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Chris Gutierrez

Chris Gutierrez
Chris is Compliance Manager for Venkel and oversees RoHS, REACH, Conflict Minerals and other Environmental and Social Responsibility initiatives. Chris enjoys learning and educating others about Compliance issues in the electronics industry.
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RoHS Regulations Extend to Medical and other Applications

Posted by Chris Gutierrez on August 13, 2014

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For those of you who are in the field of Medical applications, have you heard that RoHS has extended the scope to cover 8 medical devices along with 9 monitoring and control instrumentations? If you didn’t know, pay close attention because this is for you. If you did know, then congratulations!  You probably have everything under control and things are sailing smooth for you, or we hope things are going smooth for you!

As of July 22, 2014 the Restriction of the use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) , was extended to Medical and Monitoring and control instruments. These devices were not previously required to comply with RoHS guidelines according to EU directive 2011/65/EU.

With this extension of RoHS now covering these medical devices it means that going forward you must comply with the regulations set by the EU. This could be a stressful time for those who may have delayed the process of adding suppliers to their AVL. If you were proactive as I mentioned above, as I assume all of you reading this were, then you’re standing in pretty good shape. If you are reactive then my friends you might not be having a great time right now. As compliance people it can be very difficult some times to stay up with all the changing regulations and guide lines.  I guess it’s the cost of trying to make the world a better place to live. It’s my opinion that the more and more electronics continue to be a bigger part of our lives the more the scopes of RoHS and other environmental compliance regulations will change and broaden.

Here is a list of the devices now included in abiding by all RoHS regulations.

  • Smoke detectors
  • Heating regulators
  • Cardiology
  • Thermostats
  • Measuring, weighing appliances for household or laboratory equipment
  • Other monitoring and control instruments used in industrial installations
  • Radiotherapy equipment
  • Dialysis
  • Pulmonary ventilators
  • Nuclear medicine
  • Analyzers
  • Freezers
  • Fertilizations tests
  • Appliances for detecting, preventing monitoring, treating alleviating illnesses, injury or disability
  • Laboratory equipment for in-vitro diagnosis (although this extension does not currently apply to in-vitro diagnostic devices until July 22, 2016)

If you manufacture any of these devices, take a look at our line-up of surface mount components. All Venkel products are fully compliant with current RoHS2 guidelines.

 

Tags: RoHS

Thick Film vs. Thin Film Resistors

Posted by Chris Gutierrez on July 24, 2014

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What’s the difference between Thin Film Resistors and Thick Film?

When looking at these two types of resistors side by side, they may appear to be similar. The main differences of these two products are the construction, thickness, and application usage of the resistive element itself (hence the descriptions of “thick” and “thin” film resistors). Thick film resistive elements are typically 10 ~ 50 uM in thickness, while thin films are 10 to 200 nM in thickness.  Thick films are applied using a very simple screening process while thin films use a much more sophisticated vacuum process technique that applies the element on a molecular level. Let’s take a look this in detail.

1. Construction

The base material of a thick film resistor element is a Ruthenium Oxide (RuO₂) paste that is screened onto a ceramic substrate.  After this process, the thick film resistors are then fired causing these layers to become glass-like which helps protect the resistive film and makes them less susceptible to failures due to the infiltration of moisture and other contaminants.  Thick film resistor processes can be referred to as an additive process; this means that it consists of layers (resistive element, protective coating, and electroplated terminations) added to the substrate. The thin film resistor element consists of a combination of nickel and chromium (also known as Nichrome) that is applied to a ceramic substrate using a high-voltage, vacuum sputtering process.  A serpentine pattern is then etched into the Ni/Cr element using a photolithographic process. An epoxy layer is screened onto the element to protect it from moisture and other contaminants. This thin film process can be referred to as a subtractive process, meaning unwanted material being etched away in the photo etching process.

2. Thickness
Both thick film and thin film resistors are laser trimmed to their final resistance value. But in general, thin films overall thickness is literally thinner because of the subtractive process. Keep in mind that thick and thin film resistors are also application specific. That is, the application and circuit design will determine what type of resistor is utilized. Thick film resistors are ideal for low cost, economical applications and are also better suited for higher power and high ohmic value requirements. Thin film resistors, on the other hand, offer tighter tolerances for precision applications.

3. Applications
Thin Film v. Thick Film Resistors

Tags: Thin Film, Thick Film, Resistor

Counterfeit Electronic Components

Posted by Chris Gutierrez on July 17, 2014

counterfeit

One of the concerns around the electronics industry that has grown throughout the years is, Counterfeit Electronic Components. This has become an issue because parts can appear to have a legitimate label from a known manufacture of electronic components and pass an initial inspection. You could in fact have a counterfeit component without knowing it. If you take a closer look you can see some differences of actual manufactured parts and counterfeited parts. Also, one other thing that has made it harder to detect is that legitimate manufactures can also produce counterfeit components. Which is why this has become a global epidemic.

