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Zinc Plating and RoHS Compliance

Is clear zinc plating RoHS compliant? We presently use zinc nickel plating on most of our products but we are having a problem with "peeling" on edges. On the products with clear zinc plating we do not have this problem. We would like to find out if we could replace the zinc nickel plating with the clear zinc plating since the cost is the same.

Robert Holder
Electronic component manufacturer - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2006

Yes, IF there is NOT also a hexavalent chromate conversion coating.

If the part has a hexavalent chromate conversion coating that is not RoHS complaint, then the part is not compliant.

To clarify, if you specify a zinc plating that normally includes a chromate conversion coating (such as ASTM B633) and do not specify that there is to be no hexavalent chromium, then you will probably get parts with hexavalent chromium. I am NOT saying that those parts will be compliant! I mean only that if you specify that there is to be no hexavalent chromium, lead, etc., then the parts should be compliant.

Stephen Weinstein
- Camarillo, California, USA
2006

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