Third of firms unprepared for Pb-free

Almost a third of European electronics firms have yet to tackle lead-free issues, according to a report by the EU-funded European Lead-Free Soldering Network (Elfnet).

“This clearly shows the need for urgent action by those who are falling behind,” said the author of the report, Karl Heinz Zuber, of the Technical University of Berlin.

Based on a questionnaire, 30 per cent of the answers indicate that the enterprises “are not actively preparing for lead-free soldering”, said the report.

The news is not all bad: 45 per cent of respondents already have experience from their own tests and one fifth have initial or established commercial production.

Amongst technical findings, Elfnet’s Dr Jeremy Pearce told Electronics Weekly, there is a change in wave soldering alloy choice.

“Previously tin-copper alloys were most common. The survey shows tin-copper-nickel is more popular.”