RoHS Screening · REACH SVHC · IEC 62321 · XRF Screening · ICP-MS Confirmatory Analysis · GCMS Phthalate Testing

ISO/IEC 17025 Accredited Testing Where Applicable | RoHS and REACH Compliance Capability | Chemical and Electronics Testing

A PCB assembly destined for the EU market must not contain lead above defined limits. A sensor housing must not incorporate hexavalent chromium in its plating. A wiring harness component must not include any of the four restricted phthalates in its insulation material above threshold concentrations. 

These requirements come from RoHS. For automotive electronics suppliers, compliance is not self-certifiable without analytical evidence from a testing laboratory. 

What RoHS Requires

The RoHS Directive (2011/65/EU, amended by 2015/863/EU) restricts ten hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment placed on the EU market. Each must not exceed defined concentration thresholds in any homogeneous material within the product.

Automotive equipment is subject to a range of exemptions where no technically feasible substitute currently exists. Exemptions are defined in annexes to the directive and reviewed periodically. If your product qualifies for an exemption, confirm the exemption number and its current expiry date before relying on it in a compliance declaration.

REACH and SVHC Obligations

REACH requires suppliers to communicate information about SVHC present above 0.1% by weight on request. Where SVHC exceeds 0.1% in articles placed on the EU market above one tonne per year, notification to ECHA is also required. The candidate list contains more than 230 substances and is updated twice a year. RoHS and REACH have different substance lists, thresholds, and compliance mechanisms. A PCB may need to satisfy both.

IEC 62321 Testing Methods for PCBs and Automotive Electronics

IEC 62321 is the standard series defining analytical methods for RoHS substance determination. Testing follows a staged approach: XRF screening first, then confirmatory quantitative analysis where screening indicates a potential exceedance.

Applying IEC 62321 to Automotive PCBs & What Gets Tested

The RoHS threshold applies per homogeneous material, not per product. A complete compliance assessment covers multiple materials within the same component. Key material categories and their primary compliance risks

• Solder materials: assessed for lead content. Lead-free transition is mandated for most applications, but automotive-specific exemptions remain under periodic review.
• Connector contacts and metal housings: assessed for cadmium plating and hexavalent chromium surface treatments.
• Polymer insulation, cable jacketing, and housings: assessed for PBB, PBDE, and phthalate content by GCMS.
• PCB laminates: assessed for bromine-containing flame retardants by XRF, with GCMS confirmation where indicated.
• Coatings and surface finishes: assessed for hexavalent chromium, cadmium, and lead depending on treatment type.
• REACH SVHC screening: scope is determined by the bill of materials and the SVHC categories most likely to apply.

Submitting a bill of materials alongside your samples allows the laboratory to define the most efficient screening programme and avoid unnecessary confirmatory testing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does RoHS apply to automotive electronics sold outside the EU?
RoHS applies to equipment placed on the EU market. However, most global OEMs apply it as a supply chain requirement regardless of target market, because non-compliant components create risk if market destinations change. Confirm the applicable scope with your customer.

Is XRF alone sufficient for a RoHS compliance declaration?
No. XRF is a screening tool only. Where XRF indicates a potential exceedance, confirmatory analysis by ICP-MS, ICP-OES, GCMS, or UV-Vis must follow depending on the substance. A compliance declaration based on XRF screening alone is not analytically defensible.

How often does REACH SVHC screening need to be repeated?
The SVHC candidate list is updated typically twice a year. An assessment against an earlier version may not cover newly listed substances. Monitor ECHA updates and assess newly listed substances against your bill of materials on a rolling basis.

What should I provide when submitting for RoHS testing?

• Bill of materials broken down by homogeneous material where possible
• Target market and any exemptions being claimed, with exemption number and expiry date
• Whether XRF screening only or full confirmatory analysis is required
• OEM compliance declaration format if a specific template is required

RoHS and REACH Testing at ALS

ALS Testing provides RoHS compliance screening and REACH SVHC assessment for automotive PCBs, connectors, sensors, and materials. Our testing programme follows IEC 62321 analytical methods, with XRF screening and confirmatory analysis by ICP-MS, ICP-OES, GCMS, UV-Vis, and ion chromatography depending on the substance group. ISO/IEC 17025 accredited testing is available where covered by our accredited scope.

Next Steps

• See our full Chemical and Electronics Testing services
• Back to Automotive Testing 
• Contact our team for a compliance testing quotation or technical discussion at  Contact us – alstesting.co.th

ISO/IEC 17025 Accredited Testing Where Applicable | RoHS and REACH SVHC Screening | IEC 62321 Analytical Methods