RoHS and WEEE Archives | �ۿ۴�ý

�ۿ۴�ý Awarded Environmental Compliance Consulting Contract By US Based Safety Products Manufacturer

�ۿ۴�ý — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 09:49:15 +0000

�ۿ۴�ý has been awarded a Compliance Consulting contract by a well-reputed manufacturer of safety products and solutions in the USA. Their products include valves, instrumentation, control, and condition monitoring systems. The Client sells quite a few of their products in the European Union (EU) and hence are required to comply with the EU RoHS regulations as per ROHS DIRECTIVE (2011/65/EU), which now applies to manufacturers of industrial monitoring and control instruments. Though they had done due diligence internally, they wanted some external expertise to make sure that all required steps were being taken to ensure compliance. The Client also needed support to comply with the other regulations such as REACH, WEEE, and Packaging directive and was looking for a comprehensive solution, to make sure their compliance program was robust. Once they engaged in discussion with �ۿ۴�ý, it was clear to them that �ۿ۴�ý’s compliance Subject Matter Experts were the best in the field, and would be the ideal team to guide them through their compliance program. �ۿ۴�ý chalked out a plan for the Client, which would cover multiple facets, right from internal training to external supplier orientation, to make sure all stakeholders are on the same page with regards to the compliance requirements. Beyond the initial consulting engagement, �ۿ۴�ý will also be assisting the client in collecting required compliance declarations from suppliers, as well as generating product level compliance reports. �ۿ۴�ý’s Head of Compliance Solutions said, “This is an important first phase for us that will help us understand the Client organization well and provide them a compliance road map that will be detailed enough for them to drive independently. We will, of course, stay involved through the ongoing program, to provide them all the support required to get compliant – either from an advisory perspective or for actually getting compliance documentation in place”. �ۿ۴�ý, founded in 1997, has been providing a host of Compliance Solutions since 2003 and has a strong offering ranging from Consulting to Data Collection to Reporting and Auditing, around various regulations such as RoHS, REACH, Conflict Minerals, ELV, Prop 65 and EPR regulations such as for Packaging and Batteries. About �ۿ۴�ý: �ۿ۴�ý (enventure.com) is a privately-held, ISO 9001-2015 & ISO 27001-2013 certified Engineering and Supply Chain Solutions company, with full-fledged delivery centers in India. �ۿ۴�ý has been serving clients in North America and Europe since 1997 and is today a preferred supplier of engineering and master data management services to Fortune 500 companies, across different industry verticals such as Hi-tech Electronics, Oil & Gas, Mining, Water Treatment, and Industrial Manufacturing. �ۿ۴�ý provides a wide variety of services to Clients, in areas such as Plant Design Engineering, Building Engineering, Product Design, Technical Documentation, Component Engineering, Environmental Compliance Support and Master Data Management.

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Maintaining Environmental Compliance

�ۿ۴�ý — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 04:55:14 +0000

Are you a manufacturer who frequently introduces new and updated version of your products in the market? Have you ever checked whether your products maintain environmental compliance or do they contribute to the increasing electronic waste? Ensuring the proper disposal of your old and obsolete products is one of the primary measures to obtain environmental compliance. Focus on maintaining a safe environment. Review the guidelines of the laws and rules regarding environmental compliance, and find out which all are applicable for your product.

Be aware about the laws of European Union, before the manufacturing of a product. The European Union opines that manufacturers should themselves take the responsibility to curb down the hazards caused by their products. RoHS and WEEE are two of the laws that are implemented by the European Union, aiming the same. restricts the use of certain harmful substances, such as lead, cadmium, mercury and polybrominated flame retardants from being used in the manufacturing of a product. The European Union (EU) also asks the manufacturers to maintain WEEE compliance for their products, according to the guidelines mentioned in the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive. Make proper arrangements to collect back the used equipments and recycle or reuse them. If not, create a proper waste disposal system.

Also, go through the principles of REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) and make sure that your product abides by them. According to REACH EU, you have to collect the safety information about the chemicals used and register your product with ECHA (European Chemicals Agency).

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RoHS and WEEE – to Minimize E-Waste

�ۿ۴�ý — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 05:41:00 +0000

The Directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, popularly known as the Restriction of , and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE), were two of the initiatives adopted by the European Union, in order to solve the issues of increasing electronic waste (e-waste), which pose threat to life, health and environment. Each member state of the European Union is bound to abide by the guidelines mentioned in the directives and manufacture RoHS and . However, they can resort to take their own measures for implementing the rules.

The RoHS directive restricts the use of certain substances in the manufacture of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEEs). It is commonly known as the lead-free directive, but the use of certain other harmful substances is also prohibited under the RoHS Directive. These include mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and the polybrominated flame retardants such as, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE). These cause harm not only to the environment but also to the health conditions of the employees in the firm and users of the product.

