Lead-free HASL and RoHS: what you need to know
The surface finish protects the copper pads and decides how well your components solder. Here is what lead-free HASL means, what RoHS requires and what to check for your design.
What a surface finish does
Bare copper oxidises quickly. A surface finish covers the exposed pads and holes so that they stay solderable from the moment the board is made until your assembly line solders the components.
What HASL-LF is
HASL stands for Hot Air Solder Leveling. The board is dipped into molten solder and the excess is blown off with hot air, leaving a thin, even layer of solder on the pads. In the lead-free version (HASL-LF) the solder is a lead-free tin alloy. It is a robust, widely used finish with good solderability and a favourable price.
At PCB-ELECTRA the standard finish is HASL-LF. An ENIG gold finish is currently unavailable.
Where HASL-LF works well
- Through-hole and standard SMD designs (SOIC, QFP with normal pitch, passive components).
- Prototypes and series where price and solderability matter most.
- Boards that are soldered by wave, reflow or by hand.
Where to look closer
- Very fine pitch and large BGAs: the solder surface of HASL is slightly domed rather than perfectly flat. For very fine-pitch parts, check the pad geometry with your assembler.
- Very thin boards: the hot-air process puts the board under thermal stress; discuss unusual thicknesses with us before ordering.
If your design depends on a perfectly flat gold surface, tell us about the requirement before you order.
What RoHS means for your board
RoHS (Directive 2011/65/EU) restricts hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, among them lead, mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium. A lead-free finish such as HASL-LF is one precondition for a RoHS-compliant board. Compliance of the finished product also depends on the components and your own assembly process.
All PCB-ELECTRA boards are RoHS-compliant; no logo is needed for that. On request we also add the RoHS logo to the board and issue a RoHS certificate for your order. The certificate is the document that confirms compliance; a logo on the board is not a certificate.
Choosing and ordering
Select the options in the price calculator — it shows the price in euros immediately, and the certificate can be added there. The general specifications are listed under capabilities; how a board is built from copper to finish is described on the single layer and double layer pages. Questions about a special requirement? Contact us.
Frequently asked questions
Which surface finish do you offer?
Lead-free HASL (hot air solder levelling). It is the standard finish of all our boards.
Is HASL suitable for fine-pitch components?
A HASL surface is less flat than a chemical finish. For very fine pitches, discuss the design with us before ordering.
Can I get a RoHS certificate?
Yes. Request it with the order and it is supplied as a document.
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