"Charles" wrote in message
...
Has this had any impact on repair and rework of electronic devices and
equipment?

Presumably, you're not a frequent visitor to this group then ? It has had
probably the biggest negative reliability impact on electronic equipment,
since printed circuit construction was first introduced to the commercial
market 40 odd years ago, and was at that time itself an unreliable
technology. By 15 years ago, this type of construction and manufacturing was
a fully mature and stable technology, with a very high degree of intrinsic
reliability. Until poxy lead-free solder was forced on everyone by idiots
who didn't understand the implications. PCB construction is now probably
about as unreliable as back in the early days of the technology. Avionics,
military and life support equipment manufacturers won't use the stuff, and
have successfully negotiated exemptions from the mandate, for their classes
of equipment. That should probably tell you all that you need to know ...

Arfa