Wave Flux

Wave Flux

Indium Corporation offers a full line of competitive, state-of-the-art wave solder fluxes for electronics assembly. We are the first company to introduce halogen-free, Pb-free wave fluxes that perform as well as the more established halogen-containing tin-lead wave fluxes.

In addition, we provide bar solders in:

  • Sn63
  • Sn60

Alcohol-based

The main advantage of alcohol-based fluxes is that they require less preheat to drive off the solvent prior to entering the wave. This allows assemblers to run smaller wave soldering machines at a higher throughput rate. It also reduces the concern about flux that has not been completely heated inadvertently transferring to the top side of the circuit board.

Fluxes that have high solids content, as well as higher amounts of halogen, tend to be more heat-stable and solder better with a variety of board types, sizes, and thicknesses. Fluxes with lower solids contents and no rosin tend to be easier to electronically probe-test and have less visually apparent residue. Halogen content is not necessarily an indicator of final circuit board reliability since halogen types vary and rosin in the flux will enhance an assembly's surface insulation resistance.

Alcohol No-Clean, Standard Products
Flux IPN Classification pH Specific Gravity
(@25°C)
Solids Content Halide Halogen Content Rosin/Resin Acid Value Tin/Lead
Pb-Free
Cleaning Thinner Application Shelf Life
  004A 004B  
WF-9940 FLUXWV-84471 ROL0   4.6 0.795 3.63 No   Yes 18.0 Both Aqueous/Saponifier 16-3000 Foam/Spray 2 Years
WF-9942 FLUXWV-84376 ORL0   4.0 0.828 4.37 No   No 36.0 Both Aqueous/Saponifier 16-3000 Foam/Spray 2 Years
WF-9948 FLUXWV-84572   ROL0 5.5 0.792 3.27 No <900ppm Yes 14.9 Both Aqueous/Saponifier 16-3000 Foam/Spray 2 Years
WF-9945 FLUXWV-84465   ROL0 5.8 0.796 5.77 No <50ppm Yes 14.4 Both Aqueous/Saponifier 16-3000 Foam/Spray 2 Years
WF-9955 FLUX-WV84563   ORL0 6.5 0.796 4.71 No <50ppm Yes 26.3 Both Aqueous/Saponifier 16-3000 Foam/Spray 2 Years
WF-9958 FLUXWV-84603   ORMO 4.2 0.798 4.99 No <50ppm No 28.5 Both Aqueous/Saponifier 16-3000 Foam/Spray 2 Years
WF-9946-NP FLUXWV-84650   ROL0 5.9 0.815 5.22 No <50ppm Yes 20.6 Both Aqueous/Saponifier 16-3000 Foam/Spray 2 Years
3541 FLUXWV-84273 ORL0   N/A 0.800 4.31 No   Yes 25.0 Both Aqueous/Saponifier 16-3000 Foam/Spray 2 Years
3545 (FP500) FLUXWV-84293 ROL0 ROL0 6.0 0.812 11.25 No <50ppm Yes 29.5 Both Aqueous/Saponifier 16-3000 Foam/Spray 3 Years
3577-TF FLUXWV-84318 ORL0   7.0 0.797 4.0 No   Yes 17.0 Both Aqueous/Saponifier 16-3000 Foam/Spray 2 Years
3590-T FLUXWV-84254 ORL0   3.2 0.803 1.85 No   No 16.0 SnPb Aqueous/Saponifier 16-3000 Foam/Spray 2 Years
3590-TX FLUXWV-84253 ORL0   3.2 0.809 2.50 No   No 22.0 SnPb Aqueous/Saponifier 16-3000 Foam/Spray 2 Years
3592 FLUXWV-84255 ORL0   4.0 0.820 2.64 No   No 22.0 Both Aqueous/Saponifier 16-3000 Foam/Spray 2 Years
NR10D FLUXWV-84307 ORL0   4.8 0.791 1.38 No   No 12.0 SnPb Aqueous/Saponifier 16-3000 Spray 2 Years

= Primary Formulas

Fluxes are available in 1-gallon and 5-gallon containers, and 55-gallon drums.

VOC-free

VOC-free fluxes use water as the dominant solvent. In addition to limiting the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOC) into the atmosphere, sometimes associated with global warming, VOC-free fluxes are also non-flammable. The disadvantage of VOC-free/water-based fluxes is that they require more pre-heat to drive off the water than similar alcohol-based fluxes. In addition, assemblers must be careful to ensure that the top side of the circuit board is dry, otherwise it could lead to reliability issues in the form of electromigration.

