Solder Balling Test

In the solder balling test, a precisely defined volume of solder paste (appr. 5 mm Ø, h= 0, 2 mm) is placed on a thermally well conducting, non-wettable substrate, which is then placed on a hot plate or on the surface of a solder bath so that the solder will melt. On account of the surface tension, the paste will coalesce and form a ball. During the subsequent analysis of the solder ball and the solder residues found in the flux corona, specific information on the condition of the solder paste can be extrapolated.