Analog Switch ICs feature low quiescent current of 10 µA

"Suited for applications that require high voltage switching controlled by low voltage signals, 16-channel Models HV2601 and HV2701 feature 22 Ω switch resistance, serial shift register control, and up to 200 V operating voltage. Model HV2701 also includes integrated bleed resistors that minimize noise and capacitive coupling. Available in 48-lead TQFP packages, RoHS-compliant ICs are suited for medical ultrasound imaging and nondestructive metal flaw detection." Source: thomasnet.com

BoM RoHS conversion free from Farnell InOne

"Farnell InOne is providing a free bill of materials (BoM) conversion service to ease the transition to RoHS for design engineers. To access the service, engineers have to have an account with Farnell InOne and email their BoM, in Excel of spreadsheet format, to a team of specially trained technicians who will match the list of products to RoHS compliant components. The service should be fast and hassle free with BOMs being turned around within 48 hours. With new RoHS components becoming available all the time, the BoM conversion service allows engineers access to the very latest product lines and provides up-to-the-minute information about RoHS products coming soon. All designer engineers need to do is make sure that product part numbers are included in the BoM, regardless of the manufacturer." Source: eetuk.com

Remploy brings plants up to RoHS compliance

"Remploy Electronics has embarked on an investment programme to add lead-free capability to its five manufacturing sites in the coming year. “We have got a lead-free wave solder machine coming into the Bolton site this week,” Aled Williams, who heads RoHS compliance at Remploy, told Electronics Weekly. The number of sites and its eclectic mix of customers makes the contract manufacturer’s move to RoHS-compliance complex. The firm’s Barking factory will get its lead-free wave solder machine early next year. “We have to live within our financial means, and Barking’s major customer does not have to be RoHS-compliant,” said Williams." Source: electronicsweekly.com

TFT LCD module with full ROHS compliance

"Hitachi Display Products Group has introduced the TX26D02, a successor to the TX26D01. The new module is a high brightness 10.4in colour TFT display that is fully compliant with RoHS requirements. Ideal for a wide range of display and interface applications, the new display panel delivers a 640 x 480 resolution. Using a new components to ensure ROHS compliance, the new TX26D02 delivers excellent performance." Source: electronicstalk.com

New ''Green and Gold'' RoHS-Compliant I2C Serial EEPROM ICs from Catalyst Semiconductor

"Catalyst Semiconductor, Inc. (NASDAQ:CATS) 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. "Based on customer feedback and the requirement for RoHS-compliant products, we found strong market demand for serial EEPROMs with a broader range of operating voltage at the higher performance access speed of 400 KHz. In addition we added NiPdAu lead frames which meet all RoHS "lead-free" requirements. These new packages can also be used for older board designs not requiring 100% lead-free content so the new device family can replace multiple versions of the older I2C products to give our customers a more streamlined product offering which in the long run will help reduce cost," said Gary Craig, Product Marketing Manager. "Products being introduced include 1kbit, 2kbit, 4kbit, 8kbit, 16kbit, 32kbit, 64kbit, 128kbit and 256kbit serial EEPROMs with all 'Green & Gold' packages," he concluded." Source: Catalyst via businesswire.com

RoHS: More than just ticking a box

"Our experience in the PCB market shows there are still too many designers out there who have simply seen RoHS as ‘a product that contains no lead’, and that by ticking the ‘materials must be RoHS-compliant’ box, they assume their product becomes compliant. This is dangerous thinking, as mere adherence to the letter of RoHS legislation, may well be creating huge problems further down the line for OEM suppliers. With the advent of RoHS, that relatively simple relationship between designer and supplier has been turned on its head. Designers, cognisant of the fact they need to meet RoHS compliance standards now add the note into their designs that ‘all materials must be compliant’, without realising that the necessary adoption of lead-free alternatives has huge knock-on effects for other materials used in the manufacturing process. While a designer may be right to tick the ‘compliance required’ box on his submitted drawings, we are aware of instances where adopting the letter of the law and blindly adopting lead-free solders in isolation would be product suicide. In reality, adhering to the designer’s RoHS-friendly specifications would create a fully compliant, but totally flawed product. The reason being that laminates – even those that pass the stringent FR4 test for quality – are generally unable to withstand the much higher temperatures required to work with lead-free solders. Hence, FR4 standard laminates, as specified by designers looking for the best quality boards, would find their RoHS-compliant PCBs suffering from the effects of Z axis expansion during assembly as well as potential board decomposition. Even if the boards survive the assembly process, the potential for failure in the field is vastly increased." Source: electronicsweekly.com

