC527 and HMC528 are now available in RoHS compliant, 4 x 4mm leadless SMT packages." Source: Electronicstalk.com
AMD Delivers Lead-free Chips a Year Ahead
"Advanced Micro Devices said it has begun offering microprocessors with reduced lead content to worldwide customers, complying with a European Union directive that restricts the use of lead by electronics manufacturers. That directive, the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) legislation, takes effect July 1, 2006. AMD began offering RoHS-compliant processors earlier this month including the AMD Operton, AMD Athlon 64, AMD Athlon 64 X2, AMD 64 FX, AMD Turion 64 Mobile Technology and AMD Sempron families of processors. In addition, AMD has several RoHS-compliant chipsets already available including the AMD-8111, AMD-8131, AMD-8132 and AMD-8151." Source: sapinfo.net
RoHS-Compliant SMD Trimmers
"The RoHS-compliant G32 Series 3-mm, single-turn cermet trimmers from TOCOS are said to provide flexibility for circuit boards. They are available in both gold-plated J-hook and gull-wing terminal configurations, and their design meets the EIS, EIAJ, IPS and VRCI standard SMD footprint. Resistance range is 50 Ω to 2 MΩ, CRV = 2% and TCR = ±100 ppm/°C. Life cycle is 100 turns." Source: SMT.pennet.com
RoHS To Be Enforced By NWML in U.K.
"The National Weights and Measures Laboratory has been awarded the contract to set up the UK’s national RoHS enforcement body. It will be delivering RoHS enforcement when the regulations are fully implemented. NWML (Teddington, U.K.) is an Executive Agency in the Department of Trade and Industry and its present role is to ensure UK measurement is accurate, fair and legal. It has the lead responsibility for policy on measuring instruments in use for trade and the implementation of European Directives on measuring instruments and provides the focus for legal metrology in the UK." Source: eetuk.com
Expanded RoHS and JGPSSI Services Announced by Ageus Solution
"Ageus Solutions, a leader in RoHS and WEEE solutions, announces expanded RoHS services. Ageus Solutions has further enhanced its market leading environmental compliance solutions for the electronics industry to meet the complexity of corporate compliance planning and the Japan Green Procurement Survey Standard Initiative (JGPSSI)." Source: newswire.ca
AMD Selling Lead-Free Processors
"AMD said that in early July it began selling versions of its Opteron, Athlon 64, Athlon 64 X2, Athlon 64 FX, Sempron, and Turion processor families that meet the lead-free RoHS regulations, about a year before they go into effect. Several chipsets, including the AMD-8111, AMD-8131, AMD-8132 and AMD-8151, also meet the EU restrictions." Source: extremetech.com
AMD Leads with Less Lead / RoHS
"AMD today announced it began this month offering microprocessors with reduced lead content to customers worldwide, nearly one year in advance of a regulatory deadline to reduce lead in electronic products. AMD began offering RoHS-compliant(a) processors earlier this month, including the AMD Opteron(TM), AMD Athlon(TM) 64, AMD Athlon 64 X2, AMD Athlon 64 FX, AMD Turion(TM) 64 Mobile Technology and AMD Sempron(TM) families of processors. AMD also has several RoHS-compliant chipsets already available, including the AMD-8111(TM), AMD-8131(TM), AMD-8132(TM) and AMD-8151(TM) chipsets." Source: AMD via businesswire.com
The Cost of RoHS
"U.K. distributor Abacus has warned that it will cost around $6.1 million (3.5 million British pounds) to write off stock that it will not be able to sell because of non compliance with Europe's Restrictions on Hazardous Substances legislation." Source: reed-electronics.com
Widest Range of RoHS-Compliant Passive and Interconnect Components
"VX Corporation, a leading manufacturer of passive and interconnect components, has released an updated capability guide covering the broadest range of RoHS-compliant, lead-free passive and interconnect components in the industry. They include leaded radial, axial ceramic capacitors and radial tantalum capacitors. Lead-free product offerings include multi-layer ceramic capacitors, Tantalum capacitors, Niobium Oxide (OxiCap) capacitors, circuit protection, filtering, frequency control devices as well as standard and custom interconnects in addition to many other product lines." Source: businesswire.com
Full Service Has All RoHS Requirements Covered
"With a year to go to this deadline, TUV Product Service/BABT, the international market access solutions provider, has launched its RoHS Total Lifecycle Solution to assist equipment producers in understanding their obligations under the RoHS Directive, demonstrating compliance and communicating their objectives internally and through the supply chain." Source: electronicstalk.com
