Application Bulletin: #167

Date: November 2009

BLACKBELT PRINCIPALS OF OPERATION

INSTRUMENT CONFIGURATIONS
Depending on the types of tests required and resolution and repeatability desired, the Sentinel
BLACKBELT instruments are assembled with one of the following pneumatic packages. Refer to your
specific configuration, supplied with your instrument.

Manifold Test Types Pressure ranges

Version
PA Single Pressure/ vacuum decay leak rate, loss, rate of Vacuum to 100 psig
Std Cv loss, or occlusion tests with standard Cv valves.
1P
PB Single Pressure/ vacuum decay leak rate, loss, rate of Vacuum to 200 psig
High Cv loss, or occlusion tests with high Cv valves (5X greater
1P flow than standard Cv valves)
PN Single Pressure/ vacuum decay leak rate, loss, rate of 10 psiv to 100 psig
Low Vol. loss, or occlusion tests with low Cv valves and small
1P manifold volume (<1 cc)

Figure 1 Pneumatic Manifold configurations

The pneumatic module is mounted in the bottom of the enclosure. It interfaces to the circuit board,
operator keypad and display. The enclosure limits the number of total regulators to one. The following
details descriptions of the tests, pneumatic circuits, and timing diagrams.

PRESSURE DECAY TESTING

Leak Testing Using Absolute Pressure Decay Test Systems

The basic principle of operation of a pressure decay leak test instrument is to fill the test part to a
specified target test pressure, isolate the test part from the source air and allow the pressure to stabilize,
and then measure the pressure loss due to a leak over a defined time. The leak test instrument translates
the pressure loss value measured over the fixed test time to a leak or flow rate. To achieve the greatest
accuracy and repeatability in this test the Sentinel BLACKBELT corrects all pressure loss values and leak
standard flow rates for deviations in pressure from the Target pressure of the test using the formula below.

dPloss = Actual dPloss x (Ptarget/Ppart)

dPloss is the corrected pressure value for the test

Actual dPloss is the measured pressure loss in test
Ptarget is the specified Target Pressure for the test
Ppart is the measured test pressure at the mid point of the test cycle
With these corrected values the instrument calculates the leak or flow rate basically using the following
relationship. The instrument measures and corrects the parameters of dPM and dPM+LS during the Auto Cal
function and stores these parameters for the calculations.

dPPart - dPM
Leak Rate = ---------------- x LRLkStd + EDC
dPM+LS - dPM

Leak Rate = Calculated Leak Rate (sccm)

*dPpart = corrected pressure loss of the test part (psi)
*dPM = corrected pressure loss for non-leaking master part during Auto Cal cycle (psi)
*dPM+LS = corrected pressure loss for the master part with the leak standard during Auto Cal (psi)
*LRLkStd = Corrected leak value on certified leak standard used to calibrate the system (sccm)
EDC = Environmental drift correction is the correction factor for drifts in ambient temperature, part
temperature, part elasticity, and part absorption characteristics from original calibration parameters in
sccm.

*Pressure loss and leak rate values are adjusted for pressure variations from target pressure per the
formula shown above.

The settings for the “Pre-fill”, “Fill”, “Stab”, and “Test” timers influence the resolution and repeatability
of the instrument under test conditions. Calibrating the instrument to each part type using the timer
settings establishes the pressure loss to leak rate relationship for that part under the conditions of the
defined test cycle and that particular part volume.

Pressure Decay, Pressure Loss, Pressure Rate of Change, and Occlusion Testing with Absolute
Pressure Transducer

Version PA, PB, and PN Single Regulator/Single Transducer Test Pneumatics

Part
Isolation Pressure
Fill/Exhaust Valve Transducer
Valve

Test
Part

Regulator Leak
Standard
Calibration Valve

Figure 2 Version PA, PB, and PN Pneumatic diagram for pressure decay, pressure loss, pressure
rate of loss, and occlusion tests
Fill/Exhaust Pilot Valve Part Isolation Pilot Valve Fill/Exhaust Pilot Valve
Part Isolation Pilot Valve Fill/Exhaust Pilot Valve Calibration Pilot Valve
Calibration Pilot Valve Calibration PilotValve Part Isolation Pilot Valve

Figure 116 Test

Type/Manifold PN
Figure 114 Test Figure 115 Test Low internal test volume
Type/Manifold PA Type/Manifold PB for single pressure or
One regulator for a High Flow manifold vacuum decay test.
pressure or vacuum with one regulator for a Limited to 10 psiv and
decay test instrument. pressure or vacuum 100 psig.
Limited to 100 psi tests decay test instrument.
Limited to 200 psi tests.