RoHS: Most suppliers to change part numbers

"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. The survey of 500 semiconductor, passives and electromechanical part suppliers was conducted by component management software provider SiliconExpert Technologies in Santa Clara, Calif. Survey results were presented at the recent National Electronic Distributors Association Executive Conference in Chicago. Omar Ahmad, CEO of SiliconExpert Technologies, says it is important for component manufacturers not to change part numbers. "It’s too complicated if they don’t."" Source: purchasing.com

RoHS compliant alloy proves popular onboard

"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. The material is said to be replacing traditional plated steel and yellow metals across the board and certainly for those applications above 15MHz where shielding effectiveness becomes more of a skin (conductivity) effect than a bulk effect. Nickel silver is less conductive than copper and brass but far stronger. Although this RoHS compliant material is marginally more expensive, it doesn't need plating to improve its solderability or corrosion resistance, so invariably finished shielding cans manufactured in nickel silver are less expensive." Source: electronicstalk.com

Illuminated switches meet RoHS requirements

"Answering requests from many customers, RJS Electronics now offers a number of RoHS-compliant illuminated switches. Rick Sucher MD has been working closely with the switch manufacturers to ensure that 90% of the switches offered by the company will be compliant by January 2006 with the remainder by the July 2006 deadline. 'We have noticed since July 2005 with a year to go at that time for RoHS to be implemented that nearly all of our customers are seeking compliant products', says Sucher. In addition to the switches, RJS will have RoHS-compliant LCD modules and relay products ready next year for the July deadline." Source: electronicstalk.com

Serial board is RoHS-compliant

"I/O board maker Sealevel Systems Inc. announced that it has developed the industry's first RoHS-compliant multi-interface PCI serial I/O card. The product is the first in a series of forthcoming RoHS-compliant product rollouts from Sealevel. Dubbed the ULTRA 530.LPCI, Sealevel's board offers a selectable RS-232/RS-422/RS-485/RS-530 interface. The system meets or exceeds the requirements of ANSI Standards TIA/EIA-422-B and TIA/EIA-485-A and ITU Recommendations V.11 and X.27. The ULTRA 530.LPCI can handle multi-point transmissions on long lines in noisy environments. The RoHS-compliant ULTRA 530.LPCI, carrying product number 7106-RoHS, is already available, priced at less than $230 in low volume quantities. A non-RoHS version, dubbed product number 7106, is also available." Source: eetasia.com

Demonstrating compliance with the RoHS Directive

"One of the biggest failings of the RoHS Directive is the lack of definition of any conformity assessment procedure. Those of us familiar with the CE regime will know that such procedures are always included in New Approach directives defining the processes and documentary evidence needed to demonstrate compliance. The omission of such a procedure from RoHS is somewhat of a surprise. While it is not a CE marking directive, it has been brought in under Article 95 of the EU Treaty which means that it has, as its basis, the preservation and facilitation of the Single Market. Without any definition of what compliance evidence is required, we must go back to basics. The first problem is determining exactly what compliance means." Source: electronicsweekly.com

Booklet from Components Obsolescence Group tackles RoHS

"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. This 24-page booklet is a technical guide, designed to be informative but easily understood by both engineers and management. Most of the information will still be viable and helpful once the legislation is in force. Problems as well as solutions are highlighted. The publication is sponsored by ELFNET - the European Lead-Free Soldering Network – an EU-funded project aiming to bring together Europe's research experts to optimise and accelerate the lead-free transition. Obsolescence has been identified by ELFNET as one of a set of priority issues requiring urgent action. Jeremy Pearce, ELFNET Coordinator, comments "the work of COG, including publication of this latest guidance document, is a major contribution in achieving this aim"" Source: emsnow.com

