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| About | APU2 | Flash | Tools | Shop | Support |
| RoHS compliance | |
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| What does RoHS stand for ? | EU legislation on the Restriction of use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment. |
| What substances are prohibited ? | Heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium) and brominated flame retardants (PBB, PBDE). |
| When did this law take effect ? | July 1, 2006. |
| Where is this law effective ? | All EU / EFTA countries. |
| Is lead free solder really more "green" ? | Probably not ! The most popular lead free alloy is SnAgCu (tin / silver /
copper). Silver is a precious metal, and takes much more energy to mine
than lead. The higher soldering temperatures require more energy in the production line.
For a life cycle assessment, see e.g. Life-Cycle Assessment for Lead-Free Solder in Electronics by the US EPA. In my opinion, the public health impact of lead solder is overrated, as long as products are recycled in a responsible manner. Another concern is the difficulty of repairing board made with lead free solder. The higher melting point makes repairs more difficult, or even uneconomical. |
| Is lead free solder reliable ? | Tests indicate that the strength and temperature cycle resistance of lead free solder is comparable. There are concerns about the formation of tin whiskers on 100% tin surfaces. Lead free solder is more difficult to work with (smaller process windows), so process problems are more likely to occur. Finally, alloys containing a high amount of tin may disintegrate in colder environments (tin pest). |
| Are there exceptions ? | Yes. In particular, lead as an alloying element for steel / aluminium / copper alloys, certain flip chip packages, etc. |
| Which PC Engines products are RoHS compliant ? | At this point, all of our current products are RoHS compliant. |
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