A precision mechanical regulator controls the fill (evacuation) pressure for the test through a normally
vented fill/exhaust valve and a normally open part isolation valve. After the fill cycle, the part isolation
valve closes and then the fill/exhaust valve changes to vent the closed part isolation valve to atmosphere
during the test cycle. This prevents leakage from the air source into the test pneumatics, which might
hide a leak condition. At the end of the test cycle, the part isolation valve opens to exhaust the part. The
normally closed calibration valve opens automatically only during the second test of the Auto Calibration
routine and during Auto Setup routine in order to connect the calibrated leak standard to the test volume.
There is also a manual control of the calibration valve within the SELF TEST, Open Orifice routine for
calibration verification. There is a programmable digital input option to activate this isolation valve to the
Leak Standard as an automated way of verify the system calibration. In AutoRun there is an option to
open the Calibration Valve to add the Leak Standard for every third test.

Some applications require a fast fill capability because of the large volume of the test part. The purpose
of the high flow pneumatics is to quickly get air into (or evacuate) the part for testing and exhaust (or
vent) the part at the conclusion of the test. The high flow valves minimize the pre-fill and exhaust times,
therefore minimizing the total cycle time. The high flow pneumatics valves have a Cv factor or flow
coefficient that is approximately 5 times greater than the standard valve package.
 Pre-fill Fill Stabilization Test Exhaust
Fill/Exhaust
Valve

Part Isolation
Valve

Calibration*
Valve
*only activated during second test of Auto Cal, third test of Auto Setup or manually via Self
Test or digital input.

Figure 3 Timing sequence for Version PA PB, and PN pressure decay, pressure loss, and pressure
rate of change tests

Occlusion (Back Pressure)

The occlusion test is a back pressure test. The part is pressurized by activating the Fill/Exhaust Valve. At
the end of the Test timer the actual test pressure is compared to the Low Limit Pressure and High Limit
Pressure settings. Low Limit Pressure indicates high flow or minimum blockage or low back pressure.
High Limit Pressure indicates low flow or maximum blockage or high back pressure. At the end of test,
the part exhausts when the Fill/Exhaust valve deactivates.

Test Exhaust
Fill/Exhaust
Valve

Figure 4 Timing for occlusion tests in all manifold types that offer Occlusion testing

ESTABLISHING TEST PARAMETERS

Leak Values Within LEAK routine

Low Limit High Limit

The Sentinel BLACKBELT instruments have two set points, low and high limits, with which to compare
test results. These limit values define three regions (above high limit, between limits, and below low
limit) in which to qualify the results of each test. There are five optional outputs, which are activated
starting at the beginning of the exhaust cycle to indicate in which area (test passed, test failed, above high
limit, between limits, and below low limit) the test results fell.
The instrument evaluation criteria are defined FPF (Fail below Lo Lim, Pass between limits, and Fail
above Hi Lim). The Fail/Pass/Fail criteria matches the appearance of the bar graph on the display.
When the part is pressurized, the bar graph goes up or to the right on the display. As pressure is lost the
bar graph falls or moves to the left on the display. Small leaks cause a small loss. High Leakers have a
large drop in pressure. Therefore, the bar graph moves to the right as the part is charged with pressure or
evacuated for a vacuum test. If the part has a small or no leak, the bar graph will move very slowly back
to the left. If the part has a large leak, it will move quickly to the left. Therefore, the Lo Lim threshold is
on the right side of the graph and the Hi Lim threshold is on the left side of the graph for both pressure
decay and vacuum decay testing.
 Hi Lo
Lim Lim
p/f ↓ p/f ↓ p/f

Accept/ Reject>Hi Lim> Accept/Reject>Lo Lim>Accept/Reject

Above Hi Lim Between Limits Below Lo Lim

Figure 5 Bar Graph illustration

For pressure decay leak test, pressure loss, and pressure rate of change applications, the limits define
the tolerance of air leakage allowed by the part during test. The typical configuration would have the high
limit equal to the reject rate or specified tolerance of leakage, loss, or rate of change for the part. The low
limit would be set at zero or a negative value (10 to 20% of reject rate or high limit value) within Part
Configuration, Chapter 5.

The test evaluation criteria should be set to reject test results greater than the high limit value and accept
parts between the limits. The area below the low limit is also set to fail. It is usually desirable to alert the
process when parts test significantly better than when initially calibrated so it is set to fail any value that
is below the low limit.

