RoHS – conformity tests

Quality on a high level – Verification of the RoHS conformity of electrical and electronic components

"The responsibility for the compliance to the limits carries the manufacturer.":

HARTING examines all bought components and raw materials from this responsibility according to the IEC 62321 / 6 (Draft) to determine regulated substance content for Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Hexavalent Chrome and brominated flame retardants (PBB, PBDE).

Quality on a high level – Verification of the RoHS conformity of electrical and electronic components

The European parliament has taken actions to protect and improve the quality of the environment, to protect the health and to use the natural resources in a prudent and meaningful way. In this coherence the RoHS directive becomes obligatory the 01.Juli 2006. The directive contains actions to the prohibition and the reduction of certain materials in electrical and electronics devices:

RoHS

  • Cadmium
  • Mercury
  • Lead (PB)
  • Hexavalent chrome
  • Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB)
  • Polybrominated Biphenyl Oxides (PBDE)


HARTING began already very early to disclaim polluting materials. Based on this ecological understanding materials such as PBB and PBDE and/or heavy metals such as mercury and cadmium are principly not inserted with HARTING connectors.

„...We understand nature, society, the economy and each individual company to form part of a global ecological system, the balance and biodiversity of which are decisive for the continuity of all life, and we take the obligation upon ourselves as a commercial enterprise to assume a special responsibility for preserving our natural environment...“ (extract from HARTING environmental policy).

In the HARTING RoHS Roadmap we would like to explain which alternative technical materials HARTING use to replace lead or Hexavalent chrome:

Available downloads

Title Format Size  
HARTING environmental policy

 PDF 76 kB Download
RoHS Roadmap of the HARTING group

 PDF 477 kB Download

lead free

HARTING feels obligated to concern the "lead free age" with proven product quality and long-term reliability. The RoHS directive will be converted consistently and all product lines changed to a lead free and chrome VI free design.

The galvanic processes were optimized, in order to achieve with pure tin (SN) surface a qualified solderability and whisker security.

The EMC connectors are manufactured from a high-quality and corrosion resistant aluminum alloy. The aluminum surface is additionally surface-consolidated by a special procedure and revalued thus optically. The result is a conductive surface with a good corrosion resistance and simultaneous RoHS conformity.

Available downloads

Title Format Size  
RoHS conformed surfaces for Industrial connectors

 PDF 272 kB Download
Report to qualification of a suitable leadfree termination surface for wave soldering

 PDF 8,59 MB Download

RoHS conformity testing

With the help of the energy dispersive x-ray analysis (RFA) HARTING identifies already in the inspection of incoming goods or in preliminary investigations fast and simply substances, which are prohibited by RoHS.
The x-ray analysis (RFA) requires thereby no or only small expenditure for the sample preparation and allows a fast, non destructive and precise determination of the alloy portions.

  • Qualitative and quantitative analysis
  • Non destructively test for sample as-is, e.g.: Lead content in Tin-Coatings
  • Lateral Element-Mapping for accurate identification
  • „Direct“ conformity for uniform materials
RoHS conformity testing

For fast limit value control of the elements cadmium, lead, chrome and bromine a portable RoHS analyzer is used in the inspection of incoming goods.
For the quantitative material analysis and for the exact, proof-strong measurement with low limits of determination at e.g. coated printed circuit boards HARTING uses a energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometer.

Based on these data and informations HARTING explains and confirms the RoHS conformity of our products with the RoHS guideline by certificate.

The RoHS directive prescribes that starting from 1. July of 2006 electrical and/or electronic devices may only be sold, if they are almost free of the prohibited materials lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chrome (CrVI), polybrominated Biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated Biphenyl Oxide (PBDE). For the permissible residual content of these substances the following limit values were specified:

  • Cadmium 0.01 weight percentage
  • all other substances 0.1 weight percentage