OTTAWA, CANADA — Sciemetric Instruments, a provider of technologies used by many global manufacturers to increase yield, improve quality and optimize manufacturing processes, unveiled at The Assembly Show a new leak test system with a combination of accuracy, speed and affordability.

Leak testing is one of the most common, and most frustrating, assembly line tests for many manufacturers. From inkjet printer cartridges to large diesel engines, leak testing is a crucial quality assurance process to catch product defects before they lead to costly recalls.

But on busy assembly lines, seconds matter. Current leak-testing systems take precious time and are usually a significant production bottleneck. Accuracy is often compromised by poor pressure regulation and control, as well as fluctuations in atmospheric pressure and temperature. Test system reliability can be thrown off by something as minor as an A/C unit coming on. Nor is the testing data presented in a visual manner that supports rapid decision-making and process improvement.

Sciemetric’s new 3520 Series Leak Test aims to change that.

“Sciemetric has already set the global standard for in-process defect detection and intelligent data management to help manufacturers keep their assembly lines rolling with confidence,” said Nathan Sheaff, founder and CEO. “We have distilled all that expertise into a fantastic new plug-and-play system, to reinvent leak-testing for the 21st century.”

The 3520 Series Leak Test provides both high accuracy and fast cycle times. Manufacturers can improve test quality, reliability and the speed of decision making, and often budget for fewer test stations to reduce costs.

The system also works with Sciemetric’s QualityWorX data management software, to collect, collate and distill reams of testing data into clear, concise and insightful visual reports, including complete test waveforms, to further refine and optimize the leak test process.

“The 3520 is to rival systems what HD is to black-and-white analog television; the performance is nothing short of astounding,” Sheaff added. “And unlike other systems that suffer from changes in temperature and atmospheric pressure, you can depend on this system, rain or shine.”

In controlled tests against major automotive manufacturers’ in-house systems, The 3520 Series Leak Test provided substantially faster and more accurate results.

The 3520 incorporates a new dual-stage, high-flow precision electronic regulator designed from the ground up with both speed and accuracy in mind. This dramatically increases the speed of the fill for testing, regardless of the volume, with repeatability to within millionths of a psi.
It also uses an innovative combination of the latest precision electronics, signal conditioning, and A/D converters, to attain unprecedented levels of repeatability and accuracy in the measurement of pressure and flow signals. It's not affected by changes in atmospheric pressure.

Additionally, it compensates for thermal effects. Many rival systems claim to do so, but none do with consistent reliability. It's easy to use and calibrate, with built-in self-checks and diagnostics, and it supports multiple test types and pressures with programmable electronic pressure and flow control.

The 3520 Series Leak Test is available in low volume and high-flow manifold versions, for test volumes ranging from a few cubic centimeters, to hundreds of liters. This makes it the ideal choice for a range of industries, from printer cartridges and medical devices to automotive and heavy equipment. It is also available as a module to work with existing testing stations, or as a complete turnkey solution.

For more information about Sciemetric, visit www.sciemetric.com.