In recent years, efforts to develop alternatives to lead-bearing alloys used in the electronics assembly have increased significantly. These efforts had begun as a response to the international legislation banning or restricting the intentional use of lead (Pb) in electrical and electronic devices. In the European Community, the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directives will become effective on July 1, 2006.

These legislations could represent to Original Electronic Manufacturers (OEMs) and Electronic Manufacturers Service (EMS) providers a barrier for international commercialization if a lead-free manufacturing process is not developed, qualified and implemented in a timely manner. The microelectronic industry faces a great challenge migrating their products to become lead-free compatible.

To successfully achieve lead-free electronics assembly, each participant in the manufacturing process, from purchasing to engineering to maintenance to quality, must have a solid understanding of the changes required of them. This seminar will cover the challenges and solutions in the implementation of a successful Pb-elimination program.

Ernesto Ferrer is a research and development engineer in the Hewlett Packard Technology Center at the Hewlett-Packard Puerto Rico Site. He received his BSME from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus in 1996. After graduating from the University, Ernesto joined Hewlett-Packard Puerto Rico Manufacturing Operation in Aguadilla, PR, where he started as a process engineer for major process areas as paste printing, reflow soldering and wave soldering. In 2000, Ernesto joined the process development engineering group, where he started as a process R&D engineer for the Hewlett-Packard Technology Center in PRMO. His work on lead-free technology has been presented in many internal and external forums, and is considered an expert/consultant of electronic soldering for HP worldwide.

Eddie N. Hernández-Sosa is the Manufacturing Lead-Free Program Manager at the Hewlett-Packard Technology Center in Puerto Rico. Currently he is responsible for the development and implementation of lead-free manufacturing processes for new packaging technologies and high complexity electronic assemblies. He has more than twelve years of experience in the area of soldering technologies and its applications. He holds a M.S. degree in Engineering Management from the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico and a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico.