ELCAN MÁLAGA TAKES A LEAD IN LEAD-FREE TECHNOLOGY:

ELCAN Optical Technologies, a unit of Raytheon Network Centric Systems, is a fully integrated firm specializing in the design and manufacture of complex optoelectronic systems and subsystems for the commercial, defense, optical communications and automotive markets. ELCAN's European optoelectronics facility is located on the beautiful Costa del Sol at Málaga, Spain. The Málaga operation was a former Hughes microelectronics facility that Raytheon acquired in 1997. It has a successful history in manufacturing for the automotive and defense industries. Since it has become a part of the ELCAN group the Málaga facility has transformed from a generalized electronic manufacturing facility into an integrated optoelectronics operation, providing high level assembly of subsystems. As a result of this merger, ELCAN has the ability to combine their traditional precision optical capabilities with the electronics expertise in Málaga. ELCAN Málaga is a one-stop shop for design for prototyping and procurement of Circuit Board Assemblies (CCA), precision optoelectronics, RFID and microelectronic components. It has become an extension of the successful ELCAN Midland and ELCAN Richardson facilities, which together can provide a complete optoelectronic solution, aimed at serving the growing European Union markets.

The ELCAN Málaga technologies for Printed Circuit Board (PCB) assembly and microelectronics fabrication include electronic design, prototyping and design for manufacture, high speed SMT (Surface Mount Technology), fine pitch placement, BGA and Flip-Chip, automated insertion, reflow and nitrogen atmosphere wave soldering. Other capabilities include Chip-on-Board, Chip-on-Flex and Multi-Chip modules, as well as automated optical, x-ray, inspection and in circuit testing. Since 2003 ELCAN has evolved from a general factory to a specialized optoelectronic manufacturer. This evolution proves that ELCAN is a progressive leader that has the modernity to anticipate change in the electronics industry.

In February 2003 a directive was adopted requiring all European electronics companies manufacturing industrial and consumer electronic products to discontinue the use of harmful and hazardous materials by July 1st, 2006. The legislation is called "The Restriction of Use of Certain Hazardous Substances" (RoHS) and is a directive of the European Parliament and The Council of the European Union. RoHS ensures that any new large and small household appliances, IT equipment, telecommunications equipment (although infrastructure equipment is exempt in some countries), consumer equipment, lighting equipment (including light bulbs), toys, leisure and sports equipment, automatic dispensers and electrical and electronic equipment put on the market does not contain lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls or polybrominated diphenyl ethers. The RoHS directive applies to these products in the EU whether made within the EU or imported. Companies need to supply a Declaration of Conformity, where they are asked if they used any of the six restricted substances. In early 2006 most companies required their suppliers to comply with RoHS. As of July failure to comply will result in stiff penalties.

The Málaga factory is a highly automated 61,000 square foot electronics manufacturing and assembly operation strategically located in Spain to service ELCAN's European customers.

The most sweeping ban in this legislation is the restricted use of lead-based materials. The lead in alloys and incorporated in components is toxic and can aggregate to dangerous levels as it moves through the food chain to humans. The RoHS directive limits use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment for the protection of human health and to promote environmentally sound recovery and disposal of waste electrical and electronic devices. Leaching of contaminants from solid waste disposal sites is dangerous to both human health and to the environment. Lead is especially hazardous to young children where there is a high risk of developmental damage to the brain and nervous system development.

All age groups are exposed to the increased risk of kidney damage as a result of lead waste seeping into the soil. Soil contaminants can have a significant effect on ecosystems. There are radical soil chemistry changes that can arise from the presence of hazardous chemicals even at a very low concentration. These changes can alter microorganisms living in contaminated soil. The result can be extinctions in the primary food chain, which could have serious harmful consequences for a predator or a human end-user.