For occlusion (blockage or back pressure) applications, it would be desirable to check that the
effective pressure when pressurizing a part is within limits of back pressure that is controlled by the flow
going through a part. High flow will cause low back pressure while low flow will cause high back
pressure. The Low Limit Pressure set point will be on the right side of the display and High Limit
Pressure will be on the left side of the display. This is consistent with Low Lim and High Lim display for
the all the other tests.

For flow applications, it is usual to accept values that are between a low and high limit. All values
greater than the high limit and less than the low limit should be set to reject. The Low Limit flow set
point is on the right while the high lim flow is on the left side.

Leak Standard (orifice)

This is the value of the leak standard located on the internal pneumatic manifold or of the calibration
device located externally in the test station pneumatics or in the part. This value is used when calibrating
the instrument. It must be entered before starting the Auto Cal process. The internal leak standard has a
calibrated leak value printed on the stainless steel housing. There is also a printed calibration report for
the leak standard included with the instrument or located in the component documentation binder if an
entire machine is supplied by CTS. The flow value of the leak standard was determined at a specified
pressure, which should be the test pressure for the application. If the test pressure is different, the flow
value for the leak standard will be different. The calibration date is provided on the flow standard and
certificate. .

Environmental Drift Correction (EDC)

The environmental drift correction routine helps to maintain the calibration of the system by continuously
monitoring and calculating a correction factor for changes in the test conditions. This routine dynamically
compensates for slow changes in the test environment like room temperature changes, part temperature
changes, test air temperature changes, part elasticity changes, part absorption characteristics, etc. These
factors influence the dynamics of how the test part reacts to the testing process and the determination of
the relationship of pressure changes to leak rate. "Environmental Drift Correction” defines how wide of a
band around the “Master Part Loss” value will be considered as normal variations in flow rate for a non-
leaking part. The "Environmental Drift Correction (+EDC %) is based on reject rate. The instrument
continuously calculates a running average of test results that fall within the band (+EDC %) about the
original “Master” or No-Leak part curve. It corrects each future result by the calculated drift determined
from previous test results. The drift value is calculated as shown.

Σn Flow
Environmental Drift Correction = ------------- - “Master Part Flow”
n

Typical settings for “Environmental Drift Correction” are 10, 25, 50, and 90%. The sample size is set as
EDC quantity (3 or greater). Flexible parts require a greater “Environmental drift correction” than rigid
parts.

The “Environmental Drift Correction” effectively defines how much shift can occur. This limits the
routine from continuing to compensate for possible growing leaks in the seal or test pneumatics.

Pressure Values Within Test Parameters settings

Minimum Pressure, Target Pressure, Maximum Pressure, and Target Press Window
The Target Pressure is the specified test pressure. Set the regulator to match the specified Target
Pressure by using the "Set regulator" routine within the SELF TEST display function. Adjust the
regulator to display the desired Target pressure.

The Minimum Pressure (automatically set at 90% of Target Pressure or Target pressure minus
0.5 psig, whichever is the lowest pressure) must be met initially within the Pre-fill timer to start
the fill cycle. The test pressure must remain within Minimum and Maximum Pressure limits
about the Target Pressure to assure that the part is charged to the proper pressure or vacuum
during the fill (and stabilization) timers. Failure to maintain pressure within these limits will
stop the test as a Severe Leak. The Minimum and Maximum Pressures are automatically set at
+/-10% or +/-0.5 psi, whichever is the greater band about the specified Target pressure.
During the Test timer the pressure in the part must remain within the Target Press Window
percentage about the Target Pressure (set at 50%). Failure to stay within this window during the
Test timer results in a Malfunction and a test result error message of “Test Pressure Low” or
“Test Pressure High”.
Minimum Pressure, Maximum Pressure, and Target Press Window value are not displayed and
are not editable.

Master Press and Master+Leak Press

The Master Press and Master+Leak Press are the pressures measured at the mid point of the test
cycle during the AutoCal routine. These pressures are used to correct the pressure loss values
measured in the calibration routine to the Target Pressure using the formula.

