Jim, Jack

Well I don't know how bad it is that IPC doesn't fight the legislation of a lead ban in the US so fiercely. 
- See, the US are not an island in the world (at least not economically) and the lead ban will come in Europe and in Japan. Is it not better to solve the technical problems to overcome than fighting that the US alone stay with tin lead solder?
- Production with lead free solder is not a big deal. We did a lot of experiments now and we already published some results and will do so in near future. But already now I can assure you that it sounds more difficult than it actually is. One of the problems in my opinion is that you have to start once.
- The problem of the raw materials, especially silver, will be eased by the fact that it will make economic sense to recover them from electronic waste.
- I believe the biggest thread for the electronic industry (not only in the US) is the patent situation where alloys already published ages ago and even all possible alloys that might occur in a solder joint can be patented and each solder joint is subject to a fee.


Have a great day

Guenter

EMPA
Swiss Federal Institute for Materials Testing and Research
Centre for Reliability
Guenter Grossmann,  Senior Engineer

8600 Duebendorf
Switzerland

Phone: xx41 1 823 4279
Fax :     xx41 1823 4054
mail:     [log in to unmask]

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