Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson

http://www.sigcon.com/Pubs/news/10_01.htm

#55140

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 19 June, 2008

An excellent summary of the facts and the insanity of the lead-free legislation

BvdLisdonk

#55327

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 2 July, 2008

If you can not make lead free work, work against it... What does that tell us about your ability to provide the industry with solutions?

#55330

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 2 July, 2008

�What does that tell us about your ability to provide the industry with solutions?�

A LOT!!!

Real Chunks

#55331

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 2 July, 2008

Key word "work" can take on several meanings. if you go back to why lead-free was initiated, the goal was to eliminate hazardous substances from contaminating our world. Everyone knows this government wide target has been missed. Not only has it been missed by a long shot, it has introduced several new problems that are worse than lead contamination. Lets face it - political leaders used the "no-lead" initiative to their advantage and its goal of "going green" is a farce.

#55338

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 2 July, 2008

Chunks,

Thanks for covering my back.

Except from being able to wave the big green flag what benefits does lead-free have? Once the green flag comes down we will see what a mess lead free has made.

I hope that all the sales people that claim to make lead free �work� will be held accountable by the industry.

#55340

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 2 July, 2008

I agree with the other guys also... You should never have to FORCE a system to work...

My opinion...

jmelson

#55341

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 2 July, 2008

Yeah, way back in the beginning, I was VERY suspecious of the whole thing, as car batteries that had KILOS of lead in them were not regulated in any manner. It seems to me a car battery smashed in a wreck and spilled into the storm drains is 10,000 times worse than some PC boards in a landfill.

But, the proposed regulations for ROHS II make it clear there is a stone-age agenda going on, where all electronics, even all electrical appliances would be banned. Even the EU legislative imbeciles aren't going to fall for that one, of course. (At least, I hope they don't - the EU is becoming a MAJOR customer for my products.)

Jon

BvdLisdonk

#55349

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 3 July, 2008

Point is lead free is a fact for many of us, whether we like it or not. We can all agree upon the fact that it is forced upon us for the wrong reasons. Doesn't change the fact that The majority of our colleagues in Europe and Asia have to make this work every day. Does it help them complaining about lead free and use scare-tactics? I doubt it. There are still unsolved issues in lead free but on the other hand many of them are addressed. Automotive is getting ready to make the switch. Rollback? I don't think that is going to happen. Facing the music or running away... At least that is a choice they left us.

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/14862fadb0

Real Chunks

#55357

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 3 July, 2008

Well, when facts and data become "complaining' and "scare-tactics", it's pointless to carry on a conversation. You might as well twist tin whiskers so that it becomes a GOOD thing. "Just say YES and we'll move on!"

What�s really funny is how most people think RoHS is all about lead - it's NOT! Goggle RoHS and find out what it really is! �Many issues have been addressed?� My a$$ they have! Name one thing the same people that forced RoHS on us, have done for us to solve any issue? Not to mention the money it is costing a lot of companies to deal with RoHS compliant parts. I have bolts that strip out in the field because we had to switch to a RoHS compliant bolt (Yeah I know bolts have lead - again look up the meaning of RoHS). Now I have to figure out how to keep my customer happy and confident I can supply him a reliable product - figure out how to solve my problem - correct it - test it � have it certified � release it - and replace field units. All that costs me a lot of money.

If you still don't get it, let me say it in simple terms. I am wasting money on a senseless initiative that doesn�t do anything it was designed to do. It has caused more harm than good and is only getting worse the more we learn about it. And now that it is forced on us we have to adjust. Oh yeah, we can adjust, but that adjusting costs time and money.

#55359

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 3 July, 2008

Get him 'chunks!

#55361

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 3 July, 2008

Chunks,

Am glad to see that common sense didn�t totally disappear after July 1st 2006. BTW that movie is hilarious and goes so well with the subject. Isn�t it interesting how the RoHS promoters use semantics?

Bart,

Trust me, I understand and respect the position you�re in considering your location. It�s an individual choice of being a leader or a follower. I would like to ask you one simple question: What are the �technical� benefits of lead free soldering compared to leaded soldering?