Target Pressure
Master Part Loss = -------------------- x Measured Master Loss
Master Press
Master Part Loss and Master+Leak Loss
The “Master Part Loss” value is measured during the first test of the AutoCal routine. It represents the
pressure loss associated with testing a Master (leak free) or “zero leak” part. The The “Master+Leak Loss
value is the measured pressure loss in the second test of the AutoCal routine”. “Master+Leak Loss”
represents the pressure drop associated with a Master part that has a leak equal to the Leak Standard. The
“Master Part Loss” and “Master+Leak Loss” values cannot be modified after calibration. These
values are adjusted for the variation of the actual pressure in test verses the Target Pressure.

For pressure decay tests,

[dPPart – Master Part Loss ]

Leak Rate = --------------------------------------------------- x (Leak Standard)
[Master+Leak Loss – Master Part Loss]

Max Mstr+Leak Loss

This parameter is a safety-check value used during the calibration process to make sure that the system is
not calibrated with a leaking master part or fixture. Its final value should be set 2 times or less higher
than Master+Leak Loss value determined in the initial part calibration. The AutoSetup routine will
automatically set this value at two times the Master+LS Loss after optimizing the timers to conduct the
leak test within the Desired Cycle Time. If you are manually determining the timers for the test, initially
set this value high like 0.4 psi in order to allow error-free testing while adjusting the timers.

Min Master Loss

This parameter is a safety-check value used during the calibration process to make sure that the system is
not calibrated to Master part with a different volume or characteristic than an actual test part. Its final
value should be set to 50% or lower than the Master Part Loss determined in the initial part calibration.
This value will initially be set at zero in order to allow testing for the first time.

Low Limit Loss and High Limit Loss

These parameters are set as the test limits for Pressure Loss (Drop) or Pressure Rate of Change tests. The
High Limit Loss or Rate is the set point that represents the test specification of xx Pressure Loss in yy
seconds or zz loss/sec.

Low Limit Pressure and High Limit Pressure

These parameters are the back-pressure limits for the Occlusion test. Low Limit Pressure represents a
high flowing part where the opening is on the high side of the tolerance band. High Limit Pressure
represents a low flowing part where the opening is restrictive or on the low side of the tolerance band.

Timer Values within Part Configuration function - Timers

The purposes of the pre-fill, fill, and stabilization times are to increase the internal air pressure from
atmospheric to test pressure and allow adequate time for the pressure inside the part and test pneumatics
to stabilize. The effect of the fill time upon the stabilization time is discussed below.

When filling the part, the incoming air compresses the atmospheric air inside the part. This causes heat
generation due to the initial air in the part being compressed suddenly (adiabatic compression). The
pressure in the part will match the regulator pressure during the fill cycle using the relieving
characteristics of the regulator to bleed excess pressure or supplying additional air. When the
stabilization cycle begins (for pressure decay tests), the test part is isolated from the regulator and the part
pressure continues to seek equilibrium in an exponential fashion. The part pressure quickly decreases at
first but then slowly decays through the remaining stabilization time and into the test cycle. The amount
of decay in the stabilization cycle is moderated by the amount of time spent in the fill cycle.

The pressure loss during stabilization and test is governed by the following:
- The air volume inside the part
- The test pressure
- The thermal conductivity of the part
- The temperature of the part
- The temperature of the incoming fill air
- The ambient temperature conditions
- The elasticity of the part and fixturing
- The absorption characteristics of part construction

The following factors will require a longer stabilization time:

- Larger part air volumes

- Higher test pressures
- Lower thermal conductivity parts
- Greater differences in temperature between the part and ambient air
- Flexible part walls
- Low leak rate requirements

Room temperature variation can affect the repeatability of the system but are usually minimal. This
variable can be corrected by more frequent calibration or use of the Environmental Drift Correction
feature in the Sentinel BLACKBELT instruments.

The fill cycle helps to stabilize the initial rise and fall of pressure in the part by leaving the regulator
connected to the part until the end of the fill timer. Adequate time should be put on the fill timer so that
the pressure does not drop below the minimum test pressure parameter. Because all pressure loss or flow
readings are corrected for deviations from the Target Pressure, it is usually beneficial to get into
stabilization quickly as long as the pressure remains above the Minimum Pressure.

The stabilization timer is the time allowed for the temperature and volume of the part to stabilize before
the test starts. Enough stabilization time is required by the system so that when calibrating a good part
there is not more than 0.1% loss of test pressure during the test timer cycle. Minimizing the pressure loss
for a good part during calibration will improve the test repeatability.

The Sentinel BLACKBELT instrument has a pressure-streaming feature via the RS232 ports. This
feature outputs the test pressure every 0.01 seconds from the start signal through the exhaust cycle. These
pressure values can be recorded and plotted via HyperTerminal on most computers using a data program
like MS Excel. The plotted curve may assist in setting the timers if you are manually trying to set the
timers. More information about the pressure streaming values can be found in the Bulletin.

