Cave Creek, Arizona May 8, 2013. The High Density Packaging (HDP) User Group headquartered in the United States announces the second phase of a project for evaluation of halogen free cabling replacements.

Concerns over the potential release of harmful by products from electronic products containing halogenated flame retardant (HFRs) when those products are improperly disposed of, has led many of the major global computer manufacturers to begin phasing out HFRs, including bromine, chlorine and materials containing these elements, such as Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC). HDP User Group members are proactively looking for replacements for these materials in cables which are used in all electronics hardware. In the first Halogen Free Cables Project, HDP User Group completed a study that compared technical performance of HFR-free replacement materials that could be used in cable products..

The new Halogen Free Cables Project will target the following tasks:

  • Determine the required specifications and criteria for the four commonly used cable types.
  • Build the four cables with the best available Halogen Free materials.
  • Use industry accepted test procedures to determine, halogen content, smoke and flame performance.
  • Test the mechanical and electrical performance of these cables as they exist today against the incumbent standards.
  • Compare these results against standard PVC cables and note the differences.
  • Report the findings and note the challenges that remain in replacing PVC materials for these cable types.
  • Conduct additional testing, flame smoke and Halogen content, to clarify the differences in standards that exist today between regions and countries.

Marshall Andrews Executive Director of HDP User Group said "This project will not only highlight the importance of working together between cable manufacturers and compounders to ensure optimum process parameters are utilized, but also focus on the research effort invested by companies to develop commercially viable halogen free technology. This research is ongoing and many compounders have already improved their formulations from the findings of the previous work HDP user group has completed. This new effort will expand upon the work of the first project and move us closer to a viable halogen free replacement for electronic cables.”

At the present time, all interested parties are invited to participate in this effort. For more information, please contact Jack Fisher HDP Project Facilitator at Fish5er@hdpug.org.

 

About HDP User Group

HDP User Group (www.hdpug.org) is a global research and development organization based in Cave Creek AZ, dedicated to “reducing the costs and risks for the Electronics Manufacturing industry when using advanced electronic packaging and assembly”. This international industry led group organizes and conducts R&D programs to address the technical issues facing the industry, including design, printed circuit board manufacturing, electronics assembly, and environmental compliance. HDP User Group maintains additional offices in Austin, Texas; Stockholm, Sweden; and Tokyo, Japan.

For more information, visit HDP User Group on the Internet at www.hdpug.org or contact Darryl Reiner at darrylr@hdpug.org, phone number +1 480-951-1963