The EU RoHS directive – a worldwide issue
The RoHS compliance laws apply to all products entering the EU, and thus affect component engineering companies worldwide. The US is a major exporter of electronic products to Europe, and anyone producing components, embedded firmware etc. for this market have to abide by the EU rules. Although the EU RoHS directive does not apply to […]
The RoHS and WEEE directives – recent developments
Electrical and component engineering companies exporting products to the EU are heavily governed by ROHS/WEEE legislation. As this effects companies located outside of the Union, it is essential to keep up to date with the latest changes, and have an effective master data management scheme that includes obsolescence management tools. RoHS/WEEE legislation is a complex […]
REACH EU and US Defense Exports – The Continuing Saga
ROHS, WEEE and REACH regulations may be European initiatives, but their influence is far-reaching. The EU is a major importer of products produced outside the European Union which come under its environmental compliance laws. These range from agricultural chemicals to FPGA designs. Here, we address the latest developments in REACH compliance as it applies to […]
The REACH directive and US defense exports
REACH legislation doesn’t just affect member states of the EU. Any mechanical, electrical or component engineering company exporting into Europe needs to be aware of the REACH directive as it relates to their particular area of expertise. This is especially true of defence engineering, which is subject to a number of policies and exceptions. These […]
How do you keep customers happy with ROHS compliance?
Many customers are understandably worried when they hear that engineers are altering their customised hardware in accordance with ROHS compliance. Even if the hardware designs appear superficially unaltered, their components most definitely are not. ROHS compliance affects every area of PCB design, including transistors, semiconductors, diodes, solders and programmable chips. To maintain an uninterrupted supply […]
Categorically speaking, the RoHS isn’t complying with its own rules
When the ROHS WEEE directive first came into force, some mechanical designers were delighted to find their products were exempt from the ruling. However, the expiry dates for many of these exemptions has expired, and many more are due to expire in 2011. This is not the way it was originally going to be. Companies […]
The ROHS directive Category 8 and 9 – where are we now?
There is still much confusion over the RoHS directive in mechanical engineering companies, especially with respect to the category 8 and 9 exemptions. These were hardware devices which: 1) Generally had a long lifespan and were manufactured in small amounts. 2) Were often used in mission-critical applications where their failure would have catastrophic effects. The […]
Getting up to speed on ELV compliance
Automotive recycling was always a lucrative area for those in the trade. 75% of each car was easily turned into cash, with healthy returns on scrap metal, part-worn tyres and second-hand automotive components. However, the new ELV directive is calling for at least 85% of each vehicle to be recycled, which means recycling plastics, which […]
Recycling an end-of-life vehicle – more than just a metal cube
The complex new GADSL, ELV and REACH directives mean heavy work for vehicle dismantlers, or rather, Authorized Treatment Facility engineers. It goes a lot further than simply “cubing” a car that failed its MOT test. So, what is involved when a car reaches the end of its life, or in other words, becomes an ELV, […]
Taking the initiative on ELV compliance
The most easily recyclable part of a motor vehicle is its metal component, but there’s a lot more to a modern car than that. Although scrap yards recycle as much as they can (tyres, useful engine components etc), a significant amount of the average ELV, or end-of-life vehicle still ends up in landfill sites. Much […]