Leak Tester
Leak testing device for MAP packages containing CO2
Non-destructive
testing
When
products are sealed with protective gas, it can happen that individual
packages do not seal absolutely
air tight. Usually these leaks are
in the micro range, and cannot be discovered immediately, or even
at all,
using conventional test procedures such as a water bath. With the
new Leak Tester from Ridzewski GmbH,
it is possible
to check the tightness of the package sealing immediately after the
product has been packaged.
And this means for both small and large packaging units, such as
the contents of an E2 box. The smallest leaks
are detected, and the packaging is left intact.
The leakage test unit works automatically and non-destructively to
inspect the sealing on CO2 protective gas
packages, allowing the
detection of even the smallest leaks – all the way down to
the micro range. A CO2
content of approximately 5% in the package is enough to obtain reliable
results
The methodology and construction of the vacuum chamber make it possible
to examine both flexible and rigid
packages. For example, foods such
as meat spreads, cheese or sausages that are packed in protective
gas
can be examined, as well as cans or cartons containing products such
as powdered milk.
Depending
on the package size and the test chamber being used, it is also possible
to test the sealing on
several packaging units or shipping cartons at one time, up to the
size of an E2 box.
Procedure
The packaging is inspected by simply placing it in the vacuum chamber.
The automatic test cycle starts when
the cover closes.
The unit generates a user-defined vacuum for this procedure and measures
the CO2
content in the chamber. After the vacuum level has been reached, the sensor
is set to “virtual” zero. If the
CO2 concentration rises during
the measurement time that now starts and that was previously selected by
the user, this indicates that the packaging is faulty. The measured rise
in the CO2 content, in ppm, provides
information on the size of the area
that is not tightly sealed. A detected leak is reported to the user immediately,
and the test result is displayed on an easy-to-read touch screen.
The result is also stored in a database.
Display,
Operation and Program
The leakage test unit has a touch screen for easy operation. The special
program provides an automatic test
sequence and stores all test results
in a format that can be processed, saved and printed out with common
table calculation programs, such as Microsoft Excel.
The printed results can be tacked on to the package as batch documentation,
and serve as proof in accordance
with ISO 9000.
Specification
_ Display:
15“ TFT with back light
_ User interface: Touch-Screen,
easy to handle software
_ Hardware: Panel-PC (also
available with a stainless steel housing)
_ Software: Software for
machine control, display and storage of test results
_ Measuring range: 1
- 10000 ppm CO2
_ Underpressure
in mbar: 800 mbar
_ Response time: < 1 sec.
_ Calibration: No calibration required
_ Power supply: Depending on the
chamber dimension: 220 or 380 VAC. Also available for 110 VAC or any other voltage
_ Fuse: 16 A
Dimensions
_
Device: Depending on the chamber dimensions
_ Test chamber: The standard
dimensions of the chamber are 305x275x115mm
Other dimensions are also available. Please ask for details.
Inline Leak Tester
A
fully automatic Inline Leak Tester with conveyor belt was developed for
testing during production. Because
of the very short response time (< 1
sec.) and its compact, modular construction, the Inline Leak Tester can
easily be integrated into production lines with space restrictions, without
interfering with the process cycle
times. The unit is ideal for quality
assurance. Because of the high level of reproducibility for the measurement
values (+/- 3 ppm), it allows reliable assurance of the required quality.
Online Leak Tester
This
unit is attached to the corresponding conveyor belt. Sporadic sealing tests,
conducted at pre-defined
time intervals, are also possible..
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