Re: gEDA-user: OT: lead-free question

[Bob Paddock <bob.paddock@xxxxxxxxx>]

> My day job is at a company which stuck its head in the sand regarding
> RoHS for several years.  Then, we found an opt-out clause in the
> relevant EU directives which our lawyers interpreted as exempting us.

The exemption doesn't really help.  All of the manufactures are starting
to switch to lead-free, and are not making lead based parts anymore.

In the last few weeks we have gotten reports from our vendors that
the lead times are going out significantly to buy just about any
component you can name. RoHS compliant organizations are trying to stock
up on the new lead free parts, while everyone else is trying to buy
up all of the old lead parts so they can keep their head in the sand
a bit longer.  This is creating shortages of everything no mater what
side of the sand your head is on.

The next problem will be that contractors will not want to do
non-RoHS boards because of the time it takes to switch solders,
and it is to expensive to run double production lines.

> But I haven no *practical* experience with any RoHS
> processes or issues. 

Reports are coming in that the lead-free parts do not "flow" as well
as the lead based parts.  It has been mentioned here on the list,
numerous times, that things are easy to flow in the "Toaster Oven" because
the surface tension will pull the parts into the correct location.  It seems
that lead free has less "pull" to make this happen causing alignment issues.

A subtle issue if you have to deal with government acronyms (FDA, MSHA etc. ) is that 
some manufactures are changing the part numbers for new lead free parts, while others 
are keeping the same number, but the part is different. Expensive paperwork nightmare 
no mater how you look at it to document changes in numbers, or changes in lots,
and update registration fees.  Even if you don't do acronyms it still costs real money
just to change the BOM because of the new lead free part numbers.


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