With less than two months remaining before the European Restrictions on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) takes affect, EEs are starting to seek lead-free alternatives for their designs. Now, they can look to a free online database for the physical and mechanical properties of the physical and mechanical properties for the Tin-Silver-Copper (SnAgCu) lead-free solder alloys that will be at the heart of most electrical and electronic equipment in Europe.
In March 2005 the European Lead-Free Soldering Network (ELFNET) teamed up with COST 531, a network of over 60 universities across Europe, to compile information for the database. The SnAgCu alloy family was selected as the first priority based on its use as the predominant lead-free solder in the electronics industry. Thirty different compositions of the alloys are described in the database.
The first version of the lead-free database was launched at the SEMICON Europa 2006 exhibition in Munich in April 2006. A second version will expand the range of the database to include SnAg and SnCu alloys.
To download the free database, visit www.europeanleadfree.net.