[sdiy] SDIY -vs RoHS - more

[Benjamin Riggs]

The threads of late are definitely putting the way I do stuff in a different
light. With a lot of parts that we use and have used no longer being
manufactured and the way we build circuits is going to change (whether we
like it or not), maybe we should seriously consider adapting, rather than
trying to stock up for the endless winter ahead. Tomg has already started
this by getting rid of the 3080 in all his circuits. We are always going to
have resistors, diodes, transistors and opamps. The loss of the OTAs is a
pain, a hurdle, but it's not the end of the world. Its just change.

I recon we should all start doing our stuff lead free as soon as we can
(whether we like the reasoning behind it or not). Keep the stocks of old
parts that we got to keep out old stuff going, and do all our new stuff in
lead free SMT.

I have no doubt that lead free SMT will be just as good to work with as
leaded throughhole one day. Just cause it sucks goats now, doesn't mean it
always will, the technology will mature.

If we don't embrace the future, it will leave us behind. My two cents.

Ben.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
[mailto:owner-synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl] On Behalf Of Magnus Danielson
Sent: Monday, 23 May 2005 6:52 AM
To: synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
Subject: Re: [sdiy] SDIY -vs RoHS - more

From: "Paul Schreiber" <synth1 at airmail.net>
Subject: [sdiy] SDIY -vs RoHS - more
Date: Sun, 22 May 2005 12:13:15 -0500
Message-ID: <0bb601c55ef1$8c8605d0$0201a8c0 at bilbo>

Paul,

<Good points deleted>

> But it won't be an overnight thing. It will be a 3-5yr thing but it WILL
greatly 
> effect all of us, including end-product suppliers like MOTM, Doepfer,
Serge, 
> etc. This will happen in 2 areas:
> 
> a) shipping *into* Europe and people building in Europe

ROHS is a European thing, but it will affect globally since buissness is no
longer as tied locally as it once was. ROHS compliance is a great thing now
and
about everyone in the industry is showing up their ROHS compliant solutions
right now, they got to if they want to be playing the game. This will affect
everyone regardless if they want to or not. There are execeptions which
doesn't
have to go lead-free and telecom is one, however, much of the components
will
be lead-free anyway.

Europe will turn into a "dead market" unless you turn ROHS compliant. I
don't
know about the sale-statistics, but I'd guess there are a few good MOTM
customers over here, just to make an arbitrary example.

> b) availability of parts, and what will be the greatest immediate effect
is 
> leaded resistors/caps/diodes/etc. Because, what % of these types of parts
are
> shipped *today* in non-SMT? I'll guess <5%. Next year? ZIP!

SMT is here to stay. ROHS is just helping to push the case. There will be
ROHS
compliant components around which is good old thru hole, but many will be
killed. It's sad, but it is good that we get rid of this poison too.

We will actually see excisting products (complete boxes) killed by the ROHS.
I know one vendor that will not be able to update a number of products to
ROHS
compliant since they figure the cost will not really make up for the
additional
lifetime of the product.

We've already seen a number of SMT DIY projects, so it is possible. This
thing
is like going from hard-wire to ceramic bridges, and from ceramic bridges to
printed circuit boards, we are just taking another step here fellas!

Let's just make sure that there are good semis around. Some good thru-holes
will make it, but others will not be worth it.

The one thing that I would like to do myself is thru-hole plating so that I
could do my own two-layer boards reasnoble handy. But then again, it has
become
very cheap to have them made vias and all! Guess I'm just wishing for that
fiz
in the tank feeling again.

Cheers,
Magnus