Lead Free/RoHS Compliance
Lead Free/RoHS Compliance
(OP)
Our company is considering going to lead free. We are still uncertain if we qualify for the Telecommunications exemption. We build CATV equipment for cable operators (thus, we do not sell to the general public). This is the kind of equipment hanging on telephone poles and in head-ends. Is anyone out there looking for or has exemption??
Anyway, we do plan to go lead free (hoping to have some time extension). We plan to go to new internal part numbers (we have 8 legacy company part numbers from aquisitions and many duplicate/similiar parts). The plan would be to build a "database" of lead free parts and use those parts for the new lead free product. This would be an oppurtunity to consolidate internal part numbers. We may even qualify end product once it's been built to lead free. Does anyone have any experiences on lead free and what pitfalls are there to avoid?
Anyway, we do plan to go lead free (hoping to have some time extension). We plan to go to new internal part numbers (we have 8 legacy company part numbers from aquisitions and many duplicate/similiar parts). The plan would be to build a "database" of lead free parts and use those parts for the new lead free product. This would be an oppurtunity to consolidate internal part numbers. We may even qualify end product once it's been built to lead free. Does anyone have any experiences on lead free and what pitfalls are there to avoid?





RE: Lead Free/RoHS Compliance
RE: Lead Free/RoHS Compliance
You cna find everthing for lead free.
Regards,
Kerem SENCAN
Component Engineer
RE: Lead Free/RoHS Compliance
SCPCOMP, the exemption I think you're referring covers "lead in solders for network infrastructure equipment for switching, signalling, transmission as well as network management for telecommunication". Is CATV considered Telecommunications by the EU?
Some guidance might be obtained from documents on the DTI website (www.dti.gov.uk/sustainability/weee). The "Consumer Equipment" category might cover CATV equipment so it may well be covered. I suggest you send an email to the contacts listed on that page for RoHS and WEEE and ask the question.
Might also be a good idea to engage a compentent law firm that knows how to interpret EU directives and laws (but lots of this is going to be flushed out in a court of law...now exactly how we all would like it to be resolved!).
Whether your product is exempt or not, the supply base is converting components (and obsoleting those they don't want to, or can't, convert) so your product will be impacted anyway.
Mike
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Mike Kirschner
Design Chain Associates, LLC
http://www.designchainassociates.com
RE: Lead Free/RoHS Compliance
Regards
DA
RE: Lead Free/RoHS Compliance
http://www.centralsemi.com/pdf/AN213.pdf