Air Leak Testing

The air leak detector and flow meter utilizes a patented thermal principle of flow measurement. A thermistor-sensing element is operated at an elevated temperature from self-heating produced by passing a constant current through it. Air flowing past the sensor tends to cool it by carrying the heat away and thereby causing a change in voltage. The amount of cooling depends on the rate of flow and the temperature of the air. A second thermistor and appropriate circuitry is used to compensate for the air temperature so that the net result is an output that is dependent only on the air rate of flow.

Mass Flow technique:

• Test results in engineering units are not dependent on operator’s judgment

• Dry testing eliminates contamination due to immersion

• Direct leak rate readout is independent of part volume

• Faster and more accurate than pressure decay, which often results in acceptance of bad parts and rejection of good

VIC’s air leak testing techniques are also ideally suited for very large products and for assemblies, and can be combined with helium leak detection techniques to provide both fine and gross leak tests in one turnkey system


	Air Leak Testing for economy in high-throughput applications


		The air leak detector and flow meter utilizes a patented thermal principle of flow measurement. A thermistor-sensing element is operated at an elevated temperature from self-heating produced by passing a constant current through it. Air flowing past the sensor tends to cool it by carrying the heat away and thereby causing a change in voltage. The amount of cooling depends on the rate of flow and the temperature of the air. A second thermistor and appropriate circuitry is used to compensate for the air temperature so that the net result is an output that is dependent only on the air rate of flow. Mass Flow technique: • Test results in engineering units are not dependent on operator’s judgment • Dry testing eliminates contamination due to immersion • Direct leak rate readout is independent of part volume • Faster and more accurate than pressure decay, which often results in acceptance of bad parts and rejection of good VIC’s air leak testing techniques are also ideally suited for very large products and for assemblies, and can be combined with helium leak detection techniques to provide both fine and gross leak tests in one turnkey system








High-speed throughput is what makes VIC the leader in air leak testing. Unlike other air leak testing techniques, our patented thermal mass flow meter and fill techniques are ultra-fast and produce repeatable results with very low pressure drop—ideally suited for high-throughput leak-test applications.