The RoHS environmental directive is forcing electronics industries be totally lead-free primarily in consumer goods and in some other high-volume areas. Traditional solder for electronic joints are 60/40 tin/lead. The recipe for the alloy that ELCAN used for soldering was true to this ratio at 63/37:tin/lead. Málaga had to apply a new lead-free process for SMT-Reflow, TH-Wave soldering and manual soldering. Also components specified by the design authority (usually ELCAN's customer) must be free from lead.

ELCAN knew that it would be a strategic advantage to offer proven lead-free products as soon as possible. Going lead free early would allow the ELCAN customers to remain competitive in their own fields. Málaga needed to come up with a new process quickly to comply with the EU directive and to anticipate customer needs long before it became imperative to go lead-free.

The biggest challenge for ELCAN was the higher temperatures required for the alternative alloys to melt when employing the new process. The new alloy SAC 305 is 96.5% tin, 3% silver and 0.5% copper. The new alloy does require higher soldering temperatures. Higher temperatures lead to a change in the materials that could result in something like new P.C.B. substrates. With this new process there is still a concern, for the whole industry, for reliable long-term performance.

The impact on product quality is a major concern for electronics customers. The alternatives to traditional lead solders typically have higher melting points (up to 260C, instead of 215C), requiring different materials for chip packaging and for some circuit boards. If overheating occurs it may affect reliability of semiconductors designed for the older temperatures. The new solders are also harder and can result in the slow development of cracks because of thermal expansion and contraction during operation and that could compromise long-term reliability and device life expectancy.

One of ELCAN's concerns about the move to lead-free soldering is a phenomenon called "tin whiskers". Tin whiskers are a crystalline metallurgical occurrence where metal grows tiny, filiform hairs. The effect is primarily seen on elemental metals but can also occur with alloys. The cause of whisker growth is not understood comprehensively but seems to be encouraged by compressive mechanical stresses that can be thermally induced. Whiskers can cause short circuits and arcing in electrical equipment. (Tin whiskers caused the failure of the Galaxy IV satellite in 1998.) Despite extensive qualification testing of the new process there is no way to be sure that the new process will be as trustworthy as the traditional tin/lead alloy. This concern is hardly urgent for the manufacture of consumer electronics, but vital to the defense industry where electronic product function is often the difference between life and death for soldiers in combat.

There has been some misleading information about possible exemptions from RoHS compliance. The defense industry's Monitoring and Control Instruments and all medical devices (with the exception of implantable and infected products) and medical electronics are not covered by RoHS, so in actual fact, they in no way have to comply with RoHS directives. So military customers do not need to meet RoHS compliance even if the product is marketed for the EU. However most of ELCAN's customers are developing and implementing plans to be RoHS compliant in the short and mid terms. A smart idea because although the defense and medical industries are not currently covered by RoHS the EU is right now examining both these areas of business and will soon make some decisions regarding their use of hazardous substances.

ELCAN Málaga combines optical assemblies together with custom designed electronics for a complete "plug & perform" solution.

What do these changes mean for the defense procurement people? The main concern for the military customer is availability of lead content parts. The defense industry is apprehensive that the EU's switch to lead-free content will impact accessibility to product or a complete discontinuation. There may also be a potential cost increase due to missing economies of scope and scale. The alternative, for the military to convert to lead RoHS compliance, is unlikely at this point because of potential reliability concerns.

While some manufacturers will switch to entirely lead-free processes ELCAN has made the proper capital investment to develop and maintain both the traditional solder and the new lead-free process. Our military consumer will still be able to have electronics manufactured with traditional solder at ELCAN while simultaneously servicing those clients following the RoHS directive.

ELCAN is a company that designs for manufacturability. Each customer and each product will require a specific design and manufacture approach. The strength of ELCAN is its ability to assess and create with each customer and individual program and process. ELCAN has the ability to adapt new technologies while retaining proven processes to offer the best for a vast client base. ELCAN is a perfectly set-up to address and anticipate the design and manufacturing needs of any and all optoelectronics customers.

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