TTS GLOBALTTS / SERVICE GUIDE
RoHS Testing: Restricted Substances in Electrical Products
Identify the restricted-substance checks relevant to your components and materials.
Request a quote
01 / WHEN TO USE IT
Electrical & electronic products
- A new electrical or electronic product is being prepared for market.
- A component, coating or material supplier has changed.
- A customer needs evidence linked to particular materials.
Understand the service in detail
An electrical product can contain many materials: plastic housings, cable insulation, solder, coatings and metal parts. RoHS testing starts by identifying the product and the materials that need assessment. TTS helps turn the product information and available supplier evidence into an agreed testing brief. This is useful for a new design, a change of material supplier or a buyer requesting evidence for selected components. The scope should identify the samples and materials covered so that a result is not assumed to represent every part of a finished product.
- 01Covered product→
- 02Homogeneous materials→
- 03Screening / confirmation→
- 04Scope-linked report
A scope guide; the actual methods and criteria are agreed for the project.
02 / A CLOSER LOOK
Test the material that carries the substance risk.
Open a checkpoint to see the evidence recorded and how it informs your decision.
01Homogeneous-material coverage
Break the product into relevant plastics, metals, solder, coatings, cable insulation and other distinct materials. Link each submitted sample to that map.
A whole-product description does not show which material was analysed; dilution or unclear sample grouping can make the result difficult to interpret.
02Screening versus determination
Agree how X-ray fluorescence (XRF) screening and substance-specific analytical methods will be used.
Elemental screening is not the same as identifying every restricted compound. For example, total bromine alone does not identify PBB or PBDE.
03Substances and exemptions
Clarify the applicable RoHS scope, restricted-substance set and any claimed exemption for the component and application.
An exemption needs an applicable basis and supporting information; it is not a general approval for the entire product.
04Evidence and changes
Record the material supplier, component revision, sample identity and supporting declarations or analytical reports.
A new resin, pigment, coating or solder source can change the evidence needed, even when the finished model number stays the same.
ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE
A new cable supplier, an unchanged product model.
- !
The situation
The production cable differs from the tested version.
- ◎
What to record
Match the current BOM and materials with the report coverage.
- ↗
The next decision
Close the gap before relying on the earlier report.
Read the full scenario
Illustrative example: a supplier changes the cable insulation but retains the model number and an older RoHS report. Identify the changed material, compare the report’s sample description and obtain evidence for the new supply. A report on the previous cable should not be presented as testing of the replacement simply because both cables look black.
03 / STANDARDS & REQUIREMENTS
The rule.
The scope.
The evidence.
Applicability and editions are confirmed for your product, market and project date.
RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU & (EU) 2015/863
The EU framework for restricted substances in covered electrical and electronic equipment. Product scope and exemptions are reviewed before testing.
Official source & scopeIEC 62321 series
Analytical methods for substances in electrotechnical products. The selected part and method must match the material and substance question.
Official source & scopeIEC 63000
Technical-documentation framework for restricted-substance assessment; a report is linked to the broader manufacturer evidence file.
Official source & scope04 / THE WORKING PROCESS
From your brief
to your next step.
01Prepare the brief
Share product photos, component information and the destination market.
02Start the work
Agree the material coverage, methods, sample quantities and quotation.
03Examine & record
Submit identified samples; the laboratory records the agreed analytical work.
04Review & follow up
Review the report and identify any evidence gaps before adding it to the product documentation.
Content guide; the agreed service determines the final deliverable.
05 / YOUR DELIVERABLE
A basis for
your next decision.
A test report identifying the samples, agreed methods and measured results.
How to use the result
Use the results to investigate a material issue, request supplier clarification or strengthen the evidence file for the tested product. A report covers the identified samples and scope; changes to materials or components may require further review.
06 / Discuss your project
What to send for a quotation
- Product model, intended use and destination market.
- Bill of materials or clear component and material photographs.
- Available supplier declarations, previous reports and the requested coverage.
Practical questions
Does RoHS testing cover REACH automatically?
No. The product scope, substance requirements and evidence questions differ. A combined brief can coordinate samples, but the report must identify what each assessment covers.
Can one sample cover every material in my product?
Coverage depends on the construction and test plan. Share the material breakdown so the sample selection can be reviewed.