Regardless of your familiarity with leak testing, CTS is here to help. The purpose of a leak test lab trial is to show you what a good leak test could look like for your part or assembly, but to also help educate you on the leak test, equipping you with the knowledge you’ll need to be able to then implement the test back on your line. We walk you through the whole process, making sure you leave the trial feeling confident and informed on the matters important to your test, including the below.
The practical basics of leak testing
From the very basics, we’ll help you understand how a leak test instrument works and what it is doing to the part at each stage of the test. We’ll educate you on how a leak test works, and specifics like what a pressure drop really means in practical terms, how an air test compares to hydrotesting, etc. Our goal is to take you from a theoretical discussion to a practical example so that you will be able to better apply the principles in your factory.
Test approach and setup
When manufacturers come to us with a problem with their current leak test, sometimes the problem is that they have set up their test with the wrong approach, measuring the wrong factor. For example, we had a customer testing a device to be water-tight. They were using a pressure decay leak test, pushing pressure into the part and measuring how much escaped. This approach was measuring how much air could make its way out of the part. Instead, we helped them realize that what they really wanted to test was the leak paths that lead into the part, making a vacuum leak test a more effective method.
The best leak test approach can be impacted by a variety of different factors to do with part design and application, so it’s important to take a moment to make sure you are testing for the right thing, or the test will not be effective for your needs.
Leak test technologies and methods
To determine the ideal test technology and method for your part, we must first identify what are you trying to achieve. Are you looking to make sure gas doesn’t escape? Or perhaps you are testing fluids? What viscosity of fluids? Do you need to measure flow through the part? Do you have a high throughput goal? Do you have an aggressive cycle time goal? These factors (and many others) will determine whether you should use pressure decay, mass flow, tracer gas, etc. We will work with you to understand these goals to design the best leak test solution to meet your needs.
Sealing and fixturing
Proper sealing and fixturing is of the utmost importance to a reliable, repeatable leak test. It is important to make sure everything up to the part is as leak-free and repeatable as possible, as it can greatly affect the accuracy of the test. Fixturing also becomes very important, particularly if you are testing a part or assembly prone to expansion when it is filled with air, affecting the accuracy of your leak test. In our leak test lab, we make use of our line of CTS Connects, connectors and seals, to facilitate the tests. We also offer custom fittings and have 3D printing capabilities on-site for sealing and fixturing, as needed. Your trial report will include what types of fixturing you’ll need, tubing, types of fittings, etc. so that you can have confidence in the accuracy of your test.
Leak test specifications and best practices
Setting your leak rate specifications remains the responsibility of the manufacturer, but when you have a good and bad part and may not know the specific leak rate associated with them, we can help you understand industry best practices, see how the part reacts when its pressurized, and identify the value of the leak rate associated with your good and bad parts so that you can better test for them.
This process can also help you better hone your specifications and test limits. Sometimes we have customers come in that may have a set specification based on best practices, but through the trial, the measurements illustrate that they would be letting faulty parts through with that specification.
Repeatability requirements and statistical analysis
CTS lab trials can assist with proving the repeatability of test measurement results, as needed for your assessments. CTS lab trials can assist in data gathering and statistical analysis for test, measurement, and instrument performance. These calculations can prove that any variation within the part, the instrument, and the test set up is small enough that you can be confident in your test to produce reliable, repeatable results.
Some manufacturers may have specific values they need to meet with their tests to prove the repeatability of their test solutions (including Gage R, Cg, Cgk, etc.). Regardless of your targets, we will help you understand the measurement and your needs so that you will be confident in your test solution.
Get help designing or refining your leak test with the CTS leak test lab
Regardless of your level of knowledge and expertise, the CTS lab trials team is here to support you as you design or refine your leak test. CTS has been designing leak tests for top manufacturers across the globe for over 40 years, and we are equipped with the knowledge and expertise to guide you in this process. Learn more about our leak test lab trials services.