RoHS-compliant TFT module has bright backlight

"Available now from Trident, the TX26D02 is a fully RoHS-compliant 10.4in TFT LCD module made by Hitachi. Ideal for a wide range of display and interface applications, the new display panel delivers a 640 x 480 resolution. Using new components to ensure RoHS compliance, the new TX26D02 delivers excellent performance. Two cold cathode fluorescent tubes for backlighting provide 380cd/m2 brightness with a 500:1 contrast ratio, making it ideal for applications in high ambient light conditions. Designed to present information to the user in a clear, concise format, the TX26D02 offers a highly flexible colour display with excellent performance." Source: electronicstalk.com

Package details RoHS and ElektroG screening

"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. The package includes an informative, six-page brochure, 'Screening and Analysis of Electrical Instruments and Components', as well as instructive application reports. The package was developed to help affected businesses deal with the new regulations and offers explanations of the analytical instruments and methods best suited for examining potentially harmful substances. Spectro's brochure, which is available on-line in German and English, serves as an easy to understand introduction for companies in the electrical and electronics industries. It summarises key points within the guidelines and provides an overview of the products and technologies used to examine the products defined in RoHS and ElektroG and for determining that limiting values have been met." Source: laboratorytalk.com

Meeting the RoHS Deadline

"As the deadline for achieving compliance with the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) regulation is fast approaching, 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. At Fairchild Semiconductor, Mark Rioux, VP of global quality and reliability, explained that while internal efforts began as early as 2000, once the company learned of the legislation, it has been a mixed bag when it comes to customers getting on board with the regulations. The next year is expected to be a challenging time, particularly for those customers that have not approved lead-free products. “As time goes on, it will be more difficult to obtain those parts. Fairchild will be fully converted to lead-free by the end of this year; we will still carry leaded parts, but only to select customers,” he explained." Source: reed-electronics.com

COG booklet tackles RoHS

"Lead-free technology is the latest subject under the microscope in the latest in a series of reference booklets from the Component Obsolescence Group about various aspects of electronic component and other areas threatened by obsolescence and the ways in which these impact on elements of industry. 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 - an EU-funded project aiming to bring together Europe's research experts to optimise and accelerate the lead-free transition. It has been put together in association with Alan Brewin of the National Physical Laboratory." Source: eetuk.com

RLead-free soldering and RoHS implementation - Questions from the Frontline, Part 2

"With the start date for compliance in Europe being July 1, 2006, assemblers don't have much time to make their products destined for European markets not only lead-free but also free of cadmium, mercury, chromium VI, polybrominated bipenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE). This article is a compilation of some of these questions that are coming from Kester's customers in the U.S., Asia and Europe. Surely more questions will be asked as this year comes to an end and 2006 begins. We will bring more of these questions and answers to you in subsequent issues." Source: emsnow.com

Atmel Launches Highly Integrated RoHS-compliant SiGe Front-End IC for Private Mobile Radios (PMR)

"Atmel(R), a global leader in the development and fabrication of advanced semiconductor solutions, announced today the availability of a new Silicon Germanium (SiGe) based front-end IC, ATR0981. The use of SiGe technology, the simple yet flexible application circuit, and the device's wide operating frequency range (300 MHz to 500 MHz) make possible a broad range of applications, from hand-held family radios (private mobile radios, PMR) to meter readers. It is easy to design applications with low external component counts using this front-end device because of its high level of integration, including a very efficient power amplifier (PA) and a low-noise amplifier (LNA) for the receive path. In contrast to most competitors' family-radio front-end solutions, which are designed as discrete solutions, this device is an integrated circuit manufactured using Atmel's innovative Silicon Germanium (SiGe) technology, providing many advantages over discrete or non-SiGe solutions. SiGe ensures high reliability and robustness due to low temperature dependency; plus, the cost savings of using the ATR0981 IC go beyond simply the component cost -- lower component count also equals decreased design effort, failure risk and assembly cost. Samples of the ATR0981 are available now in PSSO20 packages, which are both Pb-free and green. Atmel is the one of very few suppliers offering this type of product as an RoHS-compliant device. Pricing for the ATR0981 starts at 1.20 US$ in quantities of 10 k." Source: prnewswire.com

