PCB |
Lead-free production will increase PCB costs
Stuart Gorman at Printed Systems says to Electronicsweekly.com that switching to lead-free processes in PCB production will add around ten percent to the production costs.
The cost for the company´s new wave solder machine was around £20,000 despite that the machine, a Blundell CMS400, is a second hand alternative. The increasing costs is mainly related to consumables used in the process. "Solder paste is going to be three times more expensive", "and it's the same across the board for other consumables", said Gorman to Electronicsweekly.com.
Printed Systems is currently using a gold-over-nickel finish on its lead-free boards but is looking at other cheaper alternatives such as OSP(Organic Solderbility Preservatives).
