I'm in agreement with Edward on this.
Whilst I believe that it is in general terms a "good thing" to make the
industry lead free we should be working towards a really "green" lead
free solution.
That is - genuine lead free, components as well as solder, and
importantly no increase in energy usage. What is the worldwide cost of
process temperature increases? What are the real costs of the
replacement materials, both Dollar and Environmentally?
I do feel that this whole move at this time apparently with minimal
investigation is more knee jerk political than scientific and rational.
While I agree with Peter that Smart's primary function is as a <highly
esteemed> technical forum, perhaps in cases such as this Smart could act
as a discussion facilitator and help to co-ordinate what should rapidly
become a worldwide discussion where our industry can play a lead role in
the best way to really "Green" our processes.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Edward Brunker [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 18 March 1999 09:03
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [TN] Re[2]: [TN] Re[2]: European Union
>
> Thanks for the reply Peter.
> I guess I'm just concerned about this increase in processing
> temperature. You
> see it's not just the change to one or two companies processes, but a
> general
> one worldwide. What will be the result of everyone processing ICs at
> elevated
> temperatures?
> Are the wafer fab and packaging companies aiming their products at
> these
> temperatures or the traditional 180 degrees?
> PCBs (PWBs) from one or two competent suppliers may be standing up to
> the new
> temperatures, but what will be the result on all the suppliers. Are
> the PCB
> (PWB) fab houses aiming their product at these elevated temperatures?
>
> CONNECTORS and SWITCHES.....getting suppliers to make their plastics
> capable of
> withstanding existing temperatures is difficult enough.
>
> I wish that the SMART group was standing strong against the
> legislation.
> I wish the DTI were standing strong against the legislation.
> Instead there's an atmosphere of enthusiasm for the legislation while
> claiming
> neutrality.
> It's irresponsible to allow the electronics assembly world to dive
> headlong into
> processing at elevated temperatures without the proper research being
> done and
> the suppliers to that industry delivering products specified to work
> at these
> temperatures.
> Regards
> Edward Brunker
> ______________________________ Reply Separator
> _________________________________
> Subject: Re: [TN] Re[2]: European Union
> Author: <[log in to unmask]> at INTERNET
> Date: 17/03/99 17:56
>
>
> In message <[log in to unmask]>
> [log in to unmask] writes:
> > Peter,
> > May I ask some questions regarding lead free?
>
> Sure!
>
> > What is the SMART groups view on the legislation?
>
> The SMART Group doesn't have a "view", as such. However, what was
> clear at the
> recent seminar was that lead free _will_ happen. The DTI (translation
> for US
> readers = Department of Trade & Industry, UK Gvmt body) believe that
> the
> proposed WEEE directive _will_ go through. Japanese companies _are_
> producing
> lead free products. The legislative and commercial drivers are very
> strong.
>
> > Which alloys are the Japanese using?
>
> This info was presented by various persons at the seminar - at lot of
> the
> information comes from the DTI status report on lead free soldering
> which was
> commissioned by the DTI and worked on by the NPL (National Physics
> Laborartory)
> and ITRI (International Tin Research Institute) in the UK. This report
> will be
> launched at and available from The SMART Group stand at Nepcon UK in
> Birmingham
> next month. I am not sure when/how it will be available after that,
> but contact
> SMART, STI, NPL or ITRI after the show. I believe it will be FOC.
>
> The presentations from the seminar are available on The SMART web site
> (http://www.smtuk.demon.co.uk - click on "Events"). IIRC, SnAgCu is
> probably
> going to be the most widely used alloy. Also SnAg, SnCu. Some Bi
> containing
> varieties will also be used.
>
> > Which companies in Japan are manufacturing lead free product?
>
> Toshiba, Hitachi, NEC, Matsushita and Sony all mentioned.
>
> > Where do the Japanese obtain components with lead free
> terminations?
>
> Good question! One of the limiting factors. Lead-free assemblers will
> be
> scouring the world for terminations of NiPd et al!
>
> > What is the SMART groups opinion on the solder alloys we should
> be
> > using,
> > M.P. in around 180 degrees C or
> > M.P. at elevated temperatures of 220 - 230 degrees C?
>
> Again, The SMART Group does not have an opinion itself. As a
> technology trade
> association, we just provide the industry with a forum. However, IIRC
> the
> alloys which will be used will be processed at 20-30 deg C higher than
> currently. In other words, no exact drop in replacements are
> available, but
> with a process change, it works. Alloys already mentioned.
>
> As an aside, engineers from Nortel and Marconi Communications reported
> very
> good reliability data with lead-free, as far as they have tested.
>
> From what I have heard so far from various sources, reliability
> testing with
> the usual lead-free candidates have shown "as good or better" joints
> than
> conventional SnPb. Of course, the industry needs more extensive and
> long term
> data - and we need to be doing this NOW.
>
> > Regards
> > Edward Brunker
> > Senior Process Engineer
>
> Peter Swanson
> Vice President
> The SMART Group
>
> > ______________________________ Reply Separator
> _________________________________ > Subject: Re: [TN] European Union
> > Author: <[log in to unmask]> at INTERNET
> > Date: 16/03/99 09:49
> >
> >
> > In message <B12B12934C00D1119B8600805F4B98A00286D0@CSI>
> [log in to unmask]
> wri > s:
> > > One of our customers told us that the European Union is working on
> > > eliminating lead and bromides from printed circuit boards by the
> year 2004.
> > > Where can I get more information?
> >
> > This is true. Many major companies are now well into their lead-free
> programs,
> > driven not only by the proposed European directive, but also by the
> fact that
> > their competitors in the pacific rim are _already_ lead free in some
> instances. > What do you think the buying decision will be when a
> consumer walks
> into a
> > store to buy a radio, sees two she/he likes, but one proclaims on a
> big
> > label that it is "Lead Free" (probably a big _green_ label)?
> >
> > Information on the directive can be found on The SMART Group's web
> site
> > (http://www.smtuk.demon.co.uk - click on the "News" hyperlink). The
> SMART
> Group > also ran a very successful seminar on this topic very
> recently, and the
> > presentations can be found on the site by clicking on the "Events"
> hyperlink.
> >
> > Peter Swanson
> > Vice President
> > The SMART Group
>
> --
> ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
> :::::::::
> Peter Swanson
> Oxfordshire, England
> INTERTRONICS
> [log in to unmask]
> http://www.cygnetuk.demon.co.uk
>
> Suppliers of materials and consumables to the electronics & related
> industries
> ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
> :::::::::
>
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