Leak testing is an essential element in product quality testing for a wide range of industries. From the automotive industry to heating, ventilation and air conditioning manufacturing, countless products and parts have to be tested for tightness in order to meet specifications and be granted the positive end of the accept/reject option. In fact, for many suppliers to the automotive industry, leak testing is an integrated part of production: 100 percent of their parts are tested against a leak standard to meet quality requirements that are as important as the price or design of the product. Although no system is ever absolutely tight, leak testing strives for measuring exactly the leak rate of a manufactured part or product, ensuring that the product has been tested for maximum allowable leakage.

Leak testing may be performed for several reasons, all extremely important. It ensures that the outer environment is protected, keeping flammable, toxic or corrosive substances within an object’s walls. It can also ensure that a liquid or gas essential to the function of a system such as brakes, air conditioning units or hydraulic valves is contained within that system for the necessary period of time.

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