SGS WIRELESS EUROPE AND US OPEN!

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1 E L E C T R I C A L & E L E C T R O N I C S No. 2/2006 NEWSLETTER INTO NEWS CHINA TAKES ROHS ONE STEP FURR THAN EU The requirements of the RoHS legislation in China are stricter and are based on a different principle than the self-declaration concept in the EU. (Page 10) NEW AN MEASURING INSTRUMENTS DIRECTIVE (MID) On 30 October MID 2004/22/EC came into force. This means that measuring instruments must offer high level metrological protection so that consumers can rely on the data they generate. (Page 9) SGS WIRELESS AND US OPEN! SGS becomes the North American leader in CDMA testing by acquiring Wireless Test Systems Inc. and reinforces its market position in Europe by purchasing former 7 Layers UK. SGS reveals more engagement in the field of WIRE- LESS TESTING. SGS is aware of the increasing needs of mobile communications device manufacturers for professional comprehensive consulting and testing services worldwide. With the opening of SGS Wireless Europe and SGS Wireless facilities in US companies can have their devices tested and certified. (Page 3) KOREA-CHANGES IN ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE SAFETY CERTIFICATION RULES The Korean EASC Act (Electrical Appliance Safety Certification Act) has broadened its scope. (Page 8) HIGHER DATA TRANSFER SPEEDS WITH HSDPA DOES YOUR PRODUCT USE LITHIUM ION BATTERIES? Then you should be concerned about the safety and reliability of your products. (Page 6) The High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) allows UMTS networks and terminals to transfer data at speeds of up to 14Mb/s. Even though 3G headsets have yet to enjoy worldwide popularity, the carrier technology has already surged ahead to what many in the industry have dubbed 3.5G. The upgrade to HSDPA channels is relatively smooth and does not involve high implementation costs for operators. According to the Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) there are already 65 commercial HSDPA net- works operating in 39 countries and territories, on five continents. Currently a High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) protocol is being developed. It will provide extremely high upload speeds of up to 5.76 Mb/s, complementing the great downlink rate of HSDPA. (Page 4)

2 NO. 2/2006 EDITORIAL Dear Reader, After the success of our first issue of INTRO we are pleased to present you with our second publication. In the future we would be glad to provide you with our INTRO quarterly, free of charge. You can subscribe on page 14. WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS less telecommunication now includes the labs in: China, the EU, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and the US. OUR RANGE OF SERVICES Consistent with the complexity of wireless communication products we offer our clients: In this issue you get the heads-up on our main story about our merger of two new laboratories for wireless testing and certification. We are proud to expand our network with further facilities in the US and in Europe (UK). On pages 3 and 4 you can find out how our global wireless network could support you. We will also keep you updated about all our business topics on our broad website: Several brochures await your download or if you contact us we will be glad to send you our material in hardcopy or by . Enjoy our second issue, we would appreciate your suggestions and we will answer any questions you may have. David Chu Global Business Director CTS Electrical & Electronics TABLE OF CONTENTS WIRELESS Higher data transfer speeds with HSDPA...4 SAFETY Changes in EASC rules - Korea...5 Does your product use lithium ion batteries?...6 New photometrics capability...6 New electrical EU standards on medical devices...7 Using resources the right way Efficiency Testing...7 EMC SGSs first commercial 10 m long semi-anechoic chamber...8 New European Measuring Instruments Directive (MID)...9 Holger Busch TABLE OF CONTENTS Director Europe & Middle East EDITORIAL CTS Electrical & Electronics ROHS & WEEE China takes RoHS one step further than the EU...10 Looking for assistance in WEEE Registration?...11 Hazardous Substances beyond RoHS...12 MICROELECTRONICS Solutions for the semiconductor industry's analytical needs...13 INSPECTION Chinas OEMs: Are the fruitful years over?...14 SERVICES Subscription Form...14 Trade Fairs...15 Get in contact...16 Disclaimer: 2006 SGS SA. All rights reserved. This newsletter is a publication of SGS SA. It is intended to provide general information on a particular subject or subjects and is not an exhaustive treatment of such subject(s). Accordingly, the information in this newsletter is not intended to constitute consulting or other professional advice or services. This newsletter is provided as is and SGS SA does not warrant that the information contained therein will be error-free or will meet any particular criteria of performance or quality. SGS SA expressly disclaims all implied warranties including, without limitation, warranties of merchantability, title, fitness for a particular