Richard Ciocci

Impact of environmental regulations on green electronics manufacture

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the electronic industrys reaction to environmental regulations specifically in terms of lead‐free solders and halogen‐free flame‐retardants (FRs).Design/methodology/approach – This work achieves its objective by discussing the various international regulations pertaining to electronics manufacturing and relating the industry reactions to those regulations. The electronics industry is pursuing lead‐free solders and halogen‐free FRs, in part due to regulations. However, the paper includes examples of how the industry is successful in implementing environmentally friendly changes.Findings – The authors compared regulations from Japan, the European Union, and the US. While the regulations themselves vary in scope, industry actions to find alternatives do have common purposes. Electronics manufacturers recognize that environmentally motivated changes are beneficial in terms of waste minimization. Regardless of the regulatory motivation, minimization does l...

Regulations and market trends in lead‐free and halogen‐free electronics

Purpose – This paper seeks to investigate the electronics industrys reaction to environmental regulations specifically in terms of lead‐free solders and halogen‐free flame‐retardants (FRs).Design/methodology/approach – This work achieves its objective by discussing the various international environmental regulations pertaining to electronics manufacturing and relating the industry reactions to those regulations. It also provides the market trends related to lead‐ and halogen‐free products. The electronics industry is pursuing lead‐free solders and halogen‐free FRs, in part due to regulations. However, the paper includes examples of how the industry is successful in implementing environmentally friendly changes.Findings – The authors compared regulations from Japan, the European Union, the USA, and China. While the regulations themselves vary in scope, industry actions to find alternatives do have common purposes. Electronics manufacturers recognize that environmentally motivated changes are beneficial in...

Questions concerning the migration to lead‐free solder

Eliminating lead in electronics is an environmentally considerate approach that is made prior to manufacture. Recently enacted legislation encourages increased recycling of electrical and electronic products. However, recycling is typically an end‐of‐use action occurring just before final disposal. From an environmentally‐considerate perspective, lead elimination or replacement is a better approach. Short of having a definitive study to follow, industry, regulators, and consumers are proceeding with the change. Various lead‐free alloys have been tested and used for electronic components and assemblies. There are many replacements for eutectic tin‐lead solder, and alloys containing tin, silver, copper, and bismuth have been used successfully. Assessing how the electronics industry is addressing the change to lead‐free materials and processes requires answers to various questions. These questions regard the effects of changes to electronic products and their processes. What drives lead‐free migration, how processes can develop, and when products will be available are issues which define the assessment.

Learning from the migration to lead‐free solder

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to characterize the motivations used into migrating to lead‐free solder by providing examples and directions for those making the material change.Design/methodology/approach – This work achieves its objective of identifying which electronic industry actions towards lead‐free soldering have been successful and why. The research reported the various motivating factors considered in adopting lead‐free electronics. To that end, the authors researched industry literature and discussed approaches with various companies and agencies. The scope of this paper is largely the board‐component level soldering process and companies involved in the international electronics industry.Findings – The motivation to migrate to lead‐free solder has been and continues to be multi‐faceted. Issues include regulatory, commercial, and technical. Processing with lead‐free solder is successful, so the electronics industrys move towards environmentally compatible processes will meet regulated d...

Lead-free solder replacement: beyond the material substitution

Various studies have identified alternatives for tin-lead solder. Characteristics such as availability, melting point, shear strength, and solderability have led to different alternatives being recommended for different applications. The most critical effect is in reflow soldering, where tin- lead solder has been heated to 220 degree(s)C, and the recommended temperature for the alternative alloys is 260 degree(s)C. A different degree of preparation for lead-free technologies exists when comparing board subassemblies with components. Board finishes with lead-free materials have been used for years with varying success. Palladium-based component finishes have also been available, but the greatest concern for components exists in plastic-encapsulated packages. Moisture sensitivity of packages that will be heated 40 degree(s)C above current processing levels presents the potential of delamination and cracks.

Handling the migration to lead free

Pending legislation and market differentiation are both at least partly responsible for the electronic industrys switch to lead-free technologies. The debate will continue over whether lead in electronics should be banned as it represents a small amount of the material that is used for consumer products. Expecting the switch to lead free to be inevitable, this paper examines the technical issues facing manufacturers and suggests steps to get ready for the change.