How some legitimate manufacturers are counterfeiting

Manufacturers can have illegal shifts operating at the manufacturing plants. Meaning manufacturers can have an after-hours shift that use sub-standard materials and then be processed by unqualified technicians and engineers. When this occurs the sub-standard parts can be sold at a cheaper price because they used sub-standard materials and quality control. This can lead to all kinds of problems. During incoming inspection one cannot observe if they have received a cheaper or sub-standard material component.

If it can’t be identified as a counterfeit part at incoming inspection, then the parts are deemed good and allowed to go into the production process. The part may not fail during functional testing of the final product but parts could have a much reduced life expectancy than a genuine non counterfeit part. If this occurs it can lead to parts failing in the field generating much higher costs for analysis and rework, leaving headaches for everyone.

Other areas where problems can occur are during the reflow and mounting of the components. Counterfeit parts might display inferior wetting characteristics leading to soldering issues or they may fail electrically affecting other components around them.  

As a manufacturer it is hard to know if your parts are being counterfeited and sold in the industry. When counterfeit components began to become an issue Venkel implemented a way to help limit the effects of counterfeit components being passed off as Venkel product.

What is Venkel doing you ask?

Venkel generated a watermark on our label to help customers identify if a product is genuine Venkel product. This was implemented in late 2013. All Venkel products manufactured from that time forward should and will contain a watermark label.  

To learn more about how counterfeit components have affected the electronics industry, have a look at our Counterfeit Components Infographic. Topics covered:

  • Applications where counterfeit components can be found
  • Why are they a problem?
  • Top commonly counterfeited parts
  • How parts are counterfeited
  • How legitimate manufactures counterfeit
  • Top counterfeit markets
  • Avoidance strategies

Tags: venkel, components

E-Waste

Posted by Chris Gutierrez on July 11, 2014

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We all love our electronic devices from smart phones, tablets, laptops and Ipods. Not to mention the new cutting edge technology of the smart watches. Whether we love these devices or they rack our brains trying to figure out how to work them, they are vital to our work. They help us stay up-to-date with current world news and also help organize our days. However you feel about them there is no turning back now. The future is going to involve them.  If you use these for work or just for personal use it is a luxury to have this type of technology at our finger tips.

Although these little devices help us and somewhat make our lives easier (depends who you are talking to), they do have an effect on the world we live in. 

Come Again?!

Yes they have an effect in the world you and I both live in. E-waste has become an issue that could get out of control if we don’t get a handle on it. With companies not properly recycling the electronic devices, it’s leading to issues that will soon have an effect on how we live in the future.

What effects am I talking about?

I came across this infographic created by Vangel Inc. using figures form 2013 titled “The State of E-Scrap”. Here are some topics this infographic covers:

  • What percentage of electronics is actually being recycled
  • Minerals that can be recovered by recycling cell phones
  • Countries that are shipped recycled electronics

This infographic grabbed my attention, to know that only 25% of households electronics are recycled. That is crazy. Not to mention the average American replaces their cell phones at least every 22 months.

If you want to learn more about this topic view the infographic below and I hope this can help shine some light on how e-waste could become a problem if we don’t come up with a solution.

Comment on the issue or even how you think things could improve.

The State of E-Scrap
 

Tags: recycling, technology

Compliant or not Compliant? That is the Question

Posted by Chris Gutierrez on June 18, 2014

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When it comes to being RoHS2 compliant (also known as RoHS Recast) many people want to know if their company is compliant. The question is do we really know what "compliant" means? When RoHS was first introduced to the electronics industry back in 2003 there were exemptions that could be used and certain applications didn’t have to comply with RoHS directives set by the EU. If you don’t know RoHS currently, you will be surprised to learn things have certainly changed. Whether we agree or disagree on being compliant, it’s time to confirm our compliance status.

What are you getting at?

Since 2010 several changes have been made to RoHS. We all know this now as RoHS2 or RoHS Recast. When RoHS2 went into effect, certain applications that were exempt by RoHS regulations and directives in 2003 are now required to comply with the 2010 directives. That meant a lot of part number changes for OEMs and CM’s. Not to mention electronic component manufactures had to change certain exemptions. For example: For lead in the ceramic of the resistive element in 2003 we used exemption No. 5. The new exemption is 7c-I per the Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament. This too will change very soon if extensions are not filed for the use of lead in electronic components. The exemption is currently set to expire in July, 2016.

We have started to see an increase in requests from manufactures requesting a plan of action for fully compliant parts.

Fully compliant?

I will take a little time to help clarify what the difference between being "fully compliant" and "compliant" with RoHS is.

Venkel is currently compliant with RoHS directives. We do however; claim an exemption for our Thick Film Resistor products. Our other products such as Capacitors, Inductors, Ferrite Beads and Thin Film Resistor products are fully compliant.

Fully compliant means products do not need an exemption in order to comply with RoHS directives and regulations.

So when you're asked if your company is fully compliant with RoHS or if you have a timeline for full compliance, what they are really asking is when will you not need to claim an exemption for your parts that currently claim an exemption. In most cases it’s the use of lead in products that's the issue, specifically lead found in the ceramic glass of the resistive layer. If lead is still needed you can still comply by being under the allowable threshold of 1000pm or 0.1%.