Integration Announces RoHS Compliant, Lead-Free Packaging
"Integration Associates, Inc., an analog mixed signal semiconductor company, announced today the conversion of its standard products to RoHS compliant, Pb-Free/Green packaging in support of its customers early compliance of the European Directive on hazardous substances set to go into effect in July of 2006." Source: merketwire.com
IC Sockets Ease Transition to Lead-Free Electronics
"Designing an IC socket onto a board can actually reduce costs throughout the transition to lead-free manufacturing and eliminate the need for PC board redesign as semiconductor packages change or become obsolete. Until an end-product needs to be fully RoHS-compliant, design engineers will be faced with integrating both lead-bearing and lead-free components onto PC boards while dealing with both material and process incompatibility issues." source: neasia.nikkeibp.com
Premier Farnell Signs up Sipex in Worldwide Deal
"Premier Farnell has concluded a global distribution agreement to market Sipex analogue signal processing products. There is to be a special focus on Sipex’s power management and interface devices, all of which are now compliant with the RoHS directive." Source: eetuk.com
Arrow Expands RoHs Data
"Arrow Electronics Inc. has expanded its Component Information Services, an online toolset that provides engineering, procurement and supply chain professionals with data to research and select electronic components. The enhancements offer a richer data set for compliance with RoHS and WEEE regulations issued by the EU. In addition to identifying RoHS and lead-free compliance status for five million parts, data elements available include expected compliance dates, manufacturing parameters and hazardous material composition data for semiconductors, electro-mechanical and passive components." Source: circuitsassembly.com
Henkel Celebrates Success of RoHS and WEEE Seminars
"In partnership with Premier Farnell, the electronics group of Henkel has successfully supported two seminars on the implications of the forthcoming RoHS and WEEE directives for the electronics industry. Prestigiously located at the Oxbridge Universities on June 21 and 22 respectively, the seminars formed part of a series of events set to take place this year at universities around the UK. The events have been specifically arranged to enable end users to benefit from Henkel's immense technical leadership in the drive towards lead-free." Source: emsnow.com
Lead-Free Lasers Outperform the Old Wave
"Ideal for applications such as low level laser therapy, medical imaging, industrial alignment, laser levelling and barcode scanning, Sanyo's new DL-6147-240 and DL-6147-040 lead-free laser diodes produce 40mW CW output power at 658nm, which is 10mW more output power than the DL-5147-042 series laser diodes which they replace in compliance with the RoHS Directive." Source: electronicstalk.com
Professional PCs: RoHS-compliant by January
"As of July 1, 2006, the EU’s RoHS Directive (restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment) prohibits the sale in all member states of devices which exceed stringent limits for content of a variety of dangerous substances, including lead, mercury and cadmium. Fujitsu Siemens Computers is fully prepared and will even meet RoHS criteria as early as January. Back in 1992, the company established its first internal guidelines for environmentally conscious design. The Augsburg plant’s nine production lines produce 2.4 million internally developed PC mainboards annually. Six of these lines have already been converted to lead-free soldering, and green mainboards now represent 40 percent of total production. All models in the company’s recently introduced ESPRIMO Professional PC range will comply with RoHS as of this coming January, with all consumer products slated to follow by the end of spring." Source: i-newswire.com
What are the Key Provisions and Deadlines Under the RoHS Directive?
"1 July 2006: By this date, producers will no longer be allowed to put on the market electrical and electronic equipment that contains the hazardous substances lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE). The Annex to the Directive contains a list of exemptions from the substance ban for which alternatives are not available. The Directive also allows for amendments to the Annex to adapt the list of exemptions to scientific and technical progress - if the elimination of the hazardous substances is technically or scientifically impracticable or if the negative environmental, health and consumer safety impacts caused by the substitution outweigh the environmental, health or consumers safety benefits." Source: europa.eu.int
What Is The EU Doing About Electrical and Electronic Waste?
