Top 10 Myths About Container Leak Testing III

Myth: An effective CCIT method must detect packaging leaks as small as 0.2μm in diameter

Fact: An ideal leak detection method that can identify all leaks with a diameter of 0.2μm, as well as large visible defects in any product packaging, is fast, non-destructive and accurate, and this method does not yet exist. If it does exist, the biggest challenge to proving its ability may be to produce submicron leaks in test packages, and simulating submicron leaks with microtubes and the like has its problems (see Myth 4). Laser drilling technology has been reported to produce defects as small as about 2 to 3μm (nominal diameter) in laminated films or about 4 to 5μm in glass vials. Smaller holes are easily blocked by debris, their size is not easy to verify, and product recalls rarely occur due to submicron leaks. Instead, sporadic packaging defects or production processes tend to get out of control, triggering products with more serious leaks that conventional inspections miss. The most useful and practical leak test methods find small, tangible leaks and many larger, obvious defects that lead to product recalls.

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