Conformity Magazine - June 2008 - (Page 20)

Losing sales to compliant competitors, or being seen as environmentally unfriendly by customers, will affect manufacturers’ bottom lines. EDX spectrometry is the best way to test products for compliance. It can be used for easy, rapid screening of the various substances that are environmentally regulated under RoHS and the end-of-life vehicles (ELV) directives. The RoHS Directive established that EU member states must guarantee that new electrical and electronic equipment being marketed contains no lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls or polybrominated diphenylethers. Applicable product categories include large and small household appliances; IT, telecommunications, consumer and lighting equipment; electrical and electronic tools; toys, leisure and sports equipment; automatic dispensers; and light bulbs or other household luminaries. In order to prevent the generation of waste from automobiles and to promote the reduction of waste through the reuse or recycling of end-of-life vehicles or their parts, the ELV Directive ensures that automobile materials or parts marketed in member states after July 2003 do not contain lead, mercury, cadmium or hexavalent chromium. Proper testing provides objective, quantitative data showing that the materials, components or products in question either do or do not contain levels of restricted substances above the regulatory limits. Analytical instruments such as EDX and the specific techniques/methods used (when followed properly) can assure manufacturers that their products, and their business, will not be affected by ever-changing regulations. If nothing else, testing and appropriate record keeping ensure that due diligence was followed. Applications In Figure 5, a metallic part of a toy is analyzed for lead. The lead peak is highlighted for emphasis. The peak is integrated and compared to a calibration curve to quantify the amount of lead, and in this case, the level of lead is 328 ppm, well below the regulation. In another report, the sensitivity and repeatability of hazardous elements are determined by an EDX fluorescence spectrometer using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin plastic material, which is used as electrical cable covering or chassis. PVC samples included chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), bromine (Br) and cadmium (Cd). The concentration value is calibrated by EDX (Figure 6), and the measurement conditions of each element are optimized. The calculation of LLD is formulated (Equation 1), with results shown in Figure 7. The LLD represent the ability of differentiating a signal from the background. The LLD listed here are 50 to 1000 times below the regulated allowable amount (Figure 8) demonstrates the calibration curve of each element. Equation 1 Analytical conditions for the PVC test are as follows: • Instrument: Shimadzu’s EDX-720 • X-ray Tube: Rh target • Atmosphere: Air • Measurement Diameter: 10 mmφ Figure 5 Concentration Cr 0 50 100 300 600 1200 Hg 0 50 100 1200 600 300 Pb 0 50 100 300 600 1200 Br 0 1200 600 300 100 50 Cd 0 25 50 75 100 300 • Measurement Time: 300 sec. • Dead Time: 40 percent • Filter: Al (for Cr), New Filter No.1 (for Hg, Pb, and Br), New Filter No.2 (for Cd) (Auto) μA except for Cr; Cr : 30 kV – (Auto) μA Sample No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 No. 4 No. 5 No. 6 Figure 6 20 Conformity • Voltage – Current: Current: 0 kV - JUnE 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Conformity - June 2008

Conformity - June 2008 Contents Editor's Note 700 MHz Auction Raises a Record $20 Billion FCC Modifies PCS and AWS Power Limit Rules for Broadband Wireless Commission Designates Spectrum Test Bed FCC Releases Report on Wireless Competition Commission Proposes $5 Million Fine for Slamming Using EDX for Non-Destructive Detection of Lead in Consumer Products ESD Open Forum Challenges in Testing - Improving Election Security and Accuracy Part 1 Challenges in Testing - Human Body Model: The Hidden Challenges High-Speed Signal Integrity Considerations for ESD Components Focus On...EMC Components Buyer's Guide FCC Levies $2.6 Million Fine for Junk Faxes FDA Updates Guidance on its Product Review Process EU Issues Updated Energy Star Regulations EU Repeals Directive on Veterinary Electro-Medical Equipment New Product Announcements Updated Standards List for the EU's PPE Directive CPSC Announces New Effort to Keep Out Hazardous Products CPSC Actions in the News IEC Standards Update UL Standards Update Product Reviews Telcordia Standards Update From Our "You Can't Make This Stuff Up" Department Looking Back: Items from Past Issues of Conformity Advertisers

Conformity - June 2008

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