[time-nuts] OT: RoHS crap

[SAIDJACK at aol.com]

Hi Chuck,
 
from a manufacturer's perspective:
 
   1) Test & MEasurement electronics are exempt at least  until 2009, maybe 
until 2011 or longer. Good for us, we can keep using the good  old Pb.
 
   2) Consumer products reliability just took a steep dive due to  tin 
whiskers causing shorts in the long-run, higher temperature soldering which  affects 
FR4 material, and any plastiks on the PCB's used in connectors etc  
potentially melting during soldering, storage effects of NOS components, etc.  All 
these will affect the products' quality and reliability, and certainly not  
improve it.
 
While there are PCB materials that are designed for RoHS temps (Isola IS410  
for example) to replace the good old FR4, most Asian companies will continue 
to  use the cheaper FR4 stuff that was not made for such high Tg, and thus the  
product quality will suffer.
 
This is good for the industry, since it means statistically more products  
will fail earlier, and will have to be replaced sooner. Lower  reliability of 
course also creates more electronic waste.
 
bye,
Said