#55364

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 3 July, 2008

Thought you may be interested in a couple of links (if you haven't already seen them)

Concerns over RoHS revisions - http://www.emtworldwide.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=17089

RoHS USA - Pushback! http://www.rohsusa.com/

#55366

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 3 July, 2008

Even people that pronounce RoHS as RoHaaS can get there http://www.rohaas.com

Steve Combs

#55388

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 7 July, 2008

This was sent to me by a colleague. It applies to this thread.

Attachments:

ROHSposter.jpg

http://www.rsjtechnical.com/NewsDecaBDE.htm

Stephen

#55406

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 7 July, 2008

A new fact is that some products that were ok a week ago are now no longer compliant.

Deca_BDE is no longer exempted. How do you plan on finding out what products have it, so you can throw them out?

#55407

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 7 July, 2008

I would also like to know... Are any of the armed forces of the countries that are a part of the European Union going lead free also or is this a consumer only thing???

What is good for the goose is good for the gander, right?

Real Chunks

#55408

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 7 July, 2008

Until a billion dollar/euro machine falls from the sky from a single tin whisker and the rest of your fleet is grounded till they find out whats wrong with it. Not good for the goose but the wolves will be licking their leaded chops.

#55415

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 8 July, 2008

Military is outside the scope of the directive. The RoHS directive is mainly focused on electronic equipment with a high potential to end up in the normal waste stream such as consumer products. The EU commission also knows that removing lead from a very well known and understood alloy is risky. They also agreed that it would take at least 5 years before it would be known if lead free product could be made as reliable as leaded products.

Bottom line the experiment is focused on consumer products, hoping that if something happens, it would only happen to non life saving devices.

What I personally find disturbing is that none of the EU industry experts stood up to this decision. They should have known better!!!

jmelson

#55440

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 9 July, 2008

Just to clarify, I tried to read a summary of the Oko institute report, but it was in some word processor format I wasn't quite compatible with. But, I did get some of it. It appeared to restrict ANY use of nickel (couldn't tell if that was in alloys or just pure nickel, but if it applies to alloys then no stainless steel!) and anything containing arsenic. Well LEDs all have GaAs in them, and so do a number of high frequency chips, as used in cell phones. So, if the worst-case scenario is actually intended in that report, your whole modern kitchen with all the stainless-sheathed appliances would be banned, as well as all LEDs and many cell phones. It sounded FAR more drastic than ROHS-I was!

Jon

http://www.smtnet.com//forums/index.cfm?fuseaction=view_thread&CFApp=1&Thread_ID=12709&#Message54191

#55444

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 10 July, 2008

Jon,

We discussed this in a previous thread

#55449

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 10 July, 2008

Real Chunks,

I intercepted the email below from the RoHS USA pushback mailing list. This email comes from an engineer employed by the largest OEM in Belgium. Looks like you made a great point that �work� can take on several meanings!!!

******************************************************

Hi there,

This is - at least - the second time a message is posted here that tries to link the RoHS legislation initiative to 'the Belgian people'. As if Belgians are all pro-RoHS or had anything to do with the creation of these rules.

The European headquarters (for a lot of things) happens to be in Brussels. That is all there is to it. Belgian engineers are struggling with RoHS just as much as everybody else.

I would say, keep the real RoHS information coming, but have as much respect for Belgians as you have for other world-citizens.

Thank you.

#55451

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 10 July, 2008

Jon,

I believe were at a point now that all the problems related to the RoHS directive (not lead free only) are so abundant that they no longer can stay hidden.

Here�s an article form the Swedish EIF http://www.evertiq.com/news/read.do?news=11736&cat=7

I was active in the Swedish soldering industry in the early 90�s (eliminating cleaning and CFC�s) and have never seen people care more about the environment than the Swedish people. If they start seeing that the whole RoHS is a farce am sure their voice will be heard by the European commision. We�ll see

ScottE

#55489

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 14 July, 2008

It really doesn't matter that military has an exemption. They're still stuck with the same tin whisker risk since the component manufacturers have switched to service the consumer electronics market which are their large volume customers. The same is true of other exempt industries such as automotive & telecommunications.

Stephen

#55499

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 14 July, 2008

NASA won't allow a pure tin finish in space. Any part with a pure tin finish must be recoated.

BLT Circuit Services Ltd

#55510

Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative by Dr. Howard Johnson | 14 July, 2008

Ive got one word to say 'REACH' google that and see what the next EU fiasco brings with it - Marvelous