RoHS impacts distribution
Jim Carbone, Executive Editor, Electronics, Purchasing Magazine -- Purchasing, 11/3/2005 2:00:00 AM
While electronics distributors don’t make components, the Restriction on the use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive is having a big impact on their businesses.
Distributors are spending a lot of time educating buyers and engineering about what the law means to them. In addition, distributors are building databases of the new RoHS-compliant parts.
The law goes into effect in July 2006 and bans the use of lead and five other hazardous substances in electronics equipment sold in Europe.
"We spend a kot of money and effort communicating with customers, giving them the RoHs details," says Brian McNally, president of North American components for Arrow Electronics.
Arrow and most major distributors are holding seminars and webcasts about RoHS, explaining what it means to OEMs and electronics manufacturing services providers. Many also have ROHS data on their websites.
While distributors are devoting resources toward RoHS education, they are also spending a lot of time and money with data management.
New RoHs compliant parts are being issued every day replacing the older non-compliant parts. Keeping track of all the changes is proving to be a headache for distributors.
Electronics distributors and buyers have called for new part numbers for RoHS-compliant parts to avoid confusion in inventories.
New part numbers are the "keys to the kingdom," says McNally. "We have spent a lot of time and energy trying to influence suppliers to use new part numbers."
However, some suppliers will not. Rather they are designating RoHS compliance by date or lot codes or by labeling the parts packaging. In some cases, parts never contained any of the banned substances and were already compliant. “Some suppliers like Texas Instruments logic have always been compliant," says McNally.
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