[sdiy] SDIY vs RoHS

[Magnus Danielson]

From: Metrophage <c0r3dump23 at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [sdiy] SDIY vs RoHS
Date: Mon, 23 May 2005 09:32:13 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <20050523163214.55976.qmail at web50301.mail.yahoo.com>

> --- Paul Schreiber <synth1 at airmail.net> wrote:
> > >> I'd start worrying about the vanishing *DIP* package after July
> > 2006 (RoHS requirements).
> 
> RoHS is a fine acronym, but "required" by whom? I don't exactly hear a
> lot of people clamoring for this sort of thing. Most times when I hear
> of something being "required" it is by some obscure minority of people
> who are barely capable of entry-level communication. 

It is an EC directive, read the original here:
http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2003/l_037/l_03720030213en00190023.pdf

The WEEE is at:
http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2003/l_037/l_03720030213en00240038.pdf

This covers the EC countries, a rather large market. If you want to sell into
the EC market, it will hit you hard unless you understand it well.

> > I suppose *gold-plated ceramic DIPS* are exempt :)
> 
> That's a relief! My stash of gold-plated ceramic op-amps are quite old.
> Again, proves that DIPs don't >need< to be done with lead

Indeed, but many are and the question is weither they will be retargeted to
SMD or not. Some stuff is only available in tin/lead plated DIP. Some is
available in a varity of packages.

> > But DIPs are not the only problem. What about the leads on resistors?
> > Pots? Connectors? It gives me a headache.
> 
> The only reason why development of solder has been a bit slow is
> probably because it has almost always been "good enough'. Formulating
> another readily-handled, low melting point, solidly bonding solder is
> likely not as tricky as many things in the industry.

The hard thing creating head-aches is whiskers. The tin-lead mixture avoided it
but higher tin content wakes the whisker demon. Last time I checked, they had
not bonded the demon back down in a confirmed way, hence the exempt for certain
industries.

> It'll be fine. Just think about how proud you'll feel when you make
> your first op amp out of carbon nanotube transistors. More DIYers will
> be trying their first PCB runs soon! Personally, I'm more wary of
> etchant and vapors than I am about lead salts from soldering... The
> cleanup will be beneficial, most electronics produced these days are
> planned-obselete while being practically unrecyclable. Keep heavy metal
> madness in your music, rather than in your soil, tissues, food, etc.

Indeed.

Cheers,
Magnus