Industry's First RoHS-Compliant PCI RS-232/422/485/530 Board

"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. Sealevel is proactively leading the industry in the development of high-quality communications and I/O products that meet the RoHS (2002/95/EC) and WEEE (2002/96/EC) directives adopted by the European Union. The RoHS directive restricts the use of lead and certain other hazardous materials in electronic products. Sealevel designs all new products for RoHS compatibility and is modifying legacy products and manufacturing processes for RoHS compliance. The Company will continue to offer both RoHS-compliant and non-compliant products to meet global and domestic customer demand." Source: businesswire.com

Cleaning the supply chain for RoHS

"Brian Hatcher from Acal warns against underestimating the challenge of flushing non-compliant product through the supply chain. By July 2006, all manufacturers of electronic and electrical equipment sold in Europe must comply with the EU’s RoHS Directive (2002/95/EC). Component manufacturers are making commitments to meet this deadline, but the problem is far more complex for the OEMs. OEMs must ensure that their stocks are refreshed well before the deadline, so that all product shipped after the deadline is RoHS-compliant. Some suppliers have grasped the problem and are reacting positively. For example, one of our franchises has been offering ‘Green Packaging’ since 2002. Today all plastic packages, including commercial, industrial, automotive and military devices, are offered as RoHS compliant products. They have also introduced a part-number suffix to indicate RoHS compatible products, simplifying the transition." Source: electronicsweekly.com

RoHS changes the parts you buy

"Europe's Restriction on the use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) act and the initiative on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) are driving companies to design and manufacture products in an environmentally friendly manner so fewer hazardous substances end up polluting the air and water. But the laws are also proving to be a costly and burdensome pain in the neck for the supply chain and for purchasers. Besides banning lead, RoHS outlaws mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated bipheyls, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers. However, lead is the mostly widely used of those materials in electronics. It is used in many components and in solder that attaches parts to printed circuit boards. 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." Source: purchasing.com

12th Lead Free Conference

"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. Papers from environmental managers and technical staff are sought on any relevant subjects, including: Policy development policy - European lead ban status -- European/Chinese/other legislation or voluntary activity on hazardous materials and recycling -- Legislative compliance and policy enforcement methods, etc; Supply chain issues: -- Standards for marking and testing -- Materials declarations, part numbers, obsolescence, etc.; Production issues: -- Design for lead free production -- Components, solder, board developments, availability and lead free compatibility -- Examples of implementation -- Reflow, wave, hand soldering, inspection, repair, rework and test, etc.; Reliability issues: -- Tin whiskers -- High reliability product sectors (automotive, aerospace, etc.) -- Reliability test data and method developments; Environmental considerations: -- Toxicity and risk -- Recycling -- Hazardous substance substitutes -- Research consortia news and updates" Source: emsnow.com

RoHS and WEEE training courses

"RoHS and WEEE are real and are happening now. Most companies in the US and overseas are well down the track, with a company with approximately 4000 line items taking an average of two years to implement the necessary infrastructure to comply. 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. Harvey is a well known presenter on the American RoHS and WEEE circuit and is the prime facilitator for SMTA’s highly acclaimed "Complying with RoHS" workshop series. Roland has run numerous RoHS training courses and presented papers on RoHS at various conferences including most recently the World Electronics Forum in London in September. Roland is also a member of the AEEMA RoHS and WEEE committee and has two years hands on experience as a RoHS and WEEE project manager for one of Australasia’s larger electronics’ manufacturers and CEM." Source: ferret.com.au

Surface Mount Tactile Switches are RoHS compliant

"Offering both flush tactile surface and extended surface, momentary SPST Series CS1204 provides electrical life of 100,000 cycles using silver-plated stainless steel contacts. Cover is stainless steel and terminals are silver-plated phosphor bronze. Units are available with actuator heights of 0.8 or 1.5 mm and force options of 160 and 260 gF. Housed in 5.25 x 5.25 mm package, switches are rated 50 mA at 48 Vdc and operate from -40 to 85°C." Source: thomasnet.com

