In the discussions on 'Lead Free' and the stance industry groups
'should' be taking I would like to make a couple of points.
Despite hearing much about the legislation and how the IPC are opposing
it, the SMART group are the only group I have seen providing advice on
how companies are to cope if the legislation does go ahead.
If the legislation goes ahead, and the industry has his head in the sand
at the time who will gain?
Any opposition to this legislation is unlikely to prevent the
legislation so surely all industry groups should start supporting the
industry by providing technical support and advice so that it is ready
when the legislation is passed by the EU.
I would like to thank the SMART group for the excellent work they are
doing in supporting the industry and by providing the first decent
technical material on this issue. Something which has been conspicuous
by its absence on the IPCs web site.
Neil Atkinson
Quality Manager
Stadium Group plc
England
----------
From: Charlie Mulholland [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 18 March 1999 10:15
Subject: Re: Re[2]: [TN] Re[2]: European Union
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
>
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
> :::::::::
>
>
################################################################
> TechNet E-Mail Forum provided as a free service by IPC using
LISTSERV
> 1.8c
>
################################################################
> To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask]
with
> following text
> n the body:
> To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TechNet <your full name>
> To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TechNet
>
################################################################
> Please visit IPC's web site (http://www.ipc.org) "On-Line
Services"
> section for
> ditional information.
> For technical support contact Hugo Scaramuzza at
[log in to unmask] or
> 847-509-9700
> t.312
>
################################################################
>
>
################################################################
> TechNet E-Mail Forum provided as a free service by IPC using
LISTSERV
> 1.8c
>
################################################################
> To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask]
with
> following text in the body:
> To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TechNet <your full name>
> To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TechNet
>
################################################################
> Please visit IPC's web site (http://www.ipc.org) "On-Line
Services"
> section for additional information.
> For technical support contact Hugo Scaramuzza at
[log in to unmask] or
> 847-509-9700 ext.312
>
################################################################
################################################################
TechNet E-Mail Forum provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c
################################################################
To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body:
To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TechNet <your full name>
To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TechNet
################################################################
Please visit IPC's web site (http://www.ipc.org) "On-Line Services" section for additional information.
For technical support contact Hugo Scaramuzza at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.312
################################################################
|
