Leaks, even when they are small, can have a significant impact on the performance of a part or component or cause equipment to fail. Cracks and faulty seals are often the cause of these leaks, but they can often be detected by conducting vacuum testing on components.
During a vacuum leak test procedure, the part or vessel being tested (the test piece) is connected to a pressure/vacuum line and placed in the test chamber. The chamber is closed and sealed, all supply valves are closed, and the test piece and the chamber are simultaneously evacuated via vacuum to a preset pressure level. Once the pressure has stabilized, any pressure change in the test piece is compared to pressure changes in the chamber’s reference volume. If the test piece does, in fact, leak, the pressure difference between the two will increase. This data is measured and recorded.