September, 2018


www.us-tech.com


Page 75


Leak Testing Hermetically Sealed Components T


By Heidi Franklin, Marketing Coordinator, ATEQ Corp.


here are more than 30,000 individual parts in a vehicle, and each one requires its own production and testing before being assem-


bled into a working vehicle. If any part is not properly produced, there


could be a wide range of consequences. A slight leak in a fuel filter seal can turn on the bothersome check engine light, but an airbag sensor that is not properly tested can have dire repercussions if it is not triggered to inflate during a collision. Vehicles are not the purely mechanical crea-


tures they once were. Today, they are more akin to computers on wheels. Today’s vehicles contain multiple embedded electronic control units (ECUs) that control their electrical systems. ECUs include control module subsystems, such as engine, power- train, transmission, brake, body, power steering, telematic, battery, and suspension control modules. Each of these modules is essen-


tially its own electronic computer within the car. In the past, it did not matter if a piece of metal in the vehi- cle was exposed to the elements, but now, every electronic component inside must be properly sealed and tested.


Cars are far from the mechanical creatures they used to be. Today’s vehicles are more akin to computers on wheels.


As auto parts have become more


sensitive to the elements, quality testing is more important than ever. There are about 75 types of nonde- structive tests (NDTs) that vary from visual inspection to laser and electro- magnetic testing.


Importance of Leak Testing While not all NDTs are required


for every part of the vehicle, one of the more pertinent types of quality testing in the automotive industry is leak testing. The general idea of leak testing is to test for defects in manu- factured parts, whether it be during the prototyping phase or on the pro- duction line. Engineers predetermine an


acceptable leak rate reject limit and then leak testing instruments are programmed to see if parts pass the test by leaking less than the reject limit.


“If components aren’t properly


leak tested, the defective parts could get to consumers, causing dissatisfac- tion, and replacement parts will have to be continually reproduced, wasting money, time and materials,” says Zac McGraw, ATEQ automotive applica- tions manager. Many people picture a leak as


water leaking out of a container, but it is just as important to consider ingress, such as air leaking into a bag of chips or liquids and vapors leaking into a waterproof watch. There are several popular leak testing methods used in every manufacturing indus- try. Besides the automotive industry, the medical, packaging, appliance, industrial, and electronics industries also heavily rely on accurate leak tests.


The most primitive form of leak


testing was performed by dunking each finished assembly into water to see if any air bubbles escape. Like the manufacturing industry, leak testing has also become more automated and


digitized over time. Most leak testers today are automated, hands-free testers that are seamlessly integrated into production lines, while data is col- lected and analyzed remotely in a lab. ATEQ instruments are fast and accurate and


are designed with high-quality materials and patented valves and transducers that all help to reduce test cycle time. The company’s instruments also have a small internal volume, which detects smaller leaks faster when testing with the pres- sure decay method.


Pressure Decay Testing While there are several types of leak testing


Leak testing system for hermetically sealed components.


methods, such as tracer gas and mass spectrome- try, the most common method used today involves


Continued on next page


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