The Auto Setup routine in the Sentinel BLACKBELT instrument automatically performs a series of tests
to determine the optimal timer settings for Pre-fill, Fill, Stabilization, Test, Exhaust, and Relax to achieve
the optimal test within Desired Cycle Time. The Auto Setup routine is addressed on the Function panel
of the display keypad.
.
Pre-fill Timer
The pre-fill timer serves as an initial check on the tooling and part. It establishes the maximum time
allowed for the measured pressure in the part to reach the “Minimum Pressure” value. Once the pressure
reaches the “Minimum Pressure”, the instrument automatically moves onto the “Fill” timer. This timer is
usually set at twice the normal time it takes to reach “Minimum Pressure”. A Severe leak error message
will occur if the pressure does not reach “Minimum Pressure” within the “Pre-fill” time. There are test
failed, severe leak, and part reject outputs at the end of the test cycle and the reject lights go on. Any
tooling will retract at the end of the test cycle without using STOP/RESET unless the “Retract on Reject”
is set for NO.
There is a selectable digital output that goes high during this timer.

Fill Timer
To begin establishing the amount of time required for fill, set the fill timer initially at 2 seconds for small
parts (less than 15 cu. in. or 250 cc. internal volume), or 5 seconds for larger parts. Set the stabilization
and test timers initially to 10 seconds each.

When any change is made to the “Fill”, “Stab”, or “Test” timers, the instrument display will indicate
“Calibration required” after pushing the START key. An Auto Cal routine must be successfully
performed before another test can be run.

Enter all the test parameters and push MONITOR. Push START to initiate a test on the master part.
Observe the pressure during the fill cycle. If the fill pressure remains above the minimum test pressure
for the duration of the test, reduce the fill timer by 10 to 25%. If the fill pressure dropped below the
minimum test pressure, increase the fill timer. Repeat the test on the master part and observe the fill
pressure to be sure it remains above the minimum test pressure. Repeat the above to determine an
optimal fill time. Once the optimal fill time is set, increase the pressure regulator setting by 1/2%.
When the pressures drops below “Minimum Pressure” during the “stabilization” timer, a “Severe Leak”
error message will occur. The “severe leak” and “reject” outputs will go high until the start of the next
test. If the pressure goes above the “Maximum Pressure” during stabilization, “Test Pressure High” error
messages will occur at the end of test and the Malfunction output will go high but no test lights go on.
Any tooling will retract at the end of the test cycle without using STOP/RESET unless “Retract on
Reject” is set No.
There is a selectable digital output that goes high during this timer.

Stab Timer
Before setting the stabilization timer, the fill timer should be set. The optimal settings will minimize the
pressure drop for a good part during test. For small parts, initially set the stabilization timer to 5 seconds
and the test timer to 3 seconds. For larger parts, set the stabilization and test timers to 10 seconds. Start
the test cycle on the master part and watch the pressure during stabilization and pressure loss during test.
If the pressure during stabilization drops below the minimum test pressure, increase the fill timer. If the
pressure loss during the test cycle is excessive (greater than 0.1% of test pressure), increase the
stabilization timer. If the losses during stabilization and test are within acceptable limits, go to the next
section, Test timer.
When the pressure drops below “Minimum Pressure” during the “stabilization” timer, a “Severe Leak”
error message will occur. The “severe leak” and “reject” outputs will go high until the start of the next
test. If the pressure goes above the “Maximum Pressure” during stabilization, “Test Pressure High” error
messages will occur at the end of test and the Malfunction output will go high but no test lights go on.
Any tooling will retract at the end of the test cycle without using STOP/RESET unless “Retract on
Reject” is set No. There is a selectable digital output that goes high during this timer.
Test Timer
With the “leak standard” value and pressure set in the Test Parameter routine and all parameters set for a
test, activate the Auto Cal routine using the AUTO CAL button. At the completion of the “Auto Cal” test
routine, review the “Master Part Loss” and "Master+Leak Loss" values stored in the PART CONFIG,
Calib Parameter screen. The objective for setting the stabilization and test timers is to achieve at least a
minimum difference between the “Master Loss” and the “Master+Leak Loss” values of 0.050 psi for
small parts (<250 cc), 0.020 psi for medium parts, and 0.005 psi for large parts (>15,000 cc) and have the
“Master+Leak Loss” value be at least twice the “Master Loss” value. The fill and stabilization timers
affect the “Master Loss” value. The test timer affects the difference between the “Master Loss” and
“Master+Leak Loss” values. Adjust the timers to provide the optimal overall time cycle. There is a
selectable digital output that goes high during this timer.

