In this article, we will examine the various tools and techniques used to produce test samples for determining the parameters of our leak tests.
It is not easy to produce leaky samples directly on traditional production lines.
We will therefore suggest several methods for producing your own samples.
Traditional methods with specialised companies
The first method is fairly simple: you decide on the size of the leak and the flow rate you want to achieve, then you send your samples or have a specific product made containing this calibrated leak.
This can be done by precision engineering companies or plastics specialists in the case of flexible packaging.
You can also purchase commercially available needles with calibrated holes and pierce your products with these needles. One of the major drawbacks is that the needle must pass through a patch, and there may be sealing issues with the patch that holds the needle in place. If you want to work with very low leak rates, this can be problematic.
Simple and effective method with our tools
We spent a long time searching for products that would enable us to drill through flexible or rigid materials easily and effectively.
Initially, we turned to tungsten wires, which had the major disadvantage of being flexible and fragile, meaning that we had to be careful not to apply too much force or risk breaking the wire.
We therefore monitored the market to find companies specialising in precision engineering to produce high-performance, robust tools.
We found an almost perfect solution for our needs through a mechanical engineering company working with watchmakers in Switzerland.
The quality of their product exceeded all our expectations.
We found a range of drilling tools that allowed us to drill very small holes.
Our range goes from 30 microns to 300 microns, and we can order any size between 30 and 300 in 10-micron increments.
The precision of the tools allows us to drill holes with a tolerance of 0 / +5 microns.
For example, if you order our 40-micron tool, you can be sure of drilling a hole between 40 and 45 microns in your packaging.
The tools are delivered in a protective box, as the smaller ones are fragile and must be handled with care.
As the tools are made of carbide steel, they have a much longer service life than our tungsten wire-based solutions.
from 30 to 300µm
30, 40, 50...300µm
If you want to drill calibrated holes, do not hesitate to contact us.