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How do you identify Lead Free Boards from Sn/Pb?

How do you identify Lead Free Boards from Sn/Pb?

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How do you identify and segregate lead free boards in your f... - Oct 03, 2005 by

Not knowing your company, I would treat LF boards as a new p... - Oct 05, 2005 by URL

We have the pb free symbology embedded in copper on the fabs... - Oct 05, 2005 by RDR

Let me re-phrese. I walk up to a rack of boards in the fa... - Oct 05, 2005 by

We use a diffrent colored traveller to identify the pbfree v... - Oct 06, 2005 by RDR

To have symbol embedded in PCB copper it could be an opportu... - Oct 06, 2005 by

Exactly. Also consider how customers are begining to dabble... - Oct 06, 2005 by

do not forget,ROHS Directive does not allow other chemical... - Oct 07, 2005 by

If you're using non-lead free parts then you don't have a pb... - Oct 07, 2005 by RDR

We do the following things: 1.) RoHS PCB:s is marked with a... - Oct 08, 2005 by

Ken

#36958

How do you identify Lead Free Boards from Sn/Pb? | 3 October, 2005

How do you identify and segregate lead free boards in your factory?

Example: Boards are colored RED or BLUE, bar code labels with symbology indicating Lead Free?

I have a simple philosophy about this. Keep in mind I work at a High-mix medium volume shop. We see hundreds and hundreds of board types. It would be ideal to have all LF boards colored Red or Blue...but then there is the customers who can't tolerate a colored PCA....GOD knows why?

What do you do? If your a OEM or you use a CM how do you identify and segregate LF boards from Sn/Pb? How do you ensure you don't mix?

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URL

#36976

How do you identify Lead Free Boards from Sn/Pb? | 5 October, 2005

Not knowing your company, I would treat LF boards as a new part number. All boards are sold in lots, so controlling both part numbers at the same time would be easy. May add to your inventory but beats mixing.

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RDR

#36977

How do you identify Lead Free Boards from Sn/Pb? | 5 October, 2005

We have the pb free symbology embedded in copper on the fabs.

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Ken

#36982

How do you identify Lead Free Boards from Sn/Pb? | 5 October, 2005

Let me re-phrese.

I walk up to a rack of boards in the factory. How would I know if it's lead free or not?

I send you (my customer) an order of boards. How do you tell if its lead free or not (visually).

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RDR

#36990

How do you identify Lead Free Boards from Sn/Pb? | 6 October, 2005

We use a diffrent colored traveller to identify the pbfree vs. other if you will. During our First article inspections we verify that the correct solder is being used per documentation and that the correct traveller is being used for that build. As far as just being able to look at the boards and tell I really don't know. I cannot tell the difference unless I have a microscope to look at wetting spread. Maybe put dummy pads on board and underprint so you can see the wetting? As I mentioned previously maybe the etched symbology would help at least in knowing that it is/was "supposed to be" pb free. The use of labels is also an option.

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#37000

How do you identify Lead Free Boards from Sn/Pb? | 6 October, 2005

To have symbol embedded in PCB copper it could be an opportunity for error because in case of mountinng on it a non ROHS compliance components/devices, the symbol would not tell the true. Better use the Rohs compliant label, stiked on PCB when sure all parts are really R compliant.

Regards......GS

This message was posted via the Electronics Forum @

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Ken

#37004

How do you identify Lead Free Boards from Sn/Pb? | 6 October, 2005

Exactly. Also consider how customers are begining to dabble in LF and want to use the same FABS for concurrent builds. The don't want to add or modify any PCB artwork and pay for NRE changes. And they don't want to keep two part numbers for the same "product" (LF and tin-lead).

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#37005

How do you identify Lead Free Boards from Sn/Pb? | 7 October, 2005

do not forget,ROHS Directive does not allow other chemical substances (ie. PBB, PBDE,....) that could be in PCBs, so the PCB must be ROHS compliant and not only Pb Free. That means be carefully when marking PCB or PBAs.

Regards..........GS

This message was posted via the Electronics Forum @

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RDR

#37011

How do you identify Lead Free Boards from Sn/Pb? | 7 October, 2005

If you're using non-lead free parts then you don't have a pbfree assembly so why worry about marking it anyway? We apply this artwork after the assembly has been completely engineered for lead free. Artwork can be covered up with mask or whatever if for some reason they are now going to be built with lead. Labels can be missing, applied to the wrong fabs, and be removed by anyone. I am not defending copper etching but are we talking about how to mark/identify assemblies that are lead free or segregating mixed product of which some was leadfree, while others of the same group are not?

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Mika

#37025

How do you identify Lead Free Boards from Sn/Pb? | 8 October, 2005

We do the following things: 1.) RoHS PCB:s is marked with a code. This is to identify that the PCB:s itself are RoHS compliant. 2.) If it is a true RoHS PCBA; we put a printed label with a green "texture" on the PCBA. 3.) If it is a mixed PB free/PB; meaning that the some of the components are RoHS compliants, some are not,, we put a label on the PCBA that says mixed (This is just an example).

This is mainly for repair isiuses; just in case we have to deal with customer returns & repair.(We produce "dings" for the telecomunication Industries). So, we have to deal with some kind of traceability issiues; but maybe I should start a new thread on this one. (Believe me, this is thougher than You think!)

4.) The standard says e1 or e2 marked in a oval ring; but that only tells You the soldering process i.e. SN100. Think of this: how could You possible know how to repair a certain component on a mixed PCBA; without knowing what the soldering procees that have been used?

5.) Of course You WILL find Yourself producing mixed RoHS/Non RoHS PCBA:s; due to the fact, that it is not all component manufactors that have solved the issusues/problems to withstand the higher reflow temps & delta T. 6.) Marking of the PCB:s and the PCBA:s are cruicial 7.)I am sorry for that I did not have the perfect answer to Your original question, which I have by now forgotten...(I might be answering a total different question)?

Sincerly,

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