Lead-Free Soldering

The big day is 1 July 2006. From then on, use of lead in electronic circuitry will be prohibited by the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) European directive. This involves much more than just switching to lead-free solder. For instance, soldering methods must adapted to the higher temperature needed by lead-free solders, components must be able to handle this temperature, and lead-based solder cannot be used for tinning component leads. It appears that manufacturers are finally getting up to speed in making their components suitable for the ‘Pb-free’ label during recent months, but it is certainly not inconceivable that a few older types of components may be temporarily unavailable next year.