Exhaust timer
The purpose of the exhaust timer is to allow air to vent the part before retracting tooling. The time
required depends on the test pressure and part volume. The part starts exhausting immediately after the
“test” timer expires. Typical times are 1 to 3 seconds. The Exhaust output, which is activated during the
exhaust timer, can be used to open an extra exhaust valve to speed up the exhaust process or divert
possible dirty part air through an external valve.

Relax timer
The relax timer is primarily used as a delay time between the first and second test within the automatic
calibration routine and AutoRun routine. Sufficient delay is required so that the part can return to a virgin
state before the second test. It does not affect the normal testing cycle time. It needs to be long enough to
assure repeatable calibrations. Typical times range from 15 seconds to 8 minutes depending the test
pressure and size/material of the part. This timer is also used as the delay time between tests when
operating the instrument using “Auto Run”.

Quik Test
During calibration the Sentinel BLACKBELT stores the master part calibration test data and calculated
High limit and Low Limit parameters. At the Quik Test Percent of the Test Timer the instrument
measures the pressure loss and compares the projected leak rate from this reading against the specified
Quik Test Low Limit and High Limit bands. If the Projected Leak Rate is within either of these two
bands, the test continues to the end of the test timer. If the instrument’s projected leak rate is outside of
these bands, it will stop the test, output the results according to the Test Evaluation criteria, and display
the projected leak rate. Quik Test is only available for test types that have an Auto Cal procedure that
requires two tests (PLR – Pressure decay).
 Low Limit Band
-LL Quik Test Limit
Low Limit
+LL Quik Test Limit
Master Part

High Limit Band

-HL Quik Test Limit

Pre-fill, High Limit

Fill &
Stabilize +HL Quik Test Limit
QT% of Test Timer
Timers
Test timer

Figure 6 Graphical illustration of Quik Test

The chart above shows the Master Part curve, the Low Limit with its LL Quik Test band limit, and the
High Limit with its HL Quik Test band limit. If the pressure loss is within either the LL Quik Test band
or HL Quik test band at the QT% of Test Timer, the test will continue and complete the entire test cycle.
If the results are outside the limit bands at the QT% of Test Timer, the test will stop and the test result
will reflect the Test Evaluation criteria (i.e. F/P/F for Fail >HL>Pass>LL>Fail). Setting narrow bands
about the Low Limit and High Limit is a very aggressive approach that will greatly limit the number of
tests that run to the end of the test timer. Set wider bands as a more conservative approach to Quik Test.

An initial analysis of Quik Test should be performed before actually implementing this feature by
establishing the “QT% of Test Timer” at 10, 25, 50, 75, or 90% and setting “Quik Test “ to OFF. An
Auto Cal must be performed after setting the "Quik Test Timer %" to measure the typical leak response
curve for the test and determine the response at the Quik Test Timer%. Test production parts over a
reasonable time (up to 1000 parts in various production conditions). The instrument projects a leak rate at
the Quik Test Timer% and then completes the full test cycle and calculates the leak rate for the complete
test. The Sentinel BLACKBELT stores up to 5000 test results that include both the actual complete test
result and a projected test result based on the Quik Test measurement. By comparing the two leak rate
results, a percent of error for the Quik Test feature can be calculated. If the results are satisfactory, the
Quik Test feature can be implemented by setting appropriate High Limit and Low Limit Bands based on
the test comparison and Enabling Quik Test. This feature will save the time difference between a full test
time and the Quik Test Time for almost all of the accepted parts and most of the rejected parts. If the
results are not consistent to each other, test further by increasing the Quik Test Timer %, re-calibrate the
instrument, and compare the results again.

Master calibration part

To establish times, perform calibration, or optimization test procedures you must find a master (leak free)
part. If possible, this part should be marked and used as a reference whenever calibration is required.
Verify integrity of test circuit and master part
Check that the test circuit and master part are leak free. To do this, place the master part in the tooling
fixture and run a test. As soon as the instrument enters the “Test” portion of the leak cycle, press the
HOLD key (the display will indicate that the instrument is in HOLD.) Now watch the displayed pressure
loss (flow) value. If the part and tooling are indeