Component movement and lifting are related to the soldering process and the design of the board. If one termination reflows and wets before the other, surface movement is generated either rotational or vertical. The different solderability of each termination has also be shown to cause lifting.

The use of vapour phase reflow is more likely to cause movement than convection due to the fluid movement on the board surface. The example shown lifted because of the thick solder mask, during reflow it acted like a fulcrum lifting the part just above the pad surface.