Battery Terminals comply with RoHS lead-free directive

"New lead-free, clamp-style automotive battery terminals that meet SAE standards and the RoHS (restriction of hazardous substances) Lead-Free Directive are being introduced by ETCO INCORPORATED of Warwick, RI. ETCO Lead-Free Battery Terminals mate with both positive and negative battery posts and accept wire sizes ranging from 25,910 to 115,150 (CMA) per SAE standards. Featuring the proven reliability of an open barrel F-crimp ear section which provides a secure connection and permits faster automated processing, they have a deep drawn design for an optimum contact area." Source: thomasnet.com

Coretec Inc. Mulls Licensing Proprietary RoHS IP Technology

"Coretec Inc. 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. "We have invested heavily to develop the competency to provide detailed material content declarations for our customers in line with the EU's directive. As we quickly approach the July 1, 2006 EU deadline for RoHS compliance, we see an emerging opportunity to license our proprietary scripting technology within the printed circuit board (PCB) segment", commented Jeff Canavor, Executive Vice President. "For example, we anticipate very few of the over 450 PCB operations in North America to be able to invest in developing this competency in time to meet the EU deadline, notwithstanding the fact this is a mission-critical business process each OEM will require across their complete supply chain."" Source: ccnmatthews.com

RoHS Compliant SCSI Storage Solution

"Dot Hill, a market leader in providing flexible storage offerings and responsive service and support to OEMs and systems integrators, from engagement through end of life, today announced the new SANnet(R) II U320 storage solution. The seventh generation of SCSI, the U320 provides twice the performance of the previous SCSI-160 standard, at the same cost. One hundred percent backwards compatible with customers' current SCSI infrastructures, the SANnet II U320 provides a significant boost in performance, improved data integrity and application performance, while protecting existing investments in the previous standard. Customers such as Tier-2 server vendors, Intel(R) white box database access server (DAS) market VARs, telecommunications entities requiring NEBS-certified solutions and government agencies that require Mil-spec solutions will benefit from the new features and functions of the product. Additionally, it provides global customers with an easy solution to comply with the European Union (EU) environmental directives, including Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) as well as Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), which goes into effect on July 1, 2006." Source: prnewswire.com

RoHS-compliant square Nano and PICO II fuse series

"LITTELFUSE’S new Nano2 and PICO II RoHS compliant fuses meet the requirements of the RoHS directive for the reduction of hazardous substances and are compatible with higher temperature reflow cycles. They are available from Soanar. The new fuses offer the same performance specifications as existing Nano2 and Pico II fuses but replace all external lead surfaces with approved substances. In the case of the RoHS-compliant Nano2 product, Littelfuse has replaced the tin/lead metal finish on terminations with a gold finish on nickel-plated brass caps. The 95/5 tin/lead metal finish of the Pico II product has been replaced with 100% tin." Source: ferret.com.au

China RoHS (AMCPCEIP)

"An English translation of the Administrative Measures on the Control of Pollution Caused by Electronic Information Products is now available. This mouthful of a regulation, more popularly known as China RoHS, was released for industry review on 27 September 2005. The review period ends 27 November. Here is a very brief summary of this new regulation. The acronym, AMCPCEIP, is of no value whatsoever. I predict that China RoHS will stick permanently. The law is strongly patterned after RoHS. Virtually every kind of electrical or electronic gear is covered, even including software (presumably packaging and media)." Source: rohswell.com

