Why can’t we just grind components into a powder, then test for RoHS compliance?
Remember, RoHS compliance is based on each “homogeneous material” and not components or devices. If a component or populated circuit board is ground up and tested, restricted substance concentrations in the homogeneous materials are diluted. If a lab grinds up a complex component or entire product, they will not be able to state anything about RoHS compliance, since they will not know which material any restricted substances found come from, or if the restricted substance comes from an exempt application. The grinding equipment often used to grind up components is difficult, if not impossible, to clean. Plastic and low melting elements (e.g., lead) get smeared onto the blades and other surfaces of the equipment. Also, abrasive samples such as populated circuit boards will abrade parts of the equipment such as stainless steel and contaminate the sample with chromium and/or nickel or other elements. For example, let’s say that a circuit board is ground up using the most common techniques
Remember, RoHS compliance is based on each “homogeneous material” and not components or devices. If a component or populated circuit board is ground up and tested, restricted substance concentrations in the homogeneous materials are diluted. If a lab grinds up a complex component or entire product, they will not be able to state anything about RoHS compliance, since they will not know which material any restricted substances found come from, or if the restricted substance comes from an exempt application. The grinding equipment often used to grind up components is difficult, if not impossible, to clean. Plastic and low melting elements (e.g., lead) get smeared onto the blades and other surfaces of the equipment. Also, abrasive samples such as populated circuit boards will abrade parts of the equipment such as stainless steel and contaminate the sample with chromium and/or nickel or other elements.
