ORS Labs Provides SIR and ECM Testing for PCB Cleanliness and Reliability Evaluation

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ORS Labs, a testing laboratory specializing in materials analysis, contamination testing, and reliability evaluation services for the electronics manufacturing industry, provides Surface Insulation Resistance (SIR) and Electrochemical Migration (ECM) testing services for printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) to evaluate cleanliness, ionic contamination, and long-term reliability.

The company’s PCBAs undergo chemical, thermal, and mechanical manufacturing processes that can leave ionic residues from fluxes, solders, or other contaminants, increasing the risk of electrochemical failures. ORS Labs uses cleanliness testing to verify material compatibility and reliability performance.

SIR testing at ORS Labs measures electrical resistance across circuit traces to detect ionic contamination. The low SIR values indicate a higher likelihood of corrosion or electrochemical migration. The company identifies several SIR testing parameters, including time, temperature, relative humidity and bias voltage.

ORS Labs performs testing in environmental chambers that control temperature and humidity conditions. Test coupons, typically using comb-like trace patterns, are biased under DC voltage while resistance measurements are collected for each net or channel.

The company also conducts ECM testing, which evaluates conductive dendritic growth forming between conductors under moisture and bias conditions. ORS Labs' SIR and ECM testing can identify weaknesses related to flux residues, solder mask materials, and process cleanliness before field failures occur.

ORS Labs uses standardized IPC test coupons for evaluation, including:

• IPC-B-52 – Full assembly process qualification
• IPC-B-24 – Flux residue testing (liquid or paste)
• IPC-B-25A – Solder mask integrity and moisture sensitivity

The company also references the following applicable standards:

• IPC-TM-650 2.6.3.7 – Surface Insulation Resistance
• IPC-TM-650 2.6.3.3 – Surface Insulation Resistance, Fluxes
• IPC-TM-650 2.6.14.1 – Electrochemical Migration Resistance
• J-STD-001J Appendix B – Objective Evidence of Material Compatibility
• J-STD-004D – Requirements for Soldering Fluxes

ORS Labs’ testing conditions are configured to simulate operating stresses, including elevated temperature and humidity levels, typically between 85–95% RH, to assess ionic migration tendencies. After conditioning, coupons are inspected for dendrites, conductor spacing changes, discoloration, and contamination indicators, with results documented for review.

The company’s AutoSIR systems are used to perform repeatable measurements for PCB cleanliness and reliability evaluation.

Click here to learn more about the SIR and ECM testing.