Lead Free?

[Joel Moore]

Are your PLCs manufactured lead-free?  We're hoping to start shipping machines to Europe and ROHS requires them to be lead-free.

[support]

They are not Pb Free. If I understand it correctly, the first phase of European requirement is for consumer products only and may not affect the industrial control product... but I may be wrong. We are still monitoring the situation.

[Joel Moore]

I'll look into that.  However, the customer that is asking about this is Hakko (we make OEM equipment for them) and since their business is soldering I have a feeling they're pretty familiar with the requirements.  But I've heard there is a lot of confusion regarding this so maybe Hakko has made some incorrect assumptions.

But if we assume for the moment that ROHS does apply to all electronics entering Europe, do you think Triangle would start making their products lead-free?

[support]

I guess eventually we will have to. The trouble with Pb free process is that if it is not done properly it will affect the long term reliability of the solder joint and hence the reliability of the product. So we want to ensure that our contract manufacturers are completely comfortable with the Pb free process before we offer Pb free products.

[support]

For the moment, the RoHS (Reduction of Hazardous Subsance) list exempt  the Medical, Monitoring and control instruments. So we may be able to ride out the transition until the assembly and part suppliers are all fully geared to supply Pb Free products and we would then be able product fully Pb Free compliant products.

[Joel Moore]

That may allow you to skate by if you want to sell your products in Europe but those of us who make other products from yours (we OEMs) will not be covered by the same exemptions (I don't think).

Maybe I'm confused about how RoHS works.