Vishay Intertechnology Inc. has announced that its entire line of standard optocouplers is completely lead (Pb)-free. It also claims to have shipped more than a billion lead (Pb)-free optocouplers for use in a wide range of industrial, consumer, and telecommunications applications.
Vishay says it is in the process of eliminating or reducing the lead content of Vishay products in early accordance with the European Union's Restrictions on the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS). The majority of Vishay's products have lead (Pb)-free terminations, and Vishay expects 100% of required products to have lead-free terminations by June 2006.
"We place great importance in preserving the health of the environment, as evidenced from our efforts to offer lead (Pb)-free optocouplers starting eight years ago," said Paul Sinclair, Vishay's Director of Marketing for Optocouplers. "Today, we are very pleased to announce that our entire optocoupler line, consisting of thousands of different part numbers, is now completely free of lead (Pb)."
According to Vishay, the terminations of Vishay optocouplers are composed of pure tin with no compromise in performance. Vishay has streamlined the transition on the customer end by maintaining the same part numbers for the new lead (Pb)-free versions, eliminating the need for customers to re-qualify new part numbers with safety agencies. This is consistent with Vishay's lead (Pb)-free program, under which parts that have been lead (Pb)-free for several years will maintain their current part numbers.
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. :
www.vishay.com.
