Lucas-Milhaupt Warranty vs. Shelf Life
Many times each year, customers ask our Technical Services Group, "What is the shelf life of your formulated products?" In most cases, Lucas-Milhaupt does not provide a shelf life, but rather a warranty. Please note that warranties do not mean that the product will cease being usable the day after the warranty deadline is reached.

First, let's understand the difference between a warranty and shelf life. Per the Merriam-Webster dictionary:

• A warranty is a written statement that promises the good condition of a product and states that the maker is responsible for repairing or replacing the product, usually for a certain period of time after its purchase.
• Shelf life is the period of time during which a material may be stored and remain suitable for use.

The key word in the shelf life definition is "suitable," which is normally interpreted as "fit for use." If stored in the recommended conditions, the shelf life of a product could exceed the warranty period. Lucas-Milhaupt's formulated products carry various warranty statements, depending on the chemical composition. Following are examples:

      Brazing and Soldering Pastes - Lucas-Milhaupt warrants these products for 90 days from the  date of shipment, if stored in the original, unopened container. Optimal storage conditions are 65-75°F (18-24°C), clean, dry and away from direct heat. Paste may require mixing to regain a homogenous state before application. The 90-day warranty should not be interpreted as the shelf, or useful, life of the product. Paste products may be used well beyond the 90-day warranty, unless customer testing or production results indicate unsatisfactory performance of the product.

      Brazing Fluxes:

• Dispensable-Flux Systems - Lucas-Milhaupt warrants these flux products for 90 days from the date of shipment, if stored in the original, unopened container. Optimal storage conditions are 65-75°F (18-24°C), clean, dry and away from direct heat. Dispensable fluxes may require mixing to regain a homogenous state before application. The 90-day warranty should not be interpreted as the shelf, or useful, life of the product. Dispensable fluxes may be used well beyond the 90-day warranty, unless customer testing or production results indicate unsatisfactory performance of the product.
• Water-Based Fluxes - Lucas-Milhaupt warrants these fluxes for 12 months from the date of shipment, if stored in the original, unopened container. Optimal storage conditions are 65-75°F (18-24°C), cool and dry. Twelve months should not be interpreted as the shelf, or useful, life of the product, unless actual test results indicate unsatisfactory performance for the intended application. Beyond the warranty, flux may be reconstituted to a working consistency by warming in a water bath and/or by adding distilled or de-ionized warm water. Flux may require mixing, diluting or warming to regain its normal consistency prior to use. When placed on a U.S. standard 40 mesh (425 micron) sieve conforming to ASTM E11, and worked lightly with a brush, flux should pass completely through the sieve. If the flux has partially coagulated in the container, it may be warmed in a bath before the test, until it returns to normal consistency.
• Dry Fluxes - Lucas-Milhaupt warrants dry fluxes for 12 months from the date of shipment, if stored in the original, unopened container. Optimal storage conditions are 65-75°F (18-24°C), clean and dry, with a relative humidity of 50% or lower. It is not uncommon for dry flux constituents to aggregate over time. However, this has not been shown to affect performance of the dry flux products. Twelve months should not be interpreted as the shelf, or useful, life of the product, unless test results indicate unsatisfactory performance for the intended application.

      Stop Off - Lucas-Milhaupt warrants stop-off products for 90 days from the date of shipment, if stored in the original, unopened container. Optimal storage conditions are 65-75°F (18-24°C), clean and dry. Prior to use, Stop Off may require mixing to regain its normal consistency. The 90-day warranty should not be interpreted as the shelf, or useful, life of the product. Stop-Off products may be used well beyond the 90-day warranty, unless customer testing or production results indicate unsatisfactory performance of the product.

Note: Brazing filler metal in the wrought form (typically wire/strip) has no warranty statement, because its shelf life is indefinite. If it becomes heavily oxidized, the proper mechanical- or chemical-cleaning methods can be used to remove the oxide layer, and the alloy should be immediately usable, even years after purchase.

CONCLUSION:
Lucas-Milhaupt provides a warranty, rather than a shelf life, for its products. Generally, a warranty promises the good condition of a product, usually for a certain period of time after purchase; shelf life is the period of time during which a material may be stored and remain suitable for use. If stored in the recommended conditions, the shelf life of a product could exceed the warranty period. Lucas-Milhaupt's formulated products carry various warranty statements, depending on the chemical composition.

Please see packaging for warranty information on Lucas-Milhaupt products. As always, contact us if you have questions regarding your brazing operation.