As the global electronics industry sorts out the impact of RoHS on their next generation designs, the aerospace and defense industry also considers the ramifications for next generation platforms while keeping an eye on how legacy systems will be affected. Tyco Electronics has kept a keen eye on developments in this area and has a specific roadmap to meet the lead-free initiative.
For the aerospace and defense industry, leaded solders and plating have been used for many years. In fact, many portions of the industry held exemptions from certain regulations involving lead. Moving forward, it is not as cut and dry. Some commercial aircraft manufacturers, for example, have taken the initiative, in spite of likely exemption, to design some of their next generation aircraft as lead-free. To address this, Tyco Electronics has developed processes and products to meet the need for lead-free products for use in commercial aerospace applications.
Where a legacy component is being used on a new platform, Tyco Electronics will provide a new part number for the legacy component that is RoHS compliant. So, as requests for RoHS compliant products in legacy applications are made, new part numbers will be issued. The new part number will be RoHS compliant (lead-free). Furthermore, the old part number for the product containing lead will remain available for exempt and/or other legacy applications. A cross-reference to these part number conversions is available on the tyco website
Since Tyco Electronics has been tracking and preparing for RoHS, considerable research and testing of new platings, solders and processes has been completed. For many products requiring issuance of a RoHS compliant part number, only a minor change to the product design is required. Specifically, the RoHS compliant part number may only require changing the plating or solder on the product. In other cases, the plating and solder may change as well as the plastic housing of the product.
For legacy commercial aerospace applications, leaded product will remain available.
As for other exempt applications that remain (primarily defense and space applications), leaded product will remain available, and lead-free product can be obtained upon request.
In any event, Tyco Electronics is prepared to provide both RoHS compliant product as well as leaded product. The determination of what type of product a certain application requires (leaded or RoHS compliant) is customer dependent. If the OEM application is intended to be RoHS complaint, then verification that the bill of materials is RoHS compliant should be made early in the design and specification process.