The WEEE directive assigns the responsibility of managing the e-wastes to the manufacturing firm. It directs the manufacturers to collect the e-waste and make provisions for its reuse or recycle. The obsolete or used electrical and electronic goods also are termed as e-waste. WEEE directive applies to the small and large-scale household appliances, electrical and electronic tools, lighting equipments, etc. Some of the medical devices, monitoring and control instruments and IT and telecommunications equipment are, however, exempted from being WEEE compliant.

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GADSL and the ELV directive – how do they affect your company?

�ۿ۴�ý — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 09:54:17 +0000

The ELV (end of life vehicle) directive is similar to the RoHS and WEEE compliance schemes, in that it was an EU directive designed to restrict the amount of hazardous materials reaching the environment. This was achieved in two ways: by restricting the substances used in the manufacture of new vehicles and their components, and by environmentally aware recycling methods.

Unlike RoHS, WEEE and REACH, the ELV directive is specific to automotive engineering. However, with ASIC and VLSI designs being integral to modern automotive engineering, it has an impact on many electronic and component engineering firms, both in the EU and globally. Like the directive, ELV compliance has been adopted across the world, with most countries on the global manufacturing platform having their own versions in place.

The GADSL (Global Automotive Declarable Substance List) is intrinsically linked to both the ELV directive and the IMDS (International Material Data System), which was established in response to the directives being put in place. The was established by OEMs in order to establish a global tracking and logging system for materials being used in automotive parts and accessories. It requires that all parts and components used in automotive assemblies and sub-assemblies list the chemicals used in their manufacture. The lynchpin of this is the GADSL, which is a list of all prohibited and declarable substances used in automotive applications, together with threshold limits.

If you engineer mechanical or electronic components for the automotive industry, these rules affect you. We at �ۿ۴�ý Technologies offer environmental compliance solutions for all engineering sectors, with particular expertise in the area of GADSL and ELV compliance.

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The impact of part obsolescence management on ASIC and VHDL design

�ۿ۴�ý — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 08:53:48 +0000

Product change notification (PCN) alerts are nothing new. Component obsolescence has been a problem for decades. However, the RoHS directive has made the matter acute. RoHS legislation has severely limited the use of six substances, including lead, from printed circuit boards and other electrical/electronic devices imported into Europe. This legislation has now extended globally, meaning exports to areas other than the European Union (including states like California) are also affected. Many component engineering firms have stopped using lead in previously leaded components. However, rather than issuing an EOL (end-of-life) notice, they issue a PCN alert instead. This has caused problems in VHDL and ASIC design, as many unleaded components are unviable in engineering processes that previously used the leaded format. For a start, solder temperatures have to be higher. Even though the components may appear identical, they can still become obsolete from the company’s point of view. However, when a Product change notification is used instead of an EOL notification, this may go unnoticed. Exemption clauses mean certain system designs don’t have to use parts; for example, medical, aerospace and defense equipment. Problems arise when these components must be replaced, as their alternatives may not be compatible with existing parts. Also, while PCN alerts may give around six months’ notice, this may not allow time to stockpile. Suppliers have a sneaky way of withdrawing components from catalogues or making them prohibitively expensive. We at �ۿ۴�ý Technologies offer a range of Component Engineering Services, including product change notification and obsolescence management tools, to help with things like this.

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Reverse engineering puts Commodore classic back on the market

�ۿ۴�ý — Sat, 28 May 2011 10:50:08 +0000

For most, the Commodore C64 computer is a sentimental memory. However, Commodore USA has re-released the iconic 1982 classic for the 21st century, using high-speed PCB design and reverse engineering tools that are straight out of TRON (also released in 1982). It may have the retro looks of the old C64, but underneath it’s a whole new Legacy. Back in 1982, the 8-bit Commodore 64 was seriously cutting-edge. Oh, how things have changed. Externally, the hardware design is identical to the 1982 original, right down to the beige plastic casing and chunky, clunky keyboard. It even has the classic rainbow logo. But what is housed inside is updated. The steam-driven 8-bit 6510 microprocessor has been replaced with an Intel Atom 1.8GHz Dual Core CPU, with up to 500GB of hard drive storage and 4GB of expandable RAM – compared to the 64KB 1980s game players had to use. Then again, Donkey Kong uses up a bit less memory than TRON Legacy – though as Commodore USA has also re-released a number of classic games, you can still play it. The revamped retro classic is a triumph of reverse engineering and high-speed PCB design, available in various formats. Features include USB ports, DVD-RW drive, Gigabit Ethernet, multi-format card reader, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Nvidia ION2 graphics, Blu-ray drive and Digital Visual Interface. All in a compact casing the same size as the original. Naturally, environmental compliance solutions also had to be found – the RoHs WEEE directive was unknown in 1982. If your company has a retro classic it would like to relaunch, we at �ۿ۴�ý Technologies offer a range of PCB layout and reverse engineering services.

