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Test Types
Pressure Decay
Pressure decay tests can detect very small leaks in products. The product
is pressurized with air. The air is trapped inside the product and inside the
internal test circuit of the Sprint LC. The pressure change from a stabilized
pressure is monitored for a preset time interval. A pass light turns on if
pressure stays above the decay tolerance entered into a program.
Occlusion
Occlusion testing is used to determine if a flow path to atmosphere is open
through a device such as a catheter. The product is pressurized with air
and then isolated from the supply. If the pressure drops quickly the flow
path is open.
Flow
Flow testing can be used two ways: testing to detect leaks in a closed
product, and testing to measure flow rate through an open product.
In a leak test using flow, product is filled with air in the same way
pressure decay testing works. But unlike a pressure decay test, a flow
sensor is used to monitor air movement in the product. Any flow detected
in the product indicates a possible leak.
In a flow measurement test, product is continuously subjected to air
pressure flowing to atmosphere. The flow sensor measures the volume of
air passing through the product. A pass light turns on if the flow rate stays
within minimum and maximum setpoints entered into a program.
Burst
Burst testing is used to determine at what point a product, when subjected
to an increasing (ramping) internal air pressure, opens to atmosphere.
Often, a burst test can be destructive, for example testing till a joint or
seem fails, but many times is not. A variation of burst testing is called
creep testing, in which Sprint LC ramps to a set minimum pressure
expecting the device will not fail. Another use of Burst testing is to
determine at what point a device such as a valve opens to atmosphere by
design.
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