purpose, noninfringement, security and accuracy. The information may not be quoted or referred to in any other publication or proceeding without the prior written consent of SGS SA. Imprint: Masthead 2/2006, October 2006 Editor: SGS SA, Electrical & Electronics, Dipl. Ing. Silke Hilmer (Global Marketing Manager for CTS Electrical & Electronics) t , f , silke.hilmer@sgs.com Continued from Page 1 SGS WIRELESS AND US OPEN! SGS becomes the North American Leader in CDMA testing by acquiring Wireless Test Systems Inc. and reinforces its market position in Europe by purchasing former 7 Layers UK. With the presence of SGS on the European and US market the players in the mobile communications industry gain considerable advantages in terms of time and cost. The cornerstone making this possible is the comprehensive experience that SGS Wireless EU laboratories has already built up in the UK when operating as the former 7 Layers UK facility. In the same way SGS Wireless services in the US rely on the very experienced and knowledgeable staff of the prestigious Wireless Test. The equipment of SGS in both these new labs is World Class. In the UK highly qualified engineers, who are specialists in the GCF and PTCRB programmes, are contributing their knowhow to the market. In the US we can now provide automated test solutions and compliance test services for the wireless industry. These subsidiaries will be managed by their established management teams. SGS WIRELESS COMPETENCE CENTRES WORLDWIDE After building up 4 competence centres for wireless telecommunications in Asia, SGS Electrical & Electronics are expanding their network with further capability in the EU and in the US. The transaction to acquire SGS Wireless EU was completed in mid September and the acquisition of WTS at the end of October. SGS customers will benefit from such a network of test and service centres. All these centres are operating to the same high level of quality. Our highly experienced international teams are located in different time zones and are available 24 hours per day. With this backbone they are well positioned as an experienced independent engineering consulting partner. This facilitates a service which is time and cost efficient for our clients. Our highly skilled project managers will package the necessary services for our clients and manage these to add overall value to the work we perform for you. With this recent addition SGSs network of competence centres for wire- RF & Protocol Conformance Testing & EU R&TTE test Services GSM/GPRS/EDGE/AMR/UMTS Testing Bluetooth Qualification Testing Wi-Fi Testing Environment Reliability Testing Validation Service Field Trials Testing SAR Testing Consultancy Services & Client Services CDMA/EVDO Testing Safety & EMC Testing International certification schemes CONTACTS WIRELESS CHINA ee.shanghai@sgs.com t f ee.uk@sgs.com t f JAPAN ee.japan@sgs.com t f KOREA ee.korea@sgs.com t f TAIWAN t ext f NORTH t ext. 240 f PAGE 2 SGS+ 1/2006 SGS+ 2/2006 PAGE 3

3 WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS Continued from Page 1 HIGHER DATA TRANSFER SPEEDS WITH HSDPA HSDPA is now operational in countries as diverse as the USA, South Korea, France, Bahrain, the UK and Australia, currently supporting downloading at up to 3.6 Mb/s, with improvements to Mb/s in the near future. NEWSFLASH NEW QUALIFICATION PROGRAMME FOR BLUETOOTH TECHNOLOGY The Bluetooth SIG (Special Interest Group) has recently launched an updated Qualification Programme for member products designed with Bluetooth wireless technology. This enhanced application provides better interoperability among devices, verifies conformity to Bluetooth specifications, and strengthens the Bluetooth SIG's ability to enforce compliance. The new programme allows a better development of Bluetooth devices by automating many of the processes, and increasing consistency, meanwhile reducing time and cost of the qualification process.until February 2007 products can be qualified both through PRD 1.0 or PRD 2.0, but after that all members will have to qualify to PRD 2.0. The high transfer speeds HSDPA offers are possible thanks to the addition of a special W-CDMA channel, known as the High-Speed Downlink Shared Channel (HS-DSCH), to the 3G specifications. As a result CDMA operators are now migrating to GSM/WCDMA and several laptop manufacturers are now selling machines with an embedded module or HSDPA chipset built right in. HSDPA-enabled PCMCIA data cards enable the functionality to be easily added to products with a PC Card slot. Therefore HSDPA is fulfilling a similar role to Mobile WiMAX (IEEE e), especially for those common applications that would not actually benefit from the slightly higher download rate that Mobile WiMAX can potentially deliver. VARIOUS APPLICATIONS FOR HSDPA. HSDPA is not only about data rates. For certain time-critical applications, the reduction in latency, meaning a shorter round trip time, is the key selling point. It opens the field for interactive, multiplayer, multimedia gaming without compromising on the pace of the action. Mobile gaming is about to leap to the next level on the back of this technology. HSDPA GOES FURR What comes after 3.5G? 3.75G of course! This will duce High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) which is a protocol that will provide extremely high upload speeds of up to 5.76 Mb/s, complementing the great downlink rate of HSDPA. HSDPA TESTING BY SGS SGS Wireless laboratories are engaged in testing the new HSDPA-enabled terminals for the GCF and PTCRB certification programmes. Laurence Richardson, Managing Director SGS Wireless Europe laurence.richardson@sgs.com t f CONTACTS WIRELESS CHINA ee.shanghai@sgs.com t f ee.uk@sgs.com t f JAPAN ee.japan@sgs.com t f KOREA ee.korea@sgs.com t f TAIWAN t ext f NORTH t ext. 240 f SAFETY KOREA - CHANGES IN ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE SAFETY CERTIFICATION RULES The Korean EASC Act (Electrical Appliance Safety Certification Act) has broadened its scope. The Act has been subject to several changes: 15 new products on the list of electric appliances safety certification, implemented starting March safety inspection methods duced for imported second hand electric appliances the possibility of exemption from inspection if the results of routine and on the market inspections of a product have been in conformity with the standard in the two previous years. This new upgrade to the Electrical Appliances Safety Control Act will enable Certification Bodies to order local authorities to dispose of or to remove from the market all electrical appliances that have not been certified or inspected. Furthermore details are given on how safety certifications can be cancelled. REGULATIONS APPLY TO SEVERAL MAIN PRODUCT CATEGORIES. Cables & Cords Switches for Electrical Appliances (EA) Capacitors or Filters as components for power supply units Installation Accessories & Connection Devices Installation Protective equipment Safety Transformers or similar equipment Household & similar EA Motor Tools Audio/Video and Similar EA IT and Office Appliances Lightings SGS HAS MEANS TO ENSURE E&E PRODUCTS MEET SAFETY AND QUALITY STANDARDS. The SGS E&E laboratory testing facilities can conduct a full range of tests for electrical appliances, IT electronics and wireless products. SGS can assist manufacturers in meeting many international safety and quality requirements. NEWSFLASH 25TH ANNIVERSARY FOR SGS FI MARK One of SGS s most prestigious certification marks has reached 25 years of electrical equipment testing. Having certified around products for the Finnish and European market, FI mark enjoys wide recognition in Finland and internationally. Almost half of the customers that have applied for the FI mark are located outside Finland. FI mark certified products meet the European electrical safety standards but also the special Finnish requirements. Find the whole article under: EU DIRECTIVE ON BATTERIES AND ACCUMULATORS According to the EU Directive (91/157/ EEC), Member States are required to take appropriate steps to ensure that used up batteries and accumulators are collected separately with a view to their recovery or disposal. The directive was later amended, (98/101/EC), to adapt to technological progress and now requires that batteries containing up to 2% of mercury, % cadmium and 0.4 % lead by weight be collected separately from household waste for recycling and disposal. The Directive also sets specific collection targets. Find the whole article under: Jukka Vuorinen Managing Director of SGS Fimko ee.finland@sgs.com t f PAGE 4 SGS+ 2/2006 SGS+ 2/2006 PAGE 5

4 SAFETY DOES YOUR PRODUCT USE LITHIUM ION BATTERIES? Then you should be concerned about the safety and reliability of your products. With recent product recalls due to the hazardous failures of lithium ion batteries, numerous companies and organisations are increasing their efforts to ensure safer products through standardised design and qualification requirements. The standards include: IEEE 1625 (Standard for Rechargeable Batteries NEW PHOTOMETRIC TEST CAPABILITY The near-field goniophotometer for photometric measurements. With an experience of almost eight decades in testing lamps and luminaires, SGS Fimko offers a wide range of photometric testing services. SGS Fimko can now perform photometric measurements thanks to its new near-field goniophotometer which has been operative since August This new device can measure variables such as: luminous intensity distributions luminance distributions luminous flux (lm = lumen) utilisation coefficient service illuminance (lx = lux) optical power (W = Watt) for Portable Computing), and IEEE 1725 (Standard for Rechargeable Batteries for Cellular Telephones). These standards specifically address the unique requirements pertaining to the manufacture and use of Lithium Ion and Lithium Polymer batteries. The standards examine safety through all levels of the systems, including the cell manufacturing process, battery charge control and electrical & mechanical construction. colour rendering power index (Ra index) colour temperature (K= Kelvin) chromaticity coordinates (x & y) spectrum distribution wave of visual light SGS Fimko carries out measurements of these variables on normal use & safety luminaires, incandescent, fluorescent and discharge lamps, control gears of lighting fittings and flat screens. USE LUMINANCE TEST RESULTS AS A MARKETING TOOL The new near-field goniophotometer is able to measure the correct luminous intensity distributions at a close distance from the measuring object SGS PARTNER OF CTIA IN BATTERIES INSPECTION SGS has been selected by the CTIA (The Wireless Association) as an IEEE 1725 reviewing organisation. This is the result of SGS's demonstrated experience and expertise within the area of lithium ion batteries. SGS provides a comprehensive solution to increase the reliability of battery powered products such as mobile phones, laptop computers, digital music players and portable DVD players etc. by: Reviewing and assessing the product`s compliance to relevant industry standards. Auditing battery cell manufacturing facilities Testing batteries, chargers and host products. SGS US: john.guerin@sgs.com t SGS Taiwan: jockey.huang@sgs.com t ext. 3610/3600 without moving the measured object and with the luminance distribution data shown as a digital photo. Photometric measurements can be carried out within a week e.g. as follows: in combination with safety, EMC & ROHS testing as well as certification (FI, CB, CB-EMC; GS, ENEC, NRTL) as benchmarking, product development and quality control tests Based on our tests you can get an impartial Statement of Test Result as a marketing tool which offers you a competitive edge on the market. Jukka Vuorinen Managing Director of SGS Fimko ee.finland@sgs.com t f NEW ELECTRICAL EU STANDARDS ON MEDICAL DEVICES Spotting the new standards in medical devices is not an easy task as they are not identified as new in the list of all electrical standards included in the Medical Devices Directive. Companies involved in this sector need to keep a permanent eye on the list to check if any changes have occurred. The recent focus on sustainable resources and waste has led to the implementation throughout the world of directives and regulations which restrict the use of toxic materials and control recycling activities. As part of global strategies to protect our natural resources concepts such as energy efficiency, marking, labelling and regulation have become watchwords in many industries. Household appliances and lighting equipment are now also under scrutiny to ensure they make the most efficient use of the power they consume. LACK OF RESOURCES In Europe, directives have come into force which require many appliances with a high energy consumption to be marked with verified performance figures. Australia has its own MEPS (Minimum Energy Performance Standards) requirements. The Appliance Efficiency Regulations recently revised by the California New standards for the EU Medical Devices Directive (MDD), 93/42/EC: Medical electrical equipment: EN This wholly new part-standard concerns safety and covers usability. The previous standard for electrocardiographic monitoring equipment has been upgraded: EN A new amendment was made (A2: 2005) to the already existing standard on the safety of ultrasonic medical diagnostic and monitoring equipment: EN GLOBAL HARMONISATION TASK FORCE (GHTF) MEETING After a break of four years, representatives of the major regulatory systems in the medical sector throughout the world met to discuss the creation of a common basis of technical specifications, of evaluation and USING RESOURCES RIGHT WAY - EFFICIENCY TESTING Energy Commission are a sign of growing concern regarding efficiency in the US as well. SGS HAS MEANS TO MAKE YOUR BUSINESS EFFICIENT SGS worldwide is deeply involved in helping manufacturers to verify and, in many cases, improve the efficiency of their products. As a world leader in hazardous substance testing, responsible waste disposal, energy efficiency and social accountability, SGS can help you to ensure that your company stays ahead of the game when it comes to green issues. Chris Wood Business Development Manager, SGS Australia test procedures and of supplier monitoring. Thus the efforts to create global harmonisation in medical equipment standards have been revived with hopes for real progresses in the near future. MANY OR STANDARDS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO LIST LATELY. HERE ARE MOST RECENT: EN /A11 EN EN EN EN ;-2-2;-2-6. EN EN /A1 EN /A2 EN /A1 EN /A1 EN /A2 EN /A1 EN /A1 EN /A1 EN /A1 EN /A1 EN /A1 EN /A1 EN /A1 EN /A2 EN EN EN EN July 2007: New directive on EMC CONTACTS SAFETY ee.hk@sgs.com t f PAGE 6 SGS+ 2/2006 SGS+ 2/2006 PAGE 7

