Pb-free
Pb-free (lead-free) means that in a certain material the content of Pb is less than the Maximum Concentration Value (MCV) of RoHS.
MCV:
For the purposes of Article 5(1)(a): a maximum concentration value of 0.1% by weight in homogeneous materials for lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) and of 0,01% by weight in homogeneous materials for cadmium shall be tolerated.
In other documents:
Homogeneous material means a material that can not be mechanically disjointed into different materials.
The term 'homogeneous' is understood as 'of uniform composition throughout'. Examples of 'homogeneous material' are individual types of: plastics, ceramics, glass, metals, alloys, paper, board, resins, coatings.
The term 'mechanically disjointed' means that the material can be, in principle, separated by mechanical actions such as for example: unscrewing, cutting, crushing, grinding, and abrasive processes.
Examples:
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Definition from the JEDEC proposal for MARKING, SYMBOLS AND LABELS FOR IDENTIFICATION OF LEAD (Pb) FREE ASSEMBLIES, COMPONENTS AND DEVICES, 2004
Electrical and electronic assemblies and components in which the Lead (Pb) level in any of the raw materials or the end product is smaller than 0.1% by weight and also meets any Pb-free requirements/definitions in the ROHS Directive 2002/95/EC
(Irina Stobbe, 08/2004)
MCV:
For the purposes of Article 5(1)(a): a maximum concentration value of 0.1% by weight in homogeneous materials for lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) and of 0,01% by weight in homogeneous materials for cadmium shall be tolerated.
In other documents:
Homogeneous material means a material that can not be mechanically disjointed into different materials.
The term 'homogeneous' is understood as 'of uniform composition throughout'. Examples of 'homogeneous material' are individual types of: plastics, ceramics, glass, metals, alloys, paper, board, resins, coatings.
The term 'mechanically disjointed' means that the material can be, in principle, separated by mechanical actions such as for example: unscrewing, cutting, crushing, grinding, and abrasive processes.
Examples:
- A plastic cover is a 'homogeneous material' if it consists of one type of plastic that is not coated with or has attached to it or inside it any other kinds of materials. In this case the limit values of the directive would apply to the plastic.
- An electric cable that consists of metal wires surrounded by non-metallic insulation materials is an example of a 'non homogeneous material' because the different materials could be separated by mechanical processes. In this case the limit values of the directive would apply to each of the separated materials individually.
- A semiconductor package contains many homogeneous materials which include plastic moulding material, tin-electroplating coatings on the lead-frame, the lead frame alloy and gold-bonding wires.
_________________________________________________________________
Definition from the JEDEC proposal for MARKING, SYMBOLS AND LABELS FOR IDENTIFICATION OF LEAD (Pb) FREE ASSEMBLIES, COMPONENTS AND DEVICES, 2004
Electrical and electronic assemblies and components in which the Lead (Pb) level in any of the raw materials or the end product is smaller than 0.1% by weight and also meets any Pb-free requirements/definitions in the ROHS Directive 2002/95/EC
(Irina Stobbe, 08/2004)
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