Association Connecting Electronics Industries

® IPC-J-STD-004C-WAM1

Requirements for
Soldering Fluxes

A standard developed by the Flux Specifications Task Group (5-24a)

of the Assembly and Joining Processes Committee (5-20) of IPC

Supersedes: Users of this publication are encouraged to participate in the

development of future revisions.
J-STD-004C - January 2022
J-STD-004B - November 2011 Contact:
J-STD-004A - January 2004
J-STD-004 - January 1995
Amendment 1 - April 1996
IPC

Tel 847 615.7100

Fax 847 615.7105
September 2022 IPC J-STD-004C-WAM1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 SCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 3.3.1.2 Corrosion Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.3.1.3 Quantitative Halide Content Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.1 Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
3.3.1.4 SIR Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.2 Classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
3.3.1.4.1 Reporting SIR Test Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.3 Measurement Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
3.3.1.4.2 SIR Test Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.4 Definition of Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3.3.1.5 Resistance to ECM Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.5 Process Control Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3.3.1.5.1 Reporting ECM Test Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.6 Order of Precedence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3.3.2 Characterization Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.6.1 Conflict . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3.3.2.1 Flux Solids (Nonvolatile) Determination . . . . . . . . 8
1.6.2 Clause References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3.3.2.2 Acid Value Determination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.6.3 Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3.3.2.3 Specific Gravity Determination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.7 Use of “Lead” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3.3.2.4 Viscosity of Paste (Tacky) Flux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.8 Abbreviations and Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3.3.2.5 Visual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.8.1 ECM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3.4.1 Optional Qualitative Halide Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.8.2 SIR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3.4.1.1 Optional Chlorides and Bromides by Silver
1.9 Terms and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Chromate Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.9.1 Halide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3.4.1.2 Optional Fluorides By Spot Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.9.2 Halogen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3.4.2 Optional SIR Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.9.3 Low Halogen Flux (Cl and Br) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3.4.2.1 Reporting Values for Optional
1.9.4 Resin Flux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
SIR Test Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.9.5 Rosin Flux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3.4.3 Optional Fungus Resistance Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.9.6 Supplier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3.4.4 Optional Halogen Content Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3.5 Quality Conformance Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.5.1 Acid Value Determination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.1 IPC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3.5.2 Specific Gravity Determination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.2 Joint Industry Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3.5.3 Viscosity of Paste (Tacky) Flux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.2.1 J-STD-001 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3.5.4 Visual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.2.2 J-STD-003 Solderability Tests for 3.6 Performance Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Printed Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3.6.1 Wetting Balance Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.2.3 J-STD-005 Requirements for Soldering Pastes . . . 3 3.6.2 Spread Test - Liquid Flux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.3 American Society for Testing
and Materials (ASTM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4 QUALIFICATION AND QUALITY ASSURANCE
2.3.1 ASTM D-465-15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 PROVISIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.4 British Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4.1 Responsibility for Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.4.1 EN 14582 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4.1.1 Responsibility for Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.5 International Organization for Standards . . . . . . . . 3 4.1.1.1 Quality Assurance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.5.1 ISO 9001-2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4.1.2 Test Equipment and Inspection Facilities . . . . . . . . 9
2.6 National Conference of Standards Laboratories 4.1.3 Inspection Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
(NCSL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4.2 Types of Inspections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.6.1 ANSI-NCSL-Z540-1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4.3 Qualification Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
4.3.1 Sample Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4.3.2 Inspection Routine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.1 Designation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4.3.3 Requalification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.2 Flux Qualification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4.3.3.1 Formula Variations Constituting
3.2.1 Classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Material Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.2.1.1 Flux Composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4.3.3.2 Manufacturing Site Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.2.1.2 Flux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4.4 Quality Conformance Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.2.1.2.1 Flux Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4.4.1 Sampling Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.2.1.2.2 Halide Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 4.4.2 Rejected Lots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.2.2 Characterization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 4.5 Performance Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.3 Qualification Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 4.6 Statistical Process Control (SPC) . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.3.1 Classification Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.3.1.1 Copper Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