5 EMC SGSs FIRST COMMERCIAL TEN METRES LONG SEMI-ANECHOIC CHAMBER SGS-CSTC Guangzhou has built the first commercial 10m long semi-anechoic chamber in China The measure is part of SGSs strategy to become a market leader and to provide accurate and internationally recognised EMC testing services for ITE/RF/ISM manufacturers. Starting from September, the newly built facility provides strong support for our CE/EMC, CE/R&TTE, FCC, VCCI, Canadian IC and C-tick testing and SGS EMC certification services. RADIATED DISTURBANCE TESTS EMC field strength measurements of radiated disturbance caused by electrical products have to be conducted on sites that allow no reflection of radio waves except for those produced by the reference ground plane. A semi-anechoic chamber is a test site with radio wave absorbing materials installed on the walls and ceiling in order to have the same effectiveness as an open air test site. Because of high costs, most laboratories have only built 3m long semi-anechoic chambers, even though the standard distance for radiated disturbance measurements is 10 metres. Measurements in 3 metre chambers are accepted as a substitute but in case of a dispute results obtained in a 10 metre chamber are more trusted when testing ITE/RF and ISM products. Jeff Zhao Lab Manager, SGS China-Guangzhou ee.guangzhou@sgs.com t: f: NEW AN MEASURING INSTRUMENTS DIRECTIVE (MID) On 30 October MID 2004/22/EC came into force. This means that measuring instruments must offer high-level metrological protection so that consumers can rely on the data they generate. By applying the MID CE mark, producers can prove to their customers that both the design and manufacture of their equipment is of the highest quality. The mark guarantees that the instruments are sufficiently sensitive for their intended use, durable, reliable and able to produce repeatable and reproducible data. MID applies to all manufacturers that produce: Water Meters Gas Meters and Volume Conversion Devices Active Electrical Energy Meters Measuring Systems for the Continuous and Dynamic Measurement of Quantities of Liquids other than Water Automatic Weighing Instruments Taximeters Material Measures Dimensional Measuring Instruments Exhaust Gas Analysers These types of instrument have to go through conformity assessment procedures that are controlled and delivered by Notified Bodies. There are different conformity routes that are specific to different instrument types or sub categories. WITH SGS AS PARTNER COMPLYING WITH MID IS SIMPLIFIED CONSIDERABLY SGS is a Notified Body under several European Directives appointed by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Ofgem (UK Regulator) approved laboratory for Gas and Electricity Meters. As a Notified Body partner, SGS will provide you a free of charge no obligation quotation for its services, and a one supplier approach by naming a project manager who will offer all the assistance you need as well as all the necessary project and system certifications. Furthermore with SGS you have access to the approval and inspection expertise provided by the fully trained team of assurance and engineering specialists and also to the SGS mark that is recognisable around the world. More information under: Keith Hutchinson Operations Manager SGS UK keith.hutchinson@sgs.com t f CONTACTS EMC ee.hk@sgs.com t f PAGE 8 SGS+ 2/2006 SGS+ 2/2006 PAGE 9

6 ROHS & WEEE CHINA TAKES ROHS ONE STEP FURR THAN EU The RoHS requirements in China are stricter and are based on a different principle than the self declaration concept in the European Union. The duction of RoHS legislation in China on 1 March 2007 will mark a new chapter in the RoHS age. There are several differences between the European and the Chinese approach to this matter. SPECIAL MARKINGS AND TESTS The first major difference between the European and Chinese approach to RoHS is the special marking that Chinese products will have to bear starting with the first day on which the RoHS laws come into force. In the European Union products can be duced to the market without special markings and conformity verifications even after July Another difference that will be implemented at a later date is the testing in government accredited laboratories of all E&E products. Thus the Chinese RoHS legislation requirements are stricter than the European concept. CONTACTS RoHS t ext f SUPERVISED BY MII The Chinese Ministry of the Information Industry (MII) will supervise the implementation of RoHS, which applies to all products manufactured in China for the Chinese or foreign markets and to imported products. The items included in the Electronics Information Products (EIP) category are subject to this law as are all other products listed by the Chinese Compulsory Product Certification Scheme (CCC). MORE WORK IS NEEDED The first step of RoHS implementation will be the marking of all E&E products and supplying of all the necessary information by manufacturers and importers. The standard marking of a product is to be published by the Chinese authorities by March 2007 and it could include the information presented in the table. The second step in Chinese RoHS implementation will be the testing of all E&E products. Step two is still under debate and it will depend on the final definition of the Chinese RoHS. DESCRIPTION OF DANGEROUS MATERIALS CONTAINED IN E&E PRODUCTS, INDICATING Quantity/concentration and exact description of the contained substancess The capacity to discover the substances in the product The degree in which the substances in the product can be recycled/disposed The classification of the packaging and the degree in which it can be reused/disposed