Electronics and Medical Device Verification

Manufacture the safest products possible

Manufacturers of electrical and electronic goods demand reliable verification, testing, and screening technologies for compliance with Worldwide Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) regulations. An update to RoHS, known as RoHS II, Medical RoHS, or RoHS Recast, deals with the same hazardous substances and maximum concentration limits as the original RoHS directive but includes certain medical devices, monitoring and control instruments, and cables. Industry initiatives are also in place to produce halogen-free flame retardant products, ranging from consumer electronics to furniture. All of these regulations place the burden of due diligence firmly with the brand owners, assembly houses, and PCB manufacturers.

RoHS regulations continue to change and expand as more data becomes available about the hidden dangers in the products we use every day. Thermo Scientific Niton X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology responds to these evolving regulations to help verify compliance at all stages of manufacturing. With detection limits well below industry-defined thresholds, our analyzers are highly accurate in the detection of the five commonly found substances prohibited by RoHS, as well as the halogen elements chlorine and bromine.

Quantify total lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), chromium (Cr) and bromine (Br).
Provide pass/fail designations for each sample, with visual identification of the out-of-spec elements.
Eliminate production delays with nondestructive analysis and reliable results on the manufacturing floor, in seconds.
Screen more material in less time, reducing the chances that restricted materials will enter the manufacturing process.

Printed Circuit Board (PCBs) and Components: Toxic elements can hide in the smallest recesses. Niton analyzers equipped with CCD cameras can precisely locate, capture, and store sample data from components and sample areas as small as 1 mm. Niton analyzers provide rapid, nondestructive analysis of small electronic components on heterogeneous samples, from incoming materials to finished products.

Solder: Verify the lead content in a variety soldering materials including bars, wires, and pastes–even solder baths–at any stage of the manufacturing process, from a spool of solder to a tiny solder joint on a populated PCB. Niton analyzers come with the unique TestAll feature, which can differentiate the presence of lead on the surface or in the substrate of the tested object.

Tin Whiskers: High-purity tin (Sn) can lead to filamentary corrosion, also known as "whiskering." Whiskering is a naturally occurring phenomenon that results in the spontaneous and unexplainable growth of tiny, needle-like protrusions, which break loose, short circuiting system boards and terminals and seriously crippling or destroying entire systems. Niton analyzers can identify prohibited materials in tin alloys, reducing the risk of system failures.

We can help make sure your manufacturing program is fully compliant while realizing significant production process improvements.

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