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RoHS at first stands for Restriction of Hazardous Substances. RoHS compliance testing also known as RoHS directive testing 2002/95/EC has now become a standard procedure for most of the manufacturers, distributors, authorized representatives, recyclers and sellers of electronic equipment or components and electrical substances used or sold in the European Union.

The RoHS compliance testing is important and needed because of some restricted materials which are hazardous to the environment and tends to pollute landfills which are dangerous and harmful in respect of occupational exposure in course of manufacturing and recycling. These hazardous chemicals which are banned in electronic products and electrical under RoHS are

• Lead (Pb)
• Mercury (Mg)
• Cadmium (Cd)
• Hexavalent Chromium (Cr(VI))
• Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB)
• Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE)
• Four different phthalates – DEHP (Bis 2 Ethylhexyl Phthalate), BBP (Benzyl Butyl Phthalate), DBP (Dibutyl Phthalate), DIBP (Disobutyl Phthalate)

RoHS is a product level compliance that depends on the European Union’s Directive 2002/95/EC, for the restriction for the use of some hazardous substances in electronic equipment and electrical. Any business which sells or distributes the applicable EEE products, components, cables or sub-assemblies to EU countries or selling the same to distributors and resellers that in further sell the products to European Union countries, is hit and influenced if the products utilize any of restricted materials.

RoHS 2, established in July 2011 by European Commission, expanded the original RoHS (2002) to cover all electronic components from spare parts to casing and cabling. RoHS 2 needed that EEE manufacturers tend to conduct conformity assessment and then prepare declarations of conformity, affixing CE markings on final products to explain compliance.

RoHS 3 of Directive 2015/863 further adds four restricted substances to the original list cited under REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals). From July 2019, DEHP, DIBP, DBP and BBP which are used in terms of plasticizers to soften plastics are restricted for all electronic equipment.

RoHS compliance testing is important for the companies who wish to sell their electronic equipment in the European Union market, on that account any third party testing agency can ensure the testing of products for the same requirement and are compliant with all the legislation required.

RoHS compliance testing is an important procedure if companies wish to sell any electrical on the European Electronic Area (EEA) and EU markets.

RoHS CE mark is an essential requirement to sell any product; it is illegal to sell any product in the EU market without having this mark.

A RoHS CE mark tends to give regulators and consumers confidence that the product is safe and free of any harm. Compliance testing helps to discover problems and avoid heavy fines and expensive product recalls.

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Tests conducted for compliance with the RoHS requirements are –

• XRF Screening– An expressive man destructive test with the use of an XRF analyzer (x-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy) can be used at every step in the process of manufacturing and inspection to test for the conformation to these directives. This is to be used as a very first step, in the structure of a screening tool. This particular practice has been widely encouraged as a low-cost analysis technique, where results can give an indication that if a particular component or product may represent any potential compliance problem. XRF uses X-Ray to determine levels of alloys and metals within a product. Most common of which is Bromine. This step is recommended by RoHS guidelines, as the first step towards compliance.
• Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectrophotometer (FTIR) discharges infra-red to find out polymers and polymer blends in the product, particularly Bromine in PBDE and PBB form.
• Scanning the Electron Microscopy (SEM/EDX) examine for lead-free solders which are used in joints of products.
• AAS (Atomic Absorbance Spectrophotometer) was used to identify Mercury and lead in the product.
• Wet Chemical Analysis – If so many restricted substances are found at high levels then furthermore tests may be carried out using chemical analysis. This method offers accurate results and also verifies if there are any anomalies found during the process of XRF analysis.

Process Auditing – Complete review of operations, training, data, and quality and procurement systems. Inspecting all of the applicable manufacturing processes used towards RoHS compliance. Audit report and the gap analysis.

• Template Creation for RoHS Due Diligence Documents

• Summary of operations, training, quality and data and procurement systems.
• Declaring material format which provides components due diligence traceability.
• Recommendations and updates related to RoHS.

Sigma provides testing as per guidelines of RoHS regulations for presenting and verification of electronic, composite, electrical, coated and many metallic and non-metallic components. Third-party RoHS/ Directive testing from Sigma ensure compliance to relevant EU RoHS directive.

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