RBB is proudly registered with the U.S. State Department’s ITAR program. ITAR stands for the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, which are the official controls regulating the U.S. defense industry. ITAR guidelines provide critical assurances that domestic technology used for defense and military electronic assembly projects are not “compromised, jeopardized, or acquired by any group not authorized by The Department of State.”
Several RBB clients must comply with the ITAR standards to certify that their intellectual property and custom PCB assembly projects don’t end up in the wrong hands. Our clients in the defense sector are ensured that RBB maintains files proving that all of our personnel are in compliance with ITAR requirements. All ITAR projects are tagged and handled as such from receipt of order through shipping. Likewise, any supplier involved in ITAR-governed PCB projects is verified to be ITAR certified.
RBB is also compliant with EAR (Export Administration Regulations), which controls non-military exports by the Bureau of Industry and Security.
The Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) standard, originally generated by the European Union, eliminates a variety of hazardous materials from landfills. The electronics industry had always relied on the use of lead in its solder. Selling RoHS-compliant products within the EU requires, among other things, that lead-free solder can be employed.
RBB led the way in offering RoHS-compliant PCB assembly long before other contract manufacturers (CMs) made the commitment. In 2005, we invested in training and equipment that allowed us to manufacture RoHS-compliant products, including a reflow oven and dedicated wave soldering machine. To guard against potential lead contamination with non-RoHS assemblies, we started physically segregating and auditing our parts inventories, equipment, and workbenches, demonstrating our commitment to environmental responsibility in electronic assembly manufacturing.
Today, most of our electronic components are RoHS-compliant, even if the final assemblies don’t require it. RBB actively assists those clients in converting to RoHS compliance by helping them find lead-free alternatives to their existing (leaded) components. This further emphasizes our role as a responsible contract manufacturer in reducing hazardous substances from electronic products.
Our shop is equipped with a dedicated lead-free oven, wave and selective soldering equipment, a segregated stockroom, fully trained employees, and the component engineering support you need to fully certify your RoHS assemblies.
RBB promotes environmental stewardship by encouraging our clients to consume only what they need. This approach minimizes the environmental impact and allows for greater flexibility in custom electronic product design. By ordering only what’s required in the short-term, buyers can avoid costly reworking or updating of circuit board assemblies sitting in their inventory (that are quickly rendered unusable by the latest revision).
By choosing to purchase only the devices that are necessary and then replenishing those devices as needed, buyers remain flexible to their end-users' needs. Many RBB clients use this opportunity to customize their electronic product designs. In today’s world, many end-users are willing to pay for customized solutions—if they can get them. By working with RBB, you can offer limitless custom electronics, even as you create new avenues for business growth.
Each year in our industry, thousands of custom-manufactured electronic assemblies and hundreds of thousands of components are disposed of in landfills across the country and around the world. Why? Because someone bought what they couldn’t consume. In most cases, the excess assemblies are in perfect condition; there’s simply a lack of demand for them. This is why our approach = less waste in electronic assembly manufacturing.
RBB's environmental stewardship goes beyond this to include a robust recycling program.
Learn more about how RBB's dedication to ITAR and RoHS compliance, along with our environmental stewardship, distinguishes us as a leader in custom PCB and control panel assembly. Download our guide to explore the unique advantages of partnering with RBB for your electronic manufacturing needs.
American made
since 1973.