Design software complies with ROHS

"ROHS (restriction-of-hazardous-substances) features are popping up in pc-board-design software. The ROHS directive, which strictly limits six substances, including lead, in electronics products for sale in the European Union after July 2006, is moving from a manufacturing to a design problem. "You have to solve the compliance issue as far upstream as possible," says Manny Marcano, president of EMA Design Automation Inc. EMA provides a function for Cadence Design Systems tools that puts parametric information for ROHS compliance on the desktop. At the design stage, an engineer can call up an approved-vendor list that provides ROHS-compliant parts. "Today, engineers are picking parts from their old libraries and designing boards that may or may not be compliant," says Marcano. "When it gets to manufacturing, it's too late, and, if the part is noncompliant, you've got to do iterations of that design cycle." Likewise, Mentor Graphics Corp has announced pc-board-tool support allowing designers to use component data to find ROHS parts. Zuken Ltd's efforts also broaden the company's ROHS offerings. Jeroen Leinders, international distribution manager at Zuken, says that customers asked for support of a new pad shape. Zuken responded with CADstar 8.0 tools incorporating rounded rectangular pads. Leinders claims that using rounded rather than rectangular corners improves the soldering process for lead-free design." Source: edn.com

RoHS-compliant opto-components

"Sharp opto-components already comply with EU Directive 2002/95/EC which restricts the use of hazardous substances (RoHS) and comes into effect on 1st of July 2006. These include lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl and diphenylether. Most of the hazardous materials in question have never been used by Sharp for the manufacture of opto-components. In the past, only small amounts of lead were used in the plating alloy of component terminal pins. Since April, 1st 2005 the company has used substances in compliance with RoHS to replace these amounts of lead that were previously used as alloying elements. The opto-electronic components are now available exclusively in RoHS-compliant versions." Source: electronics-europe.de

ECD Unveils RoHS-compliant Thermal Profiler at Productronica '05

"At the Productronica show, to take place November 15–18, 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. In terms of higher process temperatures, this thermal profiler is lead-free-compatible, containing no lead or the other banned substances in the board finish, components or hardware. ECD's worldwide customer surveys indicate that 30.4% of companies will have completed their lead-free conversion by the end of 2005. Another 20.7% are working vigorously to requalify their part numbers to lead-free status by the end of Q1 2006, and 32.8% of companies that realize they must convert have yet to begin (16.1% are exempt). Now, companies that are or will manufacture lead-free electronics products can specify a RoHS-compliant thermal profiler for developing and managing soldering recipes." Source: pennnet.com

RoHS and WEEE: Determining the Risk

"New environmental initiatives such as the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directives mark a change in environmental management around the world, with Europe leading the way and the United States ceding that leadership that it held from the 1970s through 1995. That kind of penalty – a loss of access to a market, even for a short period of time – can put a company’s finances at risk, making RoHS and WEEE serious issues for companies that do business in Europe. For most companies examining what compliance strategy to put in place, the first question will be how much revenue is generated by European sales. For those not doing a lot of business in Europe, the risk factor to the top line is lower. However, Brisson said, now China is looking at these types of regulations too, and most companies want to do business in that emerging market." Source: reed-electronics.com

Vendors Line Up to Offer RoHS Help

"OEMs and component suppliers are struggling to comply with European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive. With the RoHS deadline looming – July 1, 2006 – 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. To make matters worse, some of the data is delivered with mistakes, if not downright false information. “In a rush to keep their customers happy, suppliers answer the OEM’s questions, but too frequently with incorrect and possibly fraudulent answers,” said Eric Karofsky, senior analyst at AMR Research Inc. in Boston. “This is such a problem that several OEMs say they are finding mistakes and inconsistencies in about 50 percent of suppliers’ responses.”" Source: reed-electronics.com

Global CARTS Symposiums Receive High Marks

"A week after CARTS Asia, WEEE and RoHS took center stage at CARTS Europe, held in Prague, Czech Republic. The conflict between the lead-free and RoHS initiatives, and the imposing deadline of July 2006 for compliance were hot topics. The EU's directives restrict the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment and the waste byproducts of such equipment." Source: tmcnet.com

Intel 865GV chipset meets RoHS regulations

"Intel will this quarter begin making 865GV mainstream desktop PC chipsets again, even as it brings forward the release of the high-end 975X chipset. Intel has seen "huge" demand for the 865GV from the channel and as a result will start making the part again. Production was suspended in the summer to allow Intel to target its production capacity on high-end products. Restarting production of the 865GV also allows Intel to ensure the chipset meets RoHS (Reduction of Hazardous Substances) regulations due to come into force in Europe on 1 July 2006." Source: channelregister.co.uk

