reflowing

Reflowing is the process of returning a material, text, or structure to a flowing or re-formed state after a disturbance. The term is used in several disciplines to describe how elements rearrange themselves as they regain mobility or readjust to new constraints.

In typography and digital publishing, reflow refers to text wrapping automatically as the available width changes. A reflowable document, such as HTML or ePub, redistributes lines and pages to maintain readability without manual line breaks; fixed layouts do not reflow.

In electronics manufacturing, reflow soldering uses a controlled temperature profile to melt solder paste so components form joints with pads on a printed circuit board. After placement, boards pass through heated zones where solder reflows and then solidifies during cooling.

In materials science, reflow describes the flow of heated substances, such as polymer melts or glass, toward a new equilibrium shape. Reflow processing can affect surface finish, viscosity, and microstructure, and is common in glass forming and polymer extrusion.

Other uses are more metaphorical or domain-specific, including dynamic layout systems in software that reflow content as windows resize, or metallurgical contexts where heat causes redistribution of material. Across fields, reflowing generally denotes a return to flow or a new stable arrangement after disturbance.