Quote:
Originally Posted by Tweety
It will never, ever be as black & white as you make it out jfitzpat... You are dead wrong on numerous counts... That's a fact... Not open for dicussion... Swallow it and move on...
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In case you are actually interested in physics, as opposed to simply trying to make an emotional appeal, you need to look at the thermodynamics more closely.
The irons did not really get any hotter, nor did assembly times. What happened was that folks generally use thinner solder and cleaner tips. Component stress is largely dependant on contact time.
If the contact time is unchanged, then there is no significant change in thermal stress to the part proper. Also, the melting point isn't the only property that is different in the alloys. They don't thermally conduct as well. So heat doesn't travel up the pin as well.
We don't have to speculate, we can look at reality. Products built for international sale are already largely lead free. In statistical quality control, we are not seeing upticks in component failure.
As for the "Poor" guy:
The reality is that the 'poor' guy has been buying lead free in CA for years, and we have no evidence that he is less proficient at assembly than any other state's consumers. Further, since CA is a big market, kitting often includes lead free solder in products sold nationally.
Now, we could make the hypothesis that Californians are simply smarter and more deft than the rest the nation, but one look at our state government would pretty much disprove it. And, of course, non CA consumers are using those same little packets of lead free solder.
And, in terms of civility:
Interesting that MY remark seems unsuitable, but the one it is in response to is not. For what it is worth, one modern reality is that realllllly cheap labor is used in electronic assembly. Generally, we are talking children and young women. The two groups most at risk from heavy metal poisoning.
I have had first hand experience with such groups, and seen their blood work and developmental test scores. Anyone who makes light of that form of modern child abuse (and heavy metal poisoning from manufacturing is still rampant in workers in several parts of the world), or who makes light of the horrific suffering that these lead products have put on workers for most of the industrial age, is not going to get my polite response. Once you've watched those children cough and spasm, it's really personal.
Similarly, I will not find the argument 'But I would have to practice for an hour and actually learn how to solder!' very compelling. I recently taught a group of 7th and 8th graders all how to solder for a workshop on, oddly enough, physics (we built a fairly interesting experiment using air cooled yag lasers). We're in CA, and they all mastered it in about an hour. If we'd had leaded solder, the only difference would have been that they would have made their first, bad, solder joints faster.
I'll give you all the last words...
-jjf