AMI DODUCO Productronica Exhibit will Stress RoHS Compliance

"AMI DODUCO, a Technitrol (NYSE:TNL) company, 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. Productronica, Europe's largest showcase for equipment, materials and other products used in manufacturing and quality control, will provide customers with a final opportunity to receive information on RoHS compliant solutions before changes required or fostered under the European Union's RoHS Directive take effect. AMI DODUCO offers a wide range of cadmium-free electrical contact and electronic coating products. In rigorous tests, every one of its new electrical contact materials for industrial, consumer and automotive switches and relays has proven to perform as well as or better than traditional solutions containing cadmium. Company experts will be on hand to discuss these products as well as innovative lead-free surface technologies for connectors and circuit boards. Among the highlights will be field test results of AMI DODUCO's high-performance hard-gold and silver electrolytes DODUREX(R) HS100 and ARGOL(R) HS100. " Source: businesswire.com

LTK taps Underwriters Laboratory for RoHS Compliance

"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. UL’s Restrictive Substances Compliance Solutions (RSCS) program is designed to help companies meet RoHS requirements through materials testing and surveillance of global components suppliers. The RSCS program is also designed to assist with its customers’ compliance declaration procedures. As the RoHS deadline of July 1, 2006 nears, OEMs and component suppliers in the electronics industry have become concerned about their ability to demonstrate compliance. They are also concerned about collecting and managing the compliance data required by European governmental bodies. The exact nature of the data required by governmental bodies overseeing compliance remains unknown." Source: reed-electronics.com

Conformity certificates will not satisfy RoHS legislation

"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. “A certificate of conformity is not necessarily enough,” said NWML RoHS technical manager Chris Smith. “There needs to be a risk assessment of the quality of that information.” UK RoHS legislation provides a ‘due diligence’ defence against being convicted of selling products that contain too much of six banned substances including lead, cadmium and mercury. Due diligence requires that ‘all reasonable steps’ have been taken to avoid committing the offence. However, what all reasonable steps are only becomes clear retrospectively, once cases have been tried." Source: electronicsweekly.com

Slide Switches feature RoHS-compliant, subminiature design

"Available in SPDT and DPDT configurations, 1000 Series Switches offer functions of On-None-On, On-None-(On), and On-Off-On with actuator lengths ranging from 3.60-5.08 mm. Designed with electrical life of 100,000 cycles using gold-plated contacts, switches feature operating temperature of -40 to 80°C and electrical ratings of 5 A at 120 Vac, 28 Vdc and 2 A at 250 Vac. Applications include test and measurement equipment, telecommunications, computers and peripherals." Source: thomasnet.com

First Telephony Platform to Conform with RoHS and WEEE

"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. Brooktrout has also implemented Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) labeling on all European Union products to reduce customer expenses in meeting the WEEE directive. These platforms are the first in a series of products that are planned to meet the environmental requirements in advance of the July, 2006 deadline. "Brooktrout is committed to achieving compliance with all applicable environmental legislation and this first product places Brooktrout Technology at the vanguard of the communications enabling technology industry," said Peter Vescuso, vice president of market development for Brooktrout Technology. "Brooktrout's compliance with these regulations is an example of our business' commitment to environmentally sound practices. We have already implemented WEEE and plan to meet the RoHS requirements in our entire voice and fax product lines by the time the directive takes effect in July 2006."" Source: prnewswire.com

Parvus Releases Statement on RoHS Compliance

"Parvus Corporation today announced it has released a compliance statement relating to the European Unions Reduction of Hazardous Substances (ROHS) legislation. The full RoHS statement and production roadmap are available online at http://www.parvus.com/uploads/Parvus_RoHS.pdf "While the EU RoHS policy applies officially to only the European Community (EC), the majority of non-EC companies are also transitioning to "lead-free", due in part to the effect on the global electronics supply chain. Consequently, many electronic components may be phased-out or redesigned since many components will only be available in a lead-free format. Parvus anticipates that it will soon become increasingly difficult to source and manufacture products that are in fact not lead-free, and that the industrys focus should be on reliability assurance of those lead-free products." Source: clickpress.com

