Lead-free SMT process and accelerate the conversion of the problem
Semiconductor and electronics manufacturers now have to face an environmental problem, namely how to comply with EC regulations promulgated by the two "electrical and electronic equipment waste (WEEE)" and "Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS)".
Electronics industry is facing environmental challenges, not only electronic products need to be environmentally friendly, electronic manufacturing process must also meet the requirements of environment-friendly. EC issued two regulations for environmental protection, that is, "electrical and electronic equipment waste (WEEE)" and "Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS)", requires lead and other harmful substances in electronic products and their production during use, must be July 1, 2006 to be managed before. Semiconductor and electronics manufacturers must take appropriate measures to this.
Almost all electrical and electronic products are soldered to the PCB on the semiconductor devices. These products meet life after retirement, usually to landfill. Tin because of its easy to use, affordable, good electrical properties and mechanical properties, has been widely used for electrical connections. However, in recent years due to environmental pollution, acid rain of lead waste landfill began with a chemical reaction, acid rain will lead into a very soluble in water, ionic compounds, contaminate water supplies. Lead-free solders and soldering technology development has therefore become an important environmental issues.
Although the United States so far no similar legislation, but the European requirements in the semiconductor and electronic equipment to reduce the use of lead, and provides for July 1, 2006 fully implemented lead-free assembly. This will have wide impact on the global market. In the interim, a global supplier must choose whether to fully convert from leaded to lead-free production, or use a mix of lead and lead-free production model parameters. The latter must be in production, materials and products in areas such as tracking small earners. In order to reduce the mixed mode of production in long-term supplier and customer facing supply chain risk, but also for the conversion as soon as possible to produce environmentally-friendly products, Toshiba recommend this industry to shorten the transition period, completed in 2004 from leaded to lead-free pcb assembly of the conversion.
To shorten the time to lead-free conversion, OEM, contract manufacturer (CM) and semiconductor suppliers need to work closely together. Support for all aspects of the industry as well as obligations to be effective lead-free, develop a broader process window and critical production processes. To help understand the immediate problems facing the industry, the following overview of lead-free conversion and related commercial and technical issues.
Technical problems
Although the proposed regulations from the European Union nearly three years of the implementation period, the manufacturer of electronic components, consumer electronics companies, colleges and other organizations have done a fine lead-free manufacturing in-depth study. However, there is still a lot to be technical problems to be solved will affect suppliers and customers. First of all, lead-free standards have not yet developed; Second, the quality and reliability testing have to be standardized; In addition, in some cases, the components should be difficult to achieve the "forward compatibility" and "backward compatibility" (backward and forward compatible). On the client side, because the identification of new alloys take a long time, production may be delayed; the transformation of existing equipment and the performance will also delay production. For more efficient conversion to lead-free pcb manufacturing, semiconductor manufacturers, OEM customers,EMS contract manufacturers, and suppliers need to cooperate at all levels, research, these technical issues of common concern.