Domestic and Global New Building Construction: A Tool for Selecting Green and Sustainable Building Systems and Components

This paper provides an overview of how to design a cost effective and environmentally responsible, green and sustainable, commercial building. Specifically included is the selection process for proper building components which will identify all factors that must receive design phase consideration and ultimately lead to the desired outcome. The process takes into consideration the appropriate aspects of various green building environmental assessment tools, such as, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Green Globes (GG), Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), to identify important elements for design, construction, operation and maintenance of a building. Such a selection process involves many building components, but the focus of this paper is roofing systems. Specifically, the roofing system selection process will use a weighting scheme, which will be described later in this paper. This example selection process will illustrate how to identify all important factors that must be considered when choosing the best environmentally responsible and sustainable building components that are appropriate for the specific design and construction project. The weighting scheme will be useful and applicable not only for specific projects at the local level but globally as well. Factors taken into consideration are building use; geographic location and climate; budget; and any additional considerations deemed necessary by the design and construction project team.Copyright

Analysis to Develop Hydrogen Production From Bio-Oils

The United States economy’s dependence on fossil fuels has historical significance but lacks vision for a long-lasting fuel consumption policy. Political complications, economic instabilities, supply shortages, and continued pollution contributions pose significant obstacles to continued reliance on oil. Alternative technologies based on renewable resources offer much more promise for a sustainable approach to meeting global energy needs. Recent research and applications have established hydrogen as a viable clean fuel source. Those applications, including fuel cells, have shown promise for the eventual migration from a fossil-fuel economy to one based on renewable energy sources. Air pollution, specifically contributions to greenhouse gases, is a major environmental hazard due to the use of fossil fuel-related hydrocarbons for fuel and industrial applications. An alternative, hydrogen, offers significant advantages as an ultra-clean fuel of the future when it is burned directly or processed through fuel cells. Currently, the main process for hydrogen production is catalytic steam reforming of natural gas. This process is relatively inefficient and does not allow the use of a wide range of feedstock materials including renewable sources. The objective of impending research is to develop this new, ultra-clean and efficient process, which converts a wide range of hydrocarbons, including renewable bio-oils, into pure hydrogen suitable for fuel cells and which also converts CO2 emission into syngas. The main impact is clearly on air pollution and global warming through the minimization of greenhouse gas emission and the economical production of pure hydrogen to foster the hydrogen economy. This new process will achieve considerable increase in hydrogen productivity and considerable decrease in the energy consumed to produce it. The technology will center on a circulating fluidized bed (CFB) that will separate hydrogen from bio-oils in an efficient process that greatly reduces polluting hydrocarbons compared to traditional fossil fuel processing. Early studies will include the mathematical modeling of computational fluid dynamics to identify process parameters. Eventually, a pilot plant will be used to verify/modify the mathematical model, for a wide range of conditions and renewable feedstocks. Testing the pilot plant will lead to the development of reliable design equations suitable for replication, build, and tight control of this novel process.Copyright

Developing a Process to Identify Material Flow of a Priority Chemical

An Environmental Protection Agency-funded project was the material flow analysis of naphthalene-containing products in an effort to eliminate, reduce, or replace the sources of naphthalene. The project analysis began with manufacturers who use naphthalene-containing products in their processes. It identifies the basic characteristics of naphthalene as a common polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon, which is released to the environment. Included are likely sources of naphthalene emissions and releases as they were identified for further investigation. This paper, which is the sequel to IMECE 2005-82808, highlights a secondary objective of the project: to document the approach used in identifying the naphthalene flow from the raw material to its various products. This secondary objective was to show how process, product, and quantity data can best be gathered. Within the project, there were several means to collect data, some that have worked better than others. The purpose of this objective was to provide the framework of a proven approach to generating the material flow so that it can be followed for other priority chemicals that populate the EPA list.Copyright

Characterizing Naphthalene via Material Flow Analysis

An Environmental Protection Agency-funded project centers on the material flow analysis of naphthalene-containing products in an effort to eliminate, reduce, or replace the sources of naphthalene. The analysis commences with manufacturers who use naphthalene-containing products in their processes. Also, the analysis works in reverse by starting with the naphthalene user, as the material will be traced to the source in an effort to identify elimination/reduction opportunities throughout the material’s life cycle. A particular focus is the potential for removal of naphthalene from the primary processor’s raw material. A completed material flow accounting of naphthalene in the United States is the product of this work. The paper highlights the preliminary part of the study. It identifies the basic characteristics of naphthalene as one of the largest polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons that is released to the environment. Included are likely sources of naphthalene emissions and releases as they are identified for further investigation.Copyright