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The link between thermal analysis and obsolescence management

�ۿ۴�ý — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 10:38:03 +0000

Whether you are involved in mechanical engineering or firmware development, a testing “laboratory” is an important part of project management. Depending on the system design, you will need to consider such things as humidity, vibration, and electromagnetic and temperature effects. We at �ۿ۴�ý Technologies are experts in design testing, using specialized tools like CFD (computational fluid dynamics) and thermal analysis software. A comprehensive engineering is at the heart of system development. Naturally, this will undergo many changes as testing continues. If your company employs cost reduction analysts, they must be aware of the importance of obsolescence to BOM management. It’s very short-sighted to build a BOM based on good thermal analysis results and low component costs alone. Any testing software you use should probe for the best components to match your needs. However, this is no use unless your enterprise data management system is up-to-date on areas like component availability and reliable second sources. This is the crux of obsolescence management – ensuring components are available throughout the entire product lifecycle, and are easy to track down. Rare, hard-to-find electronic components are fine for one-off hardware designs in scientific research, but they rarely work in the commercial field. If you work in an area where long lifecycles are the norm – for example the aerospace industry – then it’s possible to find distributors specializing in obsolete components. However, it’s critical the components can be trusted, and haven’t simply been recycled from defunct equipment. Repackaged, these are hard to tell from new components, but may fail in use due to faults like “tin whisker” development. Importantly, obsolete semiconductors may not pass RoHS/WEEE regulations.

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Environmental Compliance and EMC Emissions

�ۿ۴�ý — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:37:11 +0000

Environmental compliance is not confined to the and International Material Data System. As well as the materials used in manufacturing, there is the environmental impact of the system design itself to consider, such as EM (electromagnetic) emissions.

EM compliance is a major issue for any electrical/electronic hardware designer, whether their product produces EM intentionally (as in some digital signal processing applications) or unintentionally, as in computer design. Electromagnetic emissions are released from any system which has a current running through it, either as a series of pulses or a continual stream. If not kept to a safe level they can be a danger to health, causing nausea, headaches, depression, sensory hallucinations and even cancer. However, the risks can be minimized by effective system design and screening.

As with many areas of , the EU has a stringent EMC directive, which all OEMs exporting products to Europe must adhere to. US directives are more limited. The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) ruling covers digital signal processing in broadcasting and telecommunications, while the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) has a protocol in line with the EU automotive EMC directive, which became law in 2006.

All electrical systems must undergo stringent testing to ensure they meet EM environmental compliance regulations. However, around 50% of prototypes fail the first test. New Pre-test EMC system software, similar to that used in computational fluid dynamics, is helping to minimize this.

We at �ۿ۴�ý Technologies offer an extensive range of engineering services for those affected by EMC legislation, from part obsolescence management to DSP programming.

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The RoHS and WEEE directives – recent developments

�ۿ۴�ý — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:49:25 +0000

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 area, but an essential one for PCB designers and component manufacturers, as it covers areas like tin-lead solders and semiconductor finishes. Both directives are in the process of being revised. It’s important to realize that the laws simply act as a template, and that each European country may have its own specific regulations. These can vary considerably between borders and be changed at any time, so it’s vital you keep stringent, up to date records, especially when dealing with different export destinations.

The US Department of Commerce has a web portal (Buy USA Gov) to assist US engineering companies and component engineering firms exporting EEE (electrical and electronic equipment) to Europe. A valuable resource, it has country-by-country information on RoHS/WEEE implementation, and issues regular news updates.

The latest news concerns revisions to the RoHS directive, which took place on November 24, 2010. A key change was the extension of the directive to cover all electrical and electronic equipment, apart from that covered by exclusions, with a transitional period of 8 years. A 3-year impact assessment plan has been suggested with an 18-month period before the changes become legally binding, but the implications are obvious.

We at �ۿ۴�ý Technologies have a number of enterprise data management solutions in the area of environmental compliance, covering ELV, GADSL, ROHS, WEEE and REACH regulations.

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REACH EU and US defense exports – the continuing saga

�ۿ۴�ý — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:48:59 +0000

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 . Here, we address the latest developments in REACH compliance as it applies to defence.

REACH legislation governs the import and production of chemical substances within the EU. Certain products produced for the defence industry are exempt. However, exemption decisions were very much made on a national basis, and varied between member states. It became obvious to the EDA (European Defence Agency) that REACH compliance required a more harmonised approach. Creating a transparent, open European Defence Market aligning national exemption policies would considerably simplify matters for component manufacturers and other producers, not least those wishing to export into the European Union.

In March 2010, the pMS (participating Member States) of the EDA agreed a Steering Board Decision which set common standards for REACH exemptions in the defence industry. A public web portal was also established to provide transparency over national policies and procedures. The PMS are now in the process of adopting the new international standards, which will be reviewed annually starting in 2011.

In realisation of the fact that the affects non-member countries of the EDA, such as the US and Canada, the Steering Board invited these “third member” states to adopt the new REACH legislation principles, further harmonising the process of supply.

The Steering Board decision is a promising development in a controversial and confusing area. We at �ۿ۴�ý Technologies offer a number of solutions to help you cope with the complexities of ROHS, WEEE and REACH legislation.

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