What this means for the industry

Currently we are in the early stages of knowing if extensions will be granted or if we will have to be fully compliant. With this uncertainty, manufacturers are preparing for having to be fully compliant. This means cost will go up, lead times may increase and part number changes will be inevitable. This is going to be a nightmare for those that are not getting a head start and requesting information on fully compliant products. You might be telling yourself that going to fully complaint parts will not happen in 2016, and while that may be true, it doesn't mean it won’t happen eventually.

There is one thing that we have to keep in mind. These regulations were put in place to create a safer and healthier environment. Just because it doesn't get passed in 2016, just means people need a little more time to make the transition. Some factors might be cost, as well as other changes that are going to come with this transition.

What is Venkel doing?

Venkel is in the final stages of having a fully compliant Thick Film Resistor that is equivalent to our General Purpose Thick Film Resistors. Our official target date for our data sheets to be ready is September 1, 2014. At that time you will also be able to get samples. Production quantities will be available starting October 1, 2014.

If you’re in the process of becoming fully RoHS compliant I wish you the best in the endeavor, we're here to help in any way we can. Rest assured, we are all in the same boat. The cause is a good one though: trying to make the world a safer and healthier place to live for the next generation. 

(Stay tuned for RoHS 2 resources, including an infographic and cheat sheet coming soon.)



Tags: compliant, RoHS, RoHS2

Conflict Minerals Infographic Refresh

Posted by Chris Gutierrez on June 12, 2014

 

The Conflict Minerals issue has been around for a few years now, but only recently has it become something that more people are taking notice of. The ambitious Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act was signed into law in 2010 and brought considerable attention to this sensitive subject. For those who may want an overview of the issue, Venkel Ltd. has developed an infographic that illustrates the Conflict Minerals issue.

This infographic briefly defines what a conflict mineral is and follows up with a map that shows worldwide production of each mineral. We have also included a graphical representation of the estimated amount of funds that are going to the armed conflict within the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Below this is a list of the major players involved in the trade of these minerals. We closed out the infographic with several human rights groups that have more information on the subject. We hope that you find this an informative resource. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or suggestions related to this infographic.

Conflict Minerals continue to be a topic of discussion leaving us wanting to learn more. Not to mention, the laws that are now in effect for the electronics industry.

Which brings me to the question; do you really know the affects these minerals have on The Democratic Republic of the Congo?

In our newly redesigned infographic we show you these details in a creative format.

Let’s Rewind  

In 2011 Venkel released our "Conflict Minerals 3TG" infographic. You may have seen this in numerous places on the web or even in a training session or webinar on the topic.

The infographic is based on information from 2009 data made available by the USGS. Since then much has changed. Not just the amount of money funding the war in the DRC but also the top 5 producers of conflict minerals Tin, Tungsten, Tantalum and Gold also known as 3TG.

Fast Forward to the Present

Venkel recently released a 2014 refresh of the infographic, using 2011 USGS data.

Although some parts may look similar to the 2011 infographic, the data has changed in many ways. We will take a look at changes you would see from the 2011 vs 2014 infographic.

 2011  2014
     

DRC Mining Production in 2011 vs. 2014 (Metric Tons)
  Tungsten   Tantalum   Tin   Gold
  2011 2014     2011   2014   2011 2014    2011 2014  
  170   30   87   95   9,400   2,900   2   3.5

As you can see in the table above, the amount being mined in the DRC for Tungsten and Tin has decreased. However, Tantalum and Gold have steadily increased over time. Whether production has decreased or increased, money is still helping fund the war in the DRC. You will see in the next section just how much money is funding the war.  

Money Funding the War in 2011 vs. 2014
Tungsten Tantalum Tin Gold
2011 2014 2011 2014 2011 2014 2011 2014
$2.6M $840K $3.8M $19M $80M $60.3M  $34.5M  $106M 

The most shocking result is the amount of money Gold is funding. Gold is a big and significant part of the funds for the war in the DRC. From 2011 to 2014 the Gold funding the war has dramatically increased over 2 times the amount in 2011.  Though Tin and Tungsten have decreased over time, with Gold still being an issue it is the number 1 mineral helping fund the war as you can see.

Our new infographic can be used as a training tool helping others see the importance of this topic and the severity of trying to get a handle on the supply chains of the manufacturers of products that use either of these minerals. With the increase in demand of electronic components/devices this has made it harder to trace the actual source of these minerals. It is very important that you get with your manufactures and request smelter information to help ensure that products being sold to you are conflict-free so that together we can help slow down this epidemic.

View the updated 3TG Conflict Minerals Infographic and don't forget to sign up for email alerts that will notify you when we release updated conflict minerals content.

We may not make a huge impact right away, but together we can start to help make a change.

Please see our Conflict Minerals compliance page for information on Conflict Minerals and our products.

 Blogs de Datasheet images for Resource Center (2)

Tags: tantalum capacitors, tantalums

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