Also the list of all EIP products that RoHS applies to must be finalised. CCC will play a major role in keeping to the Chinese RoHS implementation calendar. However considering all these special requirements there could be substantial delays in the implementation of RoHS in China. SGS E&E is the worldwide leader in RoHS testing, with 24 accredited RoHS labs worldwide and specialists in RoHS certification. Dipl. Ing. (FH) Heiko Schmidt International Sales SGS Germany ee.germany@sgs.com t f LOOKING FOR ASSISTANCE IN WEEE REGISTRATION? Generally manufacturers, importers and distributors are required to register as WEEE producers when they put products on the EU Member States market for the first time. In most EU countries, registration as a WEEE producer is only possible if you have a company registration number or mailing address in the related country. This is becoming a growing issue for foreign manufacturers whose products may be imported and sold by several distributors in each EU Member State. Furthermore registering as a WEEE producer often causes high costs and administrative work for each distributor. This is also a high burden especially for small distributors who have to organise a WEEE collection and recycling process. REGISTRATION ON BEHALF OF DISTRIBUTORS In countries like: Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Sweden, Luxembourg and Denmark producers can take over the burden of registration from their distributors. In other countries foreign manufacturers have the possibility to register via a local representative with the national compliance schemes. So far several manufacturers have registered in foreign countries and have made use of this opportunity as a strategic sales advantage in the respective countries. Furthermore they are actively involved in the registration process and fulfil their obligations. WEEE REGISTRATION TIMETABLE. France By end of Nov. 06 Germany Completed Nov. 05 Poland Completed Sep. 06 UK By March 07 Italy By Jan. 07 Spain Started Jan. 06 As WEEE requirements are country specific, the SGS WEEE Service can provide you a tailor-made service, no matter where you are located. SGS assists you in analysing your market sales and determining a proper WEEE take-back system that includes collection, transportation, inspection and verification arrangements. Find more information under: Dipl.-Wi.-Ing. Peter Hagemann Global Project Manager WEEE, SGS Germany peter.hagemann@sgs.com t f NEWSFLASH IEC IS DOING INTERNATIONAL INTER-LABORATORY STUDIES (IIS) SGS is actively involved in IEC activities. Since 2005 SGS has been a partner of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in creating a global standard for testing products included in the EU RoHS Directive. As a result, SGS has initiated international interlaboratory studies (IIS) to determine the reliability of the procedures and the results included in the IEC standard. In 2005 the results reported were generally comparable. At the second IIS in 2006, metals were better detected and altogether the results were deemed acceptable. SGS provided project management, evaluation of results and reporting. IIS are a sign of our commitment to the partnership with IEC. Find the whole article under: AN COMMISSION PLANS TO EXTEND ROHS DIRECTIVE Medical Devices and Control & Monitoring Equipment, known as category 8 and 9 are probably affected. The EC (European Commission) is considering the possibility of including into Directive 2002/95/EC all medical devices known as category 8 and 9. According to a recent EC report manufacturers of these products will have to start applying RoHS production principles since their suppliers are already obliged to keep to these regulations. The implementation will be time consuming due to the necessary testing of the new materials, but the first RoHS Certifications for this range of products could be awarded by Find the whole article under: PAGE 10 SGS+ 2/2006 SGS+ 2/2006 PAGE 11

7 ROHS & WEEE MICROELECTRONICS HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES BEYOND ROHS STIFTUNG WARENTEST FOCUSES ON PAHS AND PHTHALATES The presence of hazardous substances in E&E products is becoming more and more of an issue. Products that used to be tested for function, cost/performance ratio and safety norms are now also tested for harmful chemical substances. This is the result of more severe legislation that requires products to be free of substances such as heavy metals, flame retardants (PBB/PBDE), plasticisers or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The restriction of certain heavy metals and flame retardants has already been included in the RoHS Directive (2002/95/EC) and in similar CONTACTS RoHS t ext f directives in other countries (e.g. China, Japan and California). PAH MEASUREMENT BECOMES A STANDARD STIWA TEST. PAHs were first brought into the discussion after laboratory analyses carried out by the prestigious German foundation for the testing of consumer products, STIFTUNG WARENTEST (Sti- Wa), well known to 96% of all Germans. One third of them rely on the test result published by StiWa when they buy