"The Directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS Directive) seeks to substitute lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) in electrical and electronic equipment, where alternatives are available, in order to facilitate sound recovery and prevent problems during the waste management phase. (There is other EU legislation dealing with CFCs, PCBs and PVCs.)" Source: europa.eu.int
Ageus Solutions Celebrates 20th Customer for WEEE Services
"Ageus Solutions, a leader in RoHS and WEEE solutions, announces their 20th customer for their pan-European WEEE services. This achievement reinforces Ageus Solutions' position as the North American leader in RoHS and WEEE compliance services." Source: CNW Group newswire.ca
IPC to Host Lead-free Legislation Webcasts
"With the July 2006 deadline looming less than one year away to meet RoHS compliance, IPC —Association Connecting Electronics Industries is helping the industry to aid the transition in meeting these compliance requirements through a Webcast series on July 14, 21, 28, August 4, 11, 18" Source: SMT.pennet.com
Calumet Electronics announces RoHS Compliance for Printed Circuit Boards
"The European Union Directive 2002/95/EC places restrictions on the use of hazardous substances including lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) in electronic equipment. CEC has developed a new line of printed circuit boards that comply with those restrictions. RoHS Compliant circuit boards are made from an FR4 base material with the appropriate Tg rating is used to meet the higher process temperatures associated with lead-free assembly. Electroless Nickel/Immersion Gold (IPC-4552), Immersion Silver (IPC-4553), or Lead-Free Solder (Sn100CL) surface plating alternatives are available." Source: Free-Press-Release.com
Lead-Free Part Numbers To Be Issued
"More than 70% of suppliers say they will change part numbers for parts that are compliant with the European directive that bans the use of lead and five other substances in electronics equipment, according to a new study." Source: Purchasing.com
Calumet Electronics Leads the Way to RoHS Compliance
"Calumet Electronics Corp., long known for manufacturing printed circuit boards in the U.S., is blazing the path to meeting stringent new content restrictions for electronic equipment sold in Europe. By providing this new technology so far in advance of the deadline, Calumet Electronics' customers will have more time to integrate these new circuit boards with their assembly processes. "We anticipated the need for our customers to develop process compatibility with compliant circuit boards," said CEC National Sales Manager Stephen J. Marshall. "Calumet consults with each customer, providing the expertise to ensure a successful transition to RoHS compliance."" Source: CEC via BusinessWire
RoHs-Compliant Amp ICs Boost Signals Across 6GHz to 25.5GHz
"Hittite Microwave Corp. has launched a line of monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) based amplifiers for commercial and military markets, targeting point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, test equipment, sensors, and other applications from 6GHz to 25.5GHz. The HMC342LC4 is a GaAs PHEMT MMIC low noise amplifier housed in a RoHS compliant 4-by-4mm surface mount package, and operating from 13GHz to 25GHz." Source: eetasia.com
Skyworks' Green Portfolio Helps Its Customers Meet Environmental Guidelines
"Skyworks Solutions, Inc., a global leader in analog, mixed signal and digital semiconductors for mobile communications applications, today announced that its lead (Pb)-free and environmentally friendly product portfolio is now available through the company's Green Initiatives(TM) program, facilitating customers' abilities to meet the various environmental regulations and provide Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) compliant devices well ahead of the deadline. The RoHS directive is targeted at removing six dangerous substances from all electronic products shipped into Europe by July 2006. Skyworks has offered lead-free, RoHS-compliant and other ecological features in many of its products for several years, having begun the migration to a complete lead-free product line back in 2003." Source: BusinessWire
NovAtel Inc. Launches New RoHS Compliant GPS & L-Band Antenna
"NovAtel Inc., a precise positioning technology company, announced the release of its latest GPS and L-Band antenna - the GPS-702L. This antenna features improved Real-time Kinematic (RTK) performance and offers access to the GPS L1 and L2 frequencies, as well as the L-band frequencies used by OmniSTAR and Canada-wide Differential GPS (CDGPS) correction services. The GPS-702L is also NovAtel's first Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) compliant GPS antenna, meeting the European Economic Union (EEU) directive to reduce the hazardous materials content in electronic products." Source: BusinessWire
LG.Philips LCD Gets EPD Certification
"LG.Philips LCD is currently ahead of government regulations in terms of environmental standards, as all of its TFT-LCD TV panels already conform to RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances)(1) standards that will be implemented by the European Union in July 2006. The company has also ensured that its production processes for other TFT-LCD products, such as PC monitors and notebook PC panels, are ready to meet the rigorous RoHS standards." Source: BusinessWire
Getting Up To Speed On RoHS
"Phoenix-based distributor Avnet conducted a follow-up to its 2004 study of supplier compliance and found that component manufacturers are making progress, but there are still plenty of unresolved issues about part numbering and plans for handling in excess in leaded parts. The 2004 study showed that only 52 per cent of suppliers planned to assign new lead-free part numbers. The current study shows that number rising to 71 per cent." Source: ElectronicsWeekly.com
Avnet Releases RoHS Data
"Global electronic component distributor Avnet Electronics Marketing, an operating group of Avnet Inc. (NYSE: AVT), announced a second round of research on the status of the electronic industry's preparedness for complying with environmental legislation, such as Restrictions on Hazardous Substances (RoHS). Preliminary interpretation of the results of the new study by Technology Forecasters Inc. and Avnet Electronics Marketing shows that contract manufacturers, electronic component manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers are making progress toward compliance, as compared to the results of the first such study conducted in late 2004. Companies have exactly one year from today to be in compliance with the European Union's RoHS legislation." Source: BusinessWire
RoHS Webinar Attracted Hundreds
"With just one year to go, almost to the day, yesterday's 'RoHS - one year and counting' webinar attracted hundreds of attendees from more than twenty countries. The whole webinar is now available to see at https://emsnow.webex.com/emsnow/onstage/tool/record/viewrecording1.php?EventID=298774168" Source: EMSNow