HF INKS used in the Electronic and Electrical Industry.

Disclaimer: All the logos and artwork belong to their respective brand. we don’t take responsibility for any of the logos shown in the images. The images are just for representation purposes.

Electronics manufacturing is a complex process as it involves a lot of know-how, innovation and faster invention of new generation devices because the advancement in technologies lead to speedy obsoleting of active products. This produces a lot of waste as time duration of usage of these products is very short thereby increasing the generation of electronic waste at an alarming pace. These products containing very harmful substances like heavy metals, halogens, flame retarders etc. used at the core of component and module manufacturing ,are highly hazardous to human health. Therefore , to minimize the health risk caused by the electronic waste, Certain laws and norms have come into force by EU legislation, which mandates all electrical white goods manufacturers to abide and adopt. According to this the manufacturers and importers can only sell ROHS/ REACH certified electronic goods, along with a written document supporting the genuineness of the compliance. If not followed, the manufacturers can face greater risks economically, because the products will not be allowed to sell in local and export markets. The manufacturers, traders/ OEMs are thus required to produce their products that are strictly compliant with the set rules , without using the listed prohibited substances. Adhering to the strict norms, will not only widen the scope for global export of electrical goods from India, increasing business opportunities but will also help in improving electronic waste management efficiently.

To counter the environmental and health hazards that arise after the burning of discarded electronic waste, and for consumer protection, many international agencies came forward by laying down some rules and directives like ROHS, REACH, and HF (halogen-free) compliances and certifications. These are related to Green initiatives environment friendly chemicals.
ROHS compliance bans certain substances in finished electronic components. Therefore electrical/electronic products that are Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) certified, do not contain DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP besides the six other chemicals covered by ROHS-2 in the finished product.

REACH certification looks at the entire process of manufacturing a product including its printing and decoration and controls all chemicals, solvents, inks and paints used in its printing. It actually dictates the way the products are manufactured.

A product must be ROHS and REACH certified to be able to sell in EU according to the Directive 2002/95/EC.

These compliances have posed a lot of pressure on EEE manufacturers.
The electronics & electrical goods manufacturers are under pressure from consumers and environmentalists to remove Halogens from the inks and paints that they use in the printing of cables, PCBs, OTT devices & sensors, connectors, and other metallic and non-metallic material that is used in the electronic and electrical manufacturing process. The toxic inks used in their printing may not impact us directly, but when they are burnt, they release dangerous and highly corrosive chemicals like Hydrogen chloride and hydrogen bromide which have lethal and sub-lethal effects on living beings.

When we talk of HF or halogen-free, we are specifically talking about Halogens on periodic tables such as Chlorine, Fluorine, bromine Iodine, and Astatine.

Many of these elements specially chlorine are used in the production of electronics e.g., cables made of PVC & Teflon.
Halogens are used to make fire retarders. Almost all the inks contain certain amounts of Halogens, intentionally or unintentionally.
Most halogens, when burnt emit dangerous chemicals. Hence the HF effort is initiated. Many large companies and groups have self-initiated an attempt to remove halogens from every electronic item like mobile phones, PCBs, films, connectors, etc. Almost all of them are printed in some of the other forms. Thus, the need for fully compliant and certified inks and paints used in decoration, branding, barcoding, etc. of the electrical and electronic goods, arises.

Printing inks for decorating electronic and household appliances must meet stringent requirements of adhesion, high gloss, mechanical, chemical and high temperature resistance for logos, designs and markings, applied by pad, screen or UV screen printing .

Spinks World is the sole distributor of RUCO inks, Germany for specially qualified and certified series of paints and coatings, used in pad printing, screen printing and UV pad and screen printing of consumer white goods.

An HF or halogen-free ink qualification means: According to IEC 61249-2-21
Less than 99 P.P.M chlorine or Bromine
Total halogens less than 1500 PPM

Companies like TI, Wurth, Melexis, Shurter etc. are following such declarations about the products they supply.

RUCO being environmentally conscious company produces Inks complying with tough HF conditions. The proposed inks are chlorine free, Cyclohexanone free and free from aromatic compounds.

T-00HFT-01HFT-120HF
2KBlack1K/2K

RUCO inks produce an excellent set of inks for many electronic applications on substrates like Glass, Ceramics, Metals, Epoxy, ABS, PC, etc.

Ruco inks, Germany has a complete portfolio of inks, paints and chemicals meeting high standards of manufacturing to the producers of

Printing Inks for Household big and small appliances like refrigerators, mixers, grinders etc.
Printing Inks for Computers , printers and smart mobile phones
Printing Inks for Tools
Printing Inks for Toys
Printing Inks for Consumer electronics like TVs, cameras, tablets
Printing Inks for lighting fixtures, LED bulbs
Printing Inks for Medical goods

Disclaimer: All the logos and artwork belong to their respective brand. we don’t take responsibility for any of the logos shown in the images. The images are just for representation purposes.

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