products. StiWa was founded in 1964 and since then has tested and criticised more than products.the tests are conducted according to scientific methods by independent laboratories and their results are issued in a monthly magazine. The foundations main priority is neutrality, as it is financed by the German government and is not allowed to publish advertisements. Recently StiWa broadened the scope of its tests for consumer products and discovered PAHs, almost 0.2% in the cable duct of an angle grinder. PAHS MAY INCLUDE MUTAGENIC, CARCINOGENIC AND/OR IMMUNOTOXIC SUBSTANCES. The most important PAH substance is benzo[a]pyrene, used as a primary substance in analyses and evaluations and classified as carcinogenic. The angle grinder mentioned also contained naphthalene, a substance that may cause skin irritation. As a result StiWa advised against buying this item even if its mechanical features passed all tests successfully and the retailer therefore withdrew the affected products from the market. Having found several other contaminated products StiWa has included PAHs and phthalates in its standard scope of testing for consumer products. The products found to have elevated amounts of hazardous substances are downgraded in the StiWa ranking, with effects on the success of the respective products on the German market. The problem has also been addressed by the major retailers, who now require their suppliers to state the absence of hazardous substances in their products, because of the health risk they pose and because of the specific plastic odour of these substances which might deter consumers from buying the affected products. USE WORLD LEADER IN HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE TESTING With 24 accredited RoHS labs worldwide and 1000 specialists working in this field SGS is a well known service provider and offers the possibility to test your products for PAHs, phthalates, nonylphenol, PCB, cadmium and the entire range of substances included in the RoHS Directive. Further information under: Dr. Dipl. Chem. Udo Krischke Project Manager - Special Analytics SGS Institut Fresenius, Germany udo.krischke@institut-fresenius.de t f SOLUTIONS FOR SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRYS ANALYTICAL NEEDS Development in the semiconductor industry has always been characterised by shrinking to smaller structures. Ultra shallow dopants and ultra thin gate oxides using new materials accompany the shrinking process. Furthermore, the Back End of Line (BEOL) is characterised by an increasing number of metallisation levels as well as the use of advanced materials and complicated geometries. At the same time there is an increasing demand in the semiconductor industry for quality and reliability. These demands and the technical developments create new needs for metrology, analytical service and also for quality control and failure analysis. Analytical service labs have to rise up to these new needs. Besides its wide service portfolio, SGS Institut Fresenius focuses on some special techniques in order to corre- spond with developments in the semiconductor industry. ULTRA SHALLOW DOPANT PROFILING The characterisation of ultra shallow doped areas is usually done by low energy Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) and the very powerful technique of Spreading Resistance Profiling (SRP) is used for the measurement of electrically active ultra shallow dopant profiles. ULTRA THIN LAYERS AND SMALL STRUCTURES The development of extremely small feature sizes and the need to obtain data on ultra thin layers and very small material volumes require the use of techniques such as Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) including its time-consuming sample preparation which can be done with the help of a Focused Ion Beam (FIB). X-ray Photo Electron Spectroscopy (XPS) is used for the analysis of layer stacks in the range of only a few nm. XPS allows depth profiling of thin layers, both by ion sputtering or by angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). FAILURE ANALYSIS Semiconductor device failure analysis implies the localisation and identification of design weaknesses and deviations from the designed chip construction that could lead to an abnormal electrical behaviour or other quality and reliability problems. Physical failure analysis is based on microscopic imaging and material analytical techniques. The main tool for process control and visualisation of failures is still Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The use of FIB is becoming increasingly important in failure analyses and is also suited for modifying integrated circuits. Dr. André Möller Product Manager Microelectronics SGS Institut Fresenius, Germany microelectronics@institut-fresenius.de t: f: PAGE 12 SGS+ 2/2006 SGS+ 2/2006 PAGE 13

