Corrosive Environment - Seagate DB35.2 Serial ATA Product Manual

Seagate also has internal systems in place to ensure ongoing compliance with the RoHS Directive and all laws
and regulations which restrict chemical content in electronic products. These systems include standard
operat-ing procedures that ensure that restricted substances are not utilized in our manufacturing operations,
labora-tory analytical validation testing, and an internal auditing process to ensure that all standard operating
procedures are complied with.
2.15

Corrosive environment

Seagate electronic drive components pass accelerated corrosion testing equivalent to 10 years exposure to
light industrial environments containing sulfurous gases, chlorine and nitric oxide, classes G and H per ASTM
B845. However, this accelerated testing cannot duplicate every potential application environment.
Users should use caution exposing any electronic components to uncontrolled chemical pollutants and corro-
sive chemicals as electronic drive component reliability can be affected by the installation environment. The sil-
ver, copper, nickel and gold films used in Seagate products are especially sensitive to the presence of sulfide,
chloride, and nitrate contaminants. Sulfur is found to be the most damaging. In addition, electronic components
should never be exposed to condensing water on the surface of the printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) or
exposed to an ambient relative humidity greater than 95%. Materials used in cabinet fabrication, such as vulca-
nized rubber, that can outgas corrosive compounds should be minimized or eliminated. The useful life of any
electronic equipment may be extended by replacing materials near circuitry with sulfide-free alternatives.
DB35.2 Serial ATA Product Manual, Rev. C 21