I have heard a rumour from 3 different industry sources that if the total mass of a piece of electronic equipment is high (very heavy transformers, case work etc) then the percentage of the total mass due to lead in the solder may be small enough to allow the item to be RoHS compliant.... Can anyone confirm this? Trawling the internet has not been very productive on this subject other than to hint that it is probably not true. However, one of my sources is a well known hi-fi manufacturer who should know what he's talking about....and it wasn't April 1st when I heard it!
26. For the purposes of the RoHS Regulations, a maximum concentration value of up to 0.1% by weight in homogeneous materials for lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, PBB and PBDE and of up to 0.01% by weight in homogenous materials for cadmium will be permitted in the manufacture of new EEE. These values were established through the adoption of a Commission Decision on 18 August 2005.10
27. “Homogeneous material” means a material that cannot be mechanically disjointed into different materials.
So solder has to be less than 0.1% lead
HTH Chris
27. “Homogeneous material” means a material that cannot be mechanically disjointed into different materials.
So solder has to be less than 0.1% lead
HTH Chris
I believe the looser "assembly/finished product" was the original formulation used to "sell" the regulations but the current interpretation/"mission creep" as used by the bureaucracy is that each individual component/sub assembly should meet the regs, and that their meaning of "reduction" is elimination of any intentional use of prohibited materials in consumer marketed products
I recall reading that a multimillion dollar development and retooling by a major semi manufacturer to go "lead free" on component leads saves single digit # of car battery amounts of lead yearly – seems like a bounty on abandoned/discarded car batteries, lead glass decorative “crystal” or replacement of a few tern-plate roofs would have been cheaper and better for the environment, or how about cleaning up 2 world wars worth of bullets buried in farmland and forest battle sites throughout Europe?
I recall reading that a multimillion dollar development and retooling by a major semi manufacturer to go "lead free" on component leads saves single digit # of car battery amounts of lead yearly – seems like a bounty on abandoned/discarded car batteries, lead glass decorative “crystal” or replacement of a few tern-plate roofs would have been cheaper and better for the environment, or how about cleaning up 2 world wars worth of bullets buried in farmland and forest battle sites throughout Europe?
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The amount of lead they were putting in CRT terminals to shield the X-rays was rediculous and causing a landfill problem, but the big manfacturers were happy I am sure to agree to a standard that pretty much requires wave soldering to avoid toasting the semiconductors. No more garage shop built first runs in Europe, no more Hewlett-Packard startups. I hope they don't extend this rule to the US. I'm already having to build my own car in the states to drive one that has a mechanical engine kill switch that doesn't lock the steering column. Some woman testified she couldn't even stall her Lexus by putting the transmission in reverse at 125 mph! Isn't it wonderful how the government rules protect us!
The amount of lead they were putting in CRT terminals to shield the X-rays was rediculous and causing a landfill problem, but the big manfacturers were happy I am sure to agree to a standard that pretty much requires wave soldering to avoid toasting the semiconductors. No more garage shop built first runs in Europe, no more Hewlett-Packard startups. I hope they don't extend this rule to the US. I'm already having to build my own car in the states to drive one that has a mechanical engine kill switch that doesn't lock the steering column. Some woman testified she couldn't even stall her Lexus by putting the transmission in reverse at 125 mph! Isn't it wonderful how the government rules protect us!
This issue of RoHS compatibility has (well hidden from unrelated people with electronics industry) political dimensions, so a deeper examination of it will result in a kind of discussion which is prohibited from the rules of this forum.
Your reply and this of jcx are the most appropriate.
Fotios
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OTOH, my projects although are implemented with RoHS parts at whole (unfortunately i can't find non RoHS parts furthermore, which are by 5 - 10% less expensive 
) in the end are not compatible with RoHS because i use in the assembly the old good 60/40 solder wire which melts at 180 degC instead the Pb free which melts usually at 270 degC.
) in the end are not compatible with RoHS because i use in the assembly the old good 60/40 solder wire which melts at 180 degC instead the Pb free which melts usually at 270 degC.
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