Re: Lawyers
> WRITE "DON'T USE LEAD-FREE SOLDER" on the Purchase Order contract!
It does not work that way. The RoHS directives were issued by and required for selling consumer electronics within the European Union. If Apple's products do not meet the RoHS requirements, they cannot be sold within the EU.
> ... Apple made the calculated decision to use the technically inferior lead-free solder.
The RoHS requirements were written by the EU in an assumed well-meaning attempt to reduce the amount of heavy metals being deposited in landfills. Based on my experience in electronics manufacturing, the RoHS directives were disliked by everyone who had to implement them.
Besides the tin whisker problem, lead-free soldering processes have lower manufacturing yield, greater rework difficulty, and greater expense. No manufacturer would choose lead-free over leaded.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