Toshiba S3 business notebook is RoHS Compliant

"On top of Toshiba's EasyGuard suite security the notebook includes integrated software RAID, fingerprint reader, a three-axis 'accelerometer' for hard disk drive (HDD) protection, spill resistant keyboard, anti-theft timer and extensive cushioning to protect the most crucial components of the machine. It's green too being the world's first computer to fully comply with the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive for environmentally-friendly electronic equipment - in fact the Tecra S3's compliance precedes the compliance as set out in the RoHS directive by seven months." Source: smartofficenews.com.au

Electronics makers race to meet RoHS deadline

"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 effect on July 1, 2006. The directive, known as the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), sets strict new standards on what materials can be used on products sold in the EU market. Those manufacturers that don't come up to muster will effectively find the door closed to this lucrative market." Source: english.www.gov.tw

SMTA Offers TX RoHS Conference

"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. The sessions will focus on actual experiences that companies are having when solving difficult compliance challenges." Source: circuitsassembly.com

Internet Key to RoHS

"With the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive looming ever closer, a survey by Farnell InOne suggests that the Internet will be crucial for information, news and legislation updates. After compiling 3,623 responses to its survey, the distributor said that 94 percent of companies will rely on the Internet for RoHS information." Source: reed-electronics.com

RoHS impacts distribution

"While electronics distributors don’t make components, the Restriction on the use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive is having a big impact on their businesses. 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. The law goes into effect in July 2006 and bans the use of lead and five other hazardous substances in electronics equipment sold in Europe. "We spend a kot of money and effort communicating with customers, giving them the RoHs details," says Brian McNally, president of North American components for Arrow Electronics." Source: purchasing.com

Interlink Electronics Announces Reorganization Plans for Business Communications Segment and Restatement of Prior Period Financial Results

"Most of the materials whose use is restricted under ROHS are commonly found in electronics components in use today, including components that we have in inventory. In anticipation of the implementation date of ROHS, we have been reducing our inventories of non-compliant materials. Many of our OEM customers are now demanding early implementation of ROHS compliance. For this reason and due to the lowered expectation for future demand in the Business Communications-OEM segment, we have decided to record a reserve for our expected future losses on non-ROHS-compliant material totaling approximately $1.1 million." Source: businesswire.com

HP promises greener PCs

"HP today unveiled proposals to make its IT kit more environmentally friendly by the start of 2007, banning the toxic brominated flame retardant (BFR) Tetrabromobisphenol A. The firm claimed that it eliminated more than 95 per cent of the BFRs used in the external case parts of its products more than 10 years ago, including PBDE and PBB which were subsequently among the substances covered by the EU Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive." Source: vnunet.com

MetroLogic MS3780 Fusion is RoHS Compliant

"Metrologic Instruments, Inc. today announced the introduction of the MS3780 Fusion, a new hand-held omnidirectional laser bar code scanner incorporating multi- functional scanning capabilities. Fusion is an RoHS-compliant product." Source: Metrologic Instruments, Inc. via Yahoo.com

Comprehensive WEEE and RoHS toolkit released

"Environmental consultant eco³ has produced a compliance toolkit for the WEEE and RoHS Directives. The Midlands-based firm has worked with Rohm and Haas, Intellect and Indesit to produce the comprehensive set of resources. Included on the CD are: * An outline of the Directives, copies of the regulations, timeslines and FAQs; * Compliance checklists and bespoke action planning tools; * An outline of how the directive will work in the UK, including video interviews with experts; * Actions for WEEE compliance including registering as a producer, what data to collect, supply chain requirements; * Actions for RoHS compliance including restrictions and exemptions, testing, alternative materials." Source: electronicsweekly.com

Lack of harmony in RoHS interpretation could be exacerbated if U.S. state governments take action

"American manufacturers should probably be more welcoming to RoHS than they realize, says Pamela Gordon, president of Technology Forecasters, Alameda, Calif. "In the U.S., federal requirements governing the inclusion of hazardous substances in manufactured products are less stringent than those in Europe—which is prompting individual states to think about developing their own requirements," she says." Source: mbtmag.com