Fuji Electric Group Achieves RoHS Compliance
The Fuji Electric Group began work in fiscal 2002 on making products compliant with the EU Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive, which bans the use of certain harmful chemicals in electrical and electronic equipment sold in EU markets. Although the directive only applied to a small number of the products made by Group companies, the compliance initiatives have been undertaken voluntarily as part of broader efforts to develop a more eco-conscious product range.
An Initial Group of Ten Volunteers
Back in August 2002, a small group of ten volunteers from various Fuji Electric Group sites gathered to learn more about two regulatory measures (RoHS, plus the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment [WEEE] directive) that had been proposed by the EU Commission. Most had no idea what RoHS meant, or what the impact might be on the business. Information in Japan on the two measures was scarce at that time, so the organizers invited Group employees stationed in representative offices in Europe to find out the latest information.
The study group quickly established the necessity of responding to these regulatory developments. A Group committee, the WEEE and RoHS Readiness Council, was established the following month with 13 members. In fiscal 2003 this body committed the company to a switch to lead-free solder. The Group successfully developed an original type of lead-free solder based on five elements, and this technology had been shared across the entire Group by the end of fiscal 2005 with a view to incorporating it into mass production. The initiative to make those semiconductor products directly affected by the directive RoHScompliant was completed by March 2005.
A major part of the compliance initiative was the compilation of a green procurement database bringing together information on externally purchased parts and materials containing harmful chemical substances. This database covers electronic components as well as other purchased parts and materials.
Company RoHS Compliance Seminars Involve Hundreds
RoHS compliance seminar
By the completion of the program in March 2006, the WEEE and RoHS Readiness Council had convened 24 times and its membership had grown to around 50 people. However, the council needed to create more opportunities to share Group policies on RoHS compliance, as well as successful examples of compliance-related activities at different companies with people representing all Group sites. In February 2003, the council organized the first of a series of annual two-day seminars for people from all Fuji Electric Group companies to share information on the latest developments in Japan and overseas, along with information on the various efforts underway within the Group. Over 100 people from throughout the Group have attended each seminar.
In fiscal 2005, besides the third of these annual seminars, the council also organized a special meeting on the construction of management systems for RoHS-regulated chemical substances. A total of 122 people attended this event in October 2005.
Timeline for Fuji Electric Group RoHS compliance program
| Notes: |
The Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive prohibits the use of certain harmful chemical substances within electric and electronic products that are sold inside the EU. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive applies to post-use equipment. |
Chemical Substance Management Involving All Functions
In October 2005, the Fuji Electric Group formulated a policy on the construction of management systems for chemical substances contained in Group products. Under this policy, sites that handle products covered by the RoHS directive construct management systems and make voluntary declarations based on internal tests and customer verification, in line with guidelines on the management of such chemical substances published by the Japan Green Procurement Survey Standardization Initiative (JGPSSI).
Foolproof jigs ensure only
correct soldering equipment
is used for lead-free
products.
Group policy specifies that system construction should progress with the participation of all relevant functions, including development, design, purchasing, production and quality assurance. For example, at Fuji Electric Device Technology (FDT) such chemical substances are controlled using management systems based on the ISO 9001 standard, the voluntarily declared policy toward these chemicals being "no inclusion in products, no product contamination or other pollution, and no emissions." Legal, regulatory and customer requirements related to these chemicals are all clarified and in orporated into designs and product specifications from the early planning and development stages. FDT requires suppliers of parts and materials to furnish data proving that supplied items do not contain any of the regulated substances, and also undertakes its own internal inspection of procured items.
Besides applying distinct control methods at the process level, FDT also physically separates the lines for products that do not contain any regulated substances and makes periodic in-process QA checks. An additional measure to stop contamination relies on the differential in size between the soldering rods used in lead and lead-free processes: equipment must pass through a test jig that only works for equipment of the correct, lead-free, type (see image). Every effort is made to ensure that all control processes are thorough and highly effective.
Elsewhere in the Group, Fuji Electric FA Components & Systems (FCS) has gone beyond formal regulatory requirements by introducing internal standards to eliminate all harmful chemical substances from electrical control equipment in the company's product range, including circuit breakers, switches and inverters.
Aiming for a Higher Level of RoHS Compliance
One of the difficulties in complying with the RoHS directive arises in cases where products containing regulated substances and products that do not contain any of these chemicals must be produced at the same plant. Although complete elimination of these substances from all products would be the ideal solution, customer demands mean that some products must still contain some of these substances. This situation requires precise management techniques to prevent any crosscontamination due to the parts and materials used.
Another ongoing issue is the time required to ensure that policies are fully understood and implemented by employees. This tends to be more of a problem at sites outside Japan due to higher rates of staff turnover. Group environmental audits seek to assess the degree of penetration of policies at each site so that any problems can be identified and improvement measures swiftly implemented.
Usage of lead-free solder patent not confined to Group
Masahiko Hara
Section Chief,
Environmental Plant
Department,
Environmental Systems
Division
Fuji Electric Systems
Co., Ltd.
As suggested by the name, the original five-compound lead-free solder developed by the Fuji Electric Group is a mixture of five elements 
tin, silver, copper, nickel and germanium. The formula developed has superior binding characteristics and is also oxidation-resistant. Other benefits include ease of application over metal surfaces and resistance to thermal weakening. We have obtained patents for the solder in Japan, the U.S. and Germany.
Besides promoting use of the five-compound solder within the Fuji Electric Group, our policy is to license the formula out to solder manufacturers in Japan and other markets so that the social benefits of this technology can become more widespread.
The number of licensees has risen rapidly due to an increase in demand for lead-free solder ahead of the RoHS directive coming into force. As of the end of March 2006, we had licensed the technology to 36 solder manufacturers in Japan, Europe and Asia, with numerous other inquiries also received. Market applications for five-compound solder have also multiplied within the electronic and electrical equipment sector. We plan to maintain and upgrade information disclosure in this area and to undertake PR activities so that the market presence of this solder can expand further.
