POUCH
LEAK
DETECTOR
Pouches are one of the standard flexible packaging used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Liquid and MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging) pouches are popular packages, they usually face numerous challenges, from pinholes and channel leaks to improper sealing that can affect the quality of the final product. Our leak detection solutions are very helpful to test your packaging integrity.
Package integrity is the ability of a package to prevent product loss, block microorganism ingress, and limit the entry of detrimental gases or other substances, thus ensuring that the product meets all necessary safety and quality standards. When testing for the integrity of packaging materials, you need a pouch leak detector.
Pouches offer multiple packaging benefits not found in other packaging solutions. For instance, they provide a range of sealable packaging solutions. You can use zip seals or closable spouts to seal the contents of the pouches. They are also made of various materials, from food-grade non-reactive barrier films to sustainable materials like laminated paper or traditional plastics. Passing them through a pouch leak testing machine is the best way to ensure package integrity. Let’s explore some of the ways to test for defects in pouches.
POUCH LEAK TESTER
A crucial aspect of quality assurance is maintaining the package integrity of pouches throughout a product’s life. Any micro-channels on the seals or pinholes affect the quality of the product. Pouches are also subject to microbiological contamination from oxygen and moisture ingress. Traditional methods for testing leakages in pouches included a dye penetration test that identified the source of the leak or the classic water bath test. As is the case with all destructive tests, the downside of the destructive method was the high cost since the pouches used for testing were rendered unfit for use after the test. We developed non-destructive Pouch Leak Detectors for liquid pouches and MAP pouches, which save costs and reduce waste.
MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging) POUCHES
Some food products packed in pouches have unsaturated fatty acids, making them vulnerable to oxidation. As a manufacturer, you need to test the MAP packages to check for leaks that could let in oxygen and lower the consumer experience. Oxipacks’ standard product, the Stationary Leak Tester (SLT), is useful for pouch leak detection. You can use the Stationary Leak Tester for any flexible packaging in food, pharmaceuticals and pet nutrition products. The machine is manually operated, and you can identify a product with any inert gas or air. You can easily test for leaks in pouches using the standard vacuum decay method by ASTM F2338-09.
Instead of measuring per unit, our Stationary Leak Tester is capable of measuring the products simultaneously. Besides, the test process doesn’t damage the flexible pouch, and the machine is simple to operate. When you place the items and start the test, a green light indicates that the package is leak-tight, while a red light shows the presence of a leak. You can use the pouch leak detector on packages of different sizes, and it is robust for industrial use.
Stationary Leak Tester
LIQUID POUCHES
It is almost impossible to test your packaging materials for leaks when producing juices, squeezed fruits or liquid pet food. The packages usually contain only the fluid, fruit or juice without air. Since the pouches don’t have any gasses, you cannot use the vacuum decay method or measure the air pressure to check for leaks. Unlike the vacuum decay machines, the stand-alone liquid leak detector (LLD) checks for pressure changes inside the pouch. If the pressure changes, it must be from a leaking product. The Liquid Leak Detector can measure pressure in an open space without using an enclosed gauge, speeding up the process. The leak detection is manual, and you can detect leaks. The accuracy often relies on the viscosity of the liquids. For instance, when a pouch contains water, the test cycles can detect pinholes and micro leaks. Another benefit of using the inline test method is the sustainability of the process.
Liquid Pouch Leak Detector
Pouch Leak Detection
When you are packaging products using foil pouches, the major concern is incidents of punctures in the foil. During the foil preparation, rolling it into thin sheets can cause punctures and micro voids on the particles. Fortunately, you can rely on a vacuum decay tester for high-quality pouches.
The Vacuum Decay Method (ASTM F2338-09) utilises a vacuum chamber around a sample. Pulling a stable vacuum level around the sample allows for measurement of the transducer(s) to determine any gas transfer from inside the package, which will disturb the vacuum level and indicate the presence of a defect. Due to Oxipack’s special patented membrane, there will be no pressure increase inside the package or any stress upon the seals. The membrane will compensate for the expanding force from the package and create an equilibrium.
Pouch Leak Testing Examples
Since flexible packaging is popular, many manufacturers use pouches for packaging their products. Some of the industrial applications of the pouch leak detector include the food industry. You can use pouch leak detectors to ensure pouches used to pack nuts, snacks, fruits, spices, and seasonings are leak tight. For instance, our pouch leak testing machine is used by a company that packs tomato-based sauces in doypacks. The tester can identify leaks in the spouts to prevent oxygen or moisture ingress. It is also useful for coffee and tea packaging, and you can verify the quality of your packages for pet food.
Flexible pouches are also used in the pharmaceutical industry, cosmetic industry and other industries, and manufacturers rely on pouch leak detectors to evaluate their integrity.