RoHS Compliancy in the Medical Equipment Supply Chain by 2014

© Copyright Rochester Electronics

Page 3

February 2013

finish for lead can become highly susceptible to growing "tin whiskers.” As a result, any whiskers that form can

short the device and cause the device to fail.

What it means to be RoHS Compliant from a supplier point-of-view

From a competitive standpoint, remaining compliant can save a company a lot of time and hassle, which can

ultimately maximize efficiency throughout the supply chain. In addition to increased efficiencies, compliance

benefits also include reduction in administration costs and total costs, accelerated time to market, a decrease in

supply chain risks (receiving non-RoHS devices), and an overall improvement in supplier performance and

customer collaboration. It is vital that medical companies establish relationships with compliant manufacturers

and authorized distributors to help alleviate any potential threats that would close down a smooth-running

production line and overall operation. While these points all remain true, it is also important to realize that the

ROHS Compliant Initiative will restrict companies from shipping to Europe for as long as they remain non-

compliant. Threats of non-RoHS compliant devices linger within the supply chain, along with substandard RoHS

devices that are not from the original manufacture.

Relying on an authorized source during the transition from exemption-to-RoHS will help medical companies get

their customers the devices and materials they need as soon as possible, with the confidence that the devices

are in-fact compliant, and functioning properly. There are life-critical applications in the medical industry, and it

is essential that the procurement of compliant devices is taken seriously.

How Rochester can help with RoHS and non-RoHS component requirements

Based on the new requirements, medical OEMs may find themselves in a situation where specific devices have

gone obsolete, and as a result, could end up with costly re-design charges. Rochester Electronics and other

leading companies in the electronics industry are trust-worthy, authorized sources of semiconductors and have

been for decades, supporting industries such as aerospace, defense, telecommunications, as well as medical.

With billions of factory-direct devices in stock, including those which are RoHS compliant, Rochester has been

able to provide the devices needed as they are needed, for more than 30 years.

In addition, Rochester Electronics’ ever expanding manufacturing services include the continued manufacture of

finished devices from billions of original OCM die, carefully stored in the largest on-site die bank in the world.

Rochester has full authorization from the original component manufacturers to build the necessary component

that would allow for continued, uninterrupted production at equipment manufacturers. Through the acquisition

of OCM intellectual property, Rochester Electronics has the ability to package product in its required package

type, even if that package was never offered in the past. To the medical industry’s imminent requirements, this

includes RoHS and lead-free packaging as well.