Are there going to be any increased costs in moving to lead-free soldering?
A33. Yes, but they are not likely to be great and many will be of a one-off nature. Initial costs may include new equipment purchase (where necessary), existing equipment modification (for higher temperatures, inerting etc), implementing new inspection procedures, training and stock control. On-going costs may include those associated with tighter process control and increased power consumption from higher temperature soldering. The increase in materials costs will be greater for wave alloy than for solder paste, but costs may come down over time and volumes of LF materials go up. However, recycling and/or disposal costs are unknown, although there is likely to be a marketing advantage for “green” product.