8 INSPECTION TRADE FAIRS CHINAS OEMS: ARE FRUITFUL YEARS OVER? New challenges for E&E Inspection and testing services in China. After the Chinese Government implemented the open policy and joined WTO last century, OEM clients have enjoyed years of fruitful profit margins from low cost and high quality OEM production in China. Nowadays OEM producers need to face various negative factors impacting their production plans, such as: CONTACTS INSPECTION t f new anti pollution laws, shortages in supplies and manpower and the doubling of raw material prices. E&E INDUSTRY MOST AFFECTED Considering all the difficulties mentioned, manufacturers will have to find new ways of keeping costs to a minimum. This could mean using second class parts and components during mass production, after obtaining a proper certification or use materials without RoHS certification, and maybe skip some production process. All these measures will inevitably have serious negative effects on a brand`s reputation. Already some famous OEM brands of electronic goods have to recall products from the market due to quality and safety problems. A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO NEW MARKET REQUIREMENTS Focusing on the quality control services that are currently needed, SGS can provide various solutions through Quality Assurance Programmes for electrical and electronics OEM products. Tailor made QA service packages include lab testing of samples, specverifications in the production line, in-line control, quality improvement programmes, RoHS Testing and on-site green audit. The services SGS offers cover all production and distribution stages of electrical and electronics OEM products. KW Chow, Division Manager SGS China kw.chow@sgs.com t f CES - WORLD S LARGEST ANNUAL TRADESHOW FOR CONSUMER TECHNO- LOGY! The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) represents more than 2,500 corporate members involved in the manufacturing and distribution of electronics products. CEA's members account for more than $100 billion in annual sales marks CEA s 40th anniversary of hosting the world s largest meeting in consumer electronics industry. SGS Electrical&Electronics will again participate along with 2,700 other exhibitors from around the world at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) from 8-11 January 2007 in Las Vegas, US. SGS will display showcasing services such as RoHS, and battery testing. Visit SGS at Booth #70838 to learn how our services can give your company a competitive edge. Participating Industries: Audio, Digital Imaging, Emerging Technology, Gaming, Home Networking, Home Theatre/Video, Mobile Electronics. ( 3GSM WORLD CONGRESS - MOBILE INDUSTRY S PREMIER EVENT! The 3GSM World Congress will take place in Barcelona, Spain, from February 2007 and is providing everything mobile executives need to plan their year. Visitors will be able to experience: The largest, most comprehensive exhibition with over 1300 exhibitors from the mobile industry A cutting edge conference featuring senior leaders in the industry and the topics that will define the future The GSM Association's annual Gala Awards Ceremony that showcases the very best the industry has to offer The GSM Association's Leadership Summit, that brings together over 300 CEOs from the operator and vendor communities At the 2007 edition of 3GSM World Congress SGS will showcase its wireless services and our worldwide network, including the new SGS wireless Europe merger in Hall 2, booth #2G51. ( CEBIT - LARGEST IT TRADE SHOW IN WORLD! The CeBIT will take place in Hanover, Germany, from March March 2007 and is the world s largest trade fair showcasing digital IT and telecommunications solutions for home and work environments. The key target groups are users from industry, the wholesale/retail sector, skilled trades, banks, the services & government sector. CeBIT offers an international platform for comparing notes on industry trends, networking, and product presentations. Over 6,200 exhibitors from around 70 countries and some 480,000 visitors from all over the world visited CeBIT in CeBIT is the world's best known, most successful trade show brand. As a result, CeBIT events are no longer based solely in Hanover but also in Turkey, Australia, the US and China. Shows such as CeBIT continue to be "made in Hanover" but are equally at home in the world's growth markets. ( SUBSCRIBING TO INTRO, SGS ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS NEWSLETTER: To subscribe online please visit or us at: or fax us +49(0) Yes, I am interested in INTRO and I would like to receive it quarterly, free of charge: by as a hardcopy SGS FIMKO AT CHEMBIO, FINLAND 2007 For information regarding Seminars & Training please visit our website Company: Contact person:... Address:... Postal code & Country: Telephone:.... Date Signature Industrial branch:.... Position:.... State: Fax:.... ChemBio is a combination of the traditional KEMIA exhibition for chemistry and the fascinating BioTech Helsinki. SGS FIMKO will present its testing capabilities together with other leading companies from the biotechnology and chemical industries. The event takes place in Helsinki, Finland, from March 2007, at the Helsinki Fair Centre. For further information or if you wish to stop receiving of the newsletter just send a short PAGE 14 SGS+ 2/2006 SGS+ 2/2006 PAGE 15

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