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IPC J-STD-004C-WAM1 September 2022

Appendix A Example Qualification Test Report . . . . . . 11 Tables

Appendix B Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Table 3-1 Flux Identification System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Appendix C Abbreviations and Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Table 3-2 Preparation of Flux Forms for Testing . . . . . . . . . 5
Table 3-3 Test Requirements for Flux Classification . . . . . . 5
Figures
Table 3-4 Halogen Content in Low Halogen Materials . . . . . 8
Figure 3-1 Flux Corrosivity by Copper Mirror Test . . . . . . . 6 Table 4-1 Qualification, Quality Conformance and
Figure 3-2 Example of No Corrosion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Performance Testing for Flux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Figure 3-3 Example of Minor Corrosion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Table B-1 Spread Area Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Figure 3-4 Example of Major Corrosion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Figure B-1 Typical Wetting Balance Curve . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

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September 2022 IPC J-STD-004C-WAM1

Requirements for Soldering Fluxes

1 SCOPE 1.4 Definition of Requirements The words shall or shall
This standard prescribes general requirements for the not are used in the text of this document wherever there is
classification and characterization of fluxes for high quality a requirement for materials, preparation, process control or
solder interconnections. This standard may be used for quality acceptance.
control and procurement purposes. !%> The word “should” reflects recommendations and is used
to reflect general industry practices and procedures for
1.1 Purpose The purpose of this standard is to classify and
guidance only.
characterize Sn-Pb and Pb-free soldering flux materials for use
in electronic metallurgical interconnections for printed circuit Line drawings and illustrations are depicted herein to assist in
the interpretation of the written requirements of this Standard.
board assembly. Soldering flux materials include the following:
The text takes precedence over the figures.
liquid flux, paste flux, solder paste, solder cream as well as
flux-coated and flux-cored solder wires and preforms. It is not 1.5 Process Control Requirements The primary goal of process
the intent of this standard to exclude any acceptable flux or control is to continually reduce variation in the processes,
products, or services to provide products or processes meeting
soldering material; however, these materials must produce the
or exceeding User requirements. Process control tools such as
desired electrical and metallurgical interconnection. IPC-9191, JESD557 or other User-approved system may be
1.2 Classification used as guidelines for implementing process control.
CLASS 1 General Electronic Products Manufacturers of Class 3 products shall develop and implement
Includes products suitable for applications where the major a documented process control system.
requirement is function of the completed assembly. A documented process control system, if established, shall
CLASS 2 Dedicated Service Electronic Products
define process control and corrective action limits.
Includes products where continued performance and extended This may or may not be a statistical process control system.
life is required, and for which uninterrupted service is desired The use of “statistical process control” (SPC) is optional and
but not critical. Typically, the end-use environment would not should be based on factors such as design stability, lot size,
cause failures. production quantities, and the needs of the Manufacturer,
CLASS 3 High Performance/Harsh Environment Electronic
see 4.6.
Products Process control methodologies shall be used in the planning,
Includes products where continued high performance or implementation and evaluation of the manufacturing processes
performance-on-demand is critical, equipment downtime used to produce soldered electrical and electronic assemblies.
cannot be tolerated, end-use environment may be uncommonly The philosophy, implementation strategies, tools and techniques
harsh, and the equipment must function when required, such as may be applied in different sequences depending on the specific
life support or other critical systems. company, operation, or variable under consideration to relate
process control and capability to end product requirements.
1.3 Measurement Units All dimensions and tolerances in
When a decision or requirement is to use a documented
this specification are expressed in hard SI (metric) units and
process control system, failure to implement process corrective
bracketed soft imperial [inch] units. Users of this specification
action and/or the use of continually ineffective corrective
are expected to use metric dimensions. All dimensions
actions would be grounds for disapproval of the process and
≥ 1 mm [0.0394 in] will be expressed in millimeters and
associated documentation.
inches. All dimensions < 1 mm [0.0394 in] will be expressed in
micrometers and microinches.

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IPC J-STD-004C-WAM1 September 2022

1.6 Order of Precedence The contract takes precedence over 1.8.1 ECM The acronym ECM stands for Electrochemical
this Standard, referenced standards and drawings. Migration. ECM is defined as the growth of conductive metal
In the event of conflict, the following order of filaments under the influence of a DC voltage bias where
precedence applies: growth is by electro-deposition from a solution containing
metal ions that are dissolved from the anode, transported by
1) Procurement as agreed and documented between customer the electric field and redeposited at the cathode and specifically
and supplier. excludes phenomena such as field induced metal transport in
2) Master drawing reflecting the customer’s detailed semiconductors and diffusion of the products arising from
requirements. metallic corrosion.
3) When invoked by the customer or per contractual agreement, 1.8.2 SIR The acronym SIR stands for Surface Insulation
this standard.. Resistance. SIR is defined as the electrical resistance of an
When documents other than this standard are cited, the order insulating material between a pair of contacts, conductors
of precedence would be defined in the procurement documents. or grounding devices and that is determined under specified
environmental and electrical conditions.
The User has the opportunity to specify alternate acceptance
criteria. 1.9 Terms and Definitions Other than those terms listed below,
the definitions of terms used in this standard are in accordance
1.6.1 Conflict In the event of conflict between the with IPC-T-50.
requirements of this standard and the applicable drawing(s)
and documentation, the applicable user-approved drawing(s) 1.9.1 Halide Halogen ions are known as halides. Specifically,
and documentation govern. chlorine ion is known as chloride or (Cl-), bromine ion is known
as bromide or (Br-), fluorine ion is known as fluoride or (F-),
Some examples of documentation include the contract, purchase iodine ion is known as iodide or (I-) and halogen compounds
order, technical data package, engineering specification or that have ionic character are termed halide compounds.
performance specification. In the event of a conflict between
the text of this standard and the applicable documents cited 1.9.2 Halogen Halogen is the term for all chlorine (Cl) and/or
herein, the text of this standard takes precedence. In the event bromine (Br) in compounds. These two types of compounds are
of conflict between the requirements of this standard and referenced based upon the EN 14582 test method (see 3.4.4).
drawing(s) and documentation that has not been user approved, 1.9.3 Low Halogen Flux (Cl and Br) Low halogen materials
this standard governs. contain ≤1000 ppm (0.1%) Br, and ≤1000 ppm (0.1%) Cl.
1.6.2 Clause References When a clause in this document is Sample preparation should be AABUS.
referenced its subordinate clauses apply, unless the requirement 1.9.4 Resin Flux Primarily composed of synthetic resins and/
references specific subordinate clauses. or natural resins other than rosin types.
1.6.3 Appendices Appendices to this standard are not binding
1.9.5 Rosin Flux Primarily composed of natural rosin, extracted
requirements unless separately and specifically required by from the oleoresin of pine trees and refined. The rosins used
this standard, the applicable contracts, assembly drawing(s), shall have a minimum acid value of 130 as determined per
documentation or purchase orders. Appendices provide further ASTM D-465. A synonym for rosin is colophony.
information or refer to other sources of information to help
explain the document. 1.9.6 Supplier The term ‘‘supplier’’ is equivalent to the
‘‘manufacturer’’ of the flux product. Only the manufacturer
1.6.3.1 Appendix A Example Qualification Test Report
(not other intermediate providers, such as wholesalers,
1.6.3.2 Appendix B Notes
distributors, representative firms, etc.) is responsible to qualify
1.6.3.3 Appendix C Abbreviations and Acronyms
the flux product. Therefore, throughout this document, the term
1.7 Use of “Lead” For readability and translation, this document ‘‘supplier’’ is used.
uses the noun lead only to describe leads of a component. The
metallic element lead is always written as Pb.
1.8 Abbreviations and Acronyms Periodic table elements are
abbreviated in the standard. See Appendix C for full spellings
of abbreviations (including elements) and acronyms used in
this standard.