The vacuum, bubble test method, as described in Test Method D 3078
The procedures presented in this test method allow the user to carry out package and seal integrity testing with sufficient sensitivity to quantify seals in the previously defined moderate to very fine seal ranges.
By employing seal-isolating leak testing fixtures, packages constructed of various materials can be tested in the full range of seal performance requirements. Design of these fixtures is beyond the scope of this method.
These seal/package integrity test procedures can be utilized as:
5.4.1 A design tool,
5.4.2 For tooling qualification,
5.4.3 Process setup,
5.4.4 Process validation tool,
5.4.5 Quality assurance monitoring, or
5.4.6 Research and development.
1.1 This test method includes several procedures that can be used for the measurement of overall package and seal barrier performance of a variety of package types and package forms, as well as seal/closure types. The basic elements of this method include:
1.1.1 Helium (employed as tracer gas),
1.1.2 Helium leak detector (mass spectrometer), and
1.1.3 Package/product-specific test fixtures.
1.1.4 Most applications of helium leak detection are destructive, in that helium needs to be injected into the package after the package has been sealed. The injection site then needs to be sealed/patched externally, which often destroys its saleability. Alternatively, if helium can be incorporated into the headspace before sealing, the method can be non-destructive because all that needs to be accomplished is to simply detect for helium escaping the sealed package.
1.2 Two procedures are described; however the supporting data in Section 14 only reflects Procedure B (Vacuum Mode). The alternative, Sniffer Mode, has proven to be a valuable procedure for many applications, but may have more variability due to exactly the manner that the operator conducts the test such as whether the package is squeezed, effect of multiple small leaks compared to fewer large leaks, background helium concentration, package permeability and speed at which the scan is conducted. Further testing to quantify this procedures variability is anticipated, but not included in this version.
1.2.1 Procedure A: Sniffer Mode8212;the package is scanned externally for helium escaping into the atmosphere or fixture.
1.2.2 Procedure B: Vacuum Mode8212; the helium containing package is placed in a closed fixture. After drawing a vacuum, helium escaping into the closed fixture (capture volume) is detected. Typically, the fixtures are custom made for the specific package under test.
1.3 The sensitivity of the method can range from the detection of:
1.3.1 Large leaks-10-2 Pam 3/s to 10-5 Pam3/s (10-1 cc/sec/atm to 10-4 cc/sec/atm).
1.3.2 Moderate leaks-10-5 Pam 3/s to 10-7 Pam3/s (10-4 cc/sec/atm to 10-6 cc/sec/atm).
1.3.3 Fine leaks-10-7 Pam 3
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