VOC-Free No-Clean, Standard Products
Flux IPN Classification pH Specific Gravity
(@25°C)
Solids Content Halide Halogen Content Rosin/Resin Acid Value Tin/Lead
Pb-Free
Cleaning Thinner Application Shelf Life
  004A 004B  
WF-7742 FLUXWV-84375 ORL0   3.2 1.014 5.76 No   No 36.0 Both DI (120- 140°F) DI Spray 18 Months
WF-7745 FLUXWV-84514 ORL0   2.8 1.013 4.22 No   No 39.5 Both DI (120- 140°F) DI Spray 3 Years
1072 FLUXWV-84342 ORL0   7.0 1.018 6.62 No   Yes 25.0 Both Aqueous/Saponifier 16-1072 Spray 2 Years
1075 FLUXWV-84257 ORL0   2.8 1.008 1.91 No   No 20.0 SnPb DI (120- 140°F) DI Spray 18 Months
1075-2 FLUXWV-84309 ORL0   2.6 1.015 3.80 No   No 40.0 Both DI (120- 140°F) DI Spray 18 Months
1075-EX FLUXWV-84248 ORL0   2.8 1.011 2.40 No   No 20.0 Both DI (120- 140°F) DI Spray 18 Months
1075-EX 30 FLUXWV-84249 ORL0   2.8 1.014 2.70 No   No 30.0 Both DI (120- 140°F) DI Spray 18 Months
1075-EXR 30 FLUXWV-84263 ORL0   2.8 1.015 3.71 No   Yes 30.0 Both DI (120- 140°F) DI Spray 18 Months
1075-EXR 40 FLUXWV-84289 ORL0   2.8 1.021 6.23 No   Yes 40.0 Both DI (120- 140°F) DI Spray 18 Months
1075-EXR 44 FLUXWV-84294 ORL0   2.8 1.021 6.23 No   Yes 40.0 Both DI (120- 140°F) DI Spray 18 Months
1076-30 FLUXWV-84250 ORL0   2.8 1.014 2.85 No   No 30.0 Both DI (120- 140°F) DI Spray 18 Months

= Primary Formulas

Fluxes are available in 1-gallon and 5-gallon containers, and 55-gallon drums.

Water-wash

Before no-clean fluxes became the most commonly used materials in wave soldering, water wash fluxes had an extended run as the preferred material. The advantage of water wash fluxes is that they can be formulated to be very active so that they can solder virtually any assembly without a concern for reliability, since the residue will be removed after the soldering process. The disadvantage of water wash fluxes is that assemblers must have an additional piece of equipment, the water wash system, to remove the flux residue, and must deal with the effluent.

Neutral pH fluxes can generally be left on the circuit board for extended periods of time before washing, while the "low" pH fluxes generally solder somewhat better.

Water Washable, Standard Products
Flux IPN Classification pH Specific Gravity
(@25°C)
Solids Content Halide Halogen Content Rosin/Resin Acid Value Tin/Lead
Pb-Free
Cleaning Thinner Application Shelf Life
  004A 004B  
1081 FLUXWV-84301 ORH0   5.0 0.957 28.44 No <50ppm No Not Tested Both DI (120- 140°F) 16-1081 Foam/Spray 2 Years
1081-T FLUXWV-84333 ORH0   5.0 0.908 12.57 No <50ppm No Not Tested Both DI (120- 140°F) 16-1081T Foam/Spray 2 Years
1082 FLUXWV-84658     7.0 0.920 14.46 No <50ppm No Not Tested Both DI (120- 140°F) 16-1080T Foam/Spray 2 Years
1085 FLUXWV-84287 ORH0   4.0 0.862 12.36 No <50ppm No Not Tested Both DI (120- 140°F) 16-1085 Foam/Spray 2 Years
1095NF FLUXWV-84252 ORH1   6.5 0.839 19.52 Yes <4.50% No 34.0 Both DI (120- 140°F) 16-1000 Foam/Spray 3 Years
1010 FLUXWV-84372 ORH1   <2.0 1.055 20.96 Yes ~4.50% No 130.0 Both DI (120- 140°F) DI Spray 2 Years

= Primary Formulas

Fluxes are available in 1-gallon and 5-gallon containers, and 55-gallon drums.

Rosin-based

The original fluxes for electronics assembly were rosin-based. Prior to the IPC's J-STD-004(b), the defense electronics industry established specifications for fluxes. To this day, some contracts still exist that require fluxes that conform to the old Mil-Spec Mil-F-14256 or QQ-S-571 as a type R, RMA, or RA, even though these specifications have officially been folded into the J-Standard. Rosin-based fluxes were popular because not only is rosin a natural weak flux when molten, but it is also a good dielectric material when solid. Small amounts of residue left on the assembly generally will not harm the assembly unless it operates at high temperature and humidity.

Rosin Fluxes, Standard Products
Formula Acid # Solids % S.G.
25°C
J-STD-004 J-STD-004B Halogen Apply Thinner Description
2036 50 36.42% 0.869 ROL0 ROL0 <50ppm Foam 16-3000 Rosin Type "R", ROL0
2212 38 25% 0.859 ROL1 ROL1 <0.15% Foam 16-2212 Rosin Type "RMA", ROL1

Fluxes are available in 1-gallon and 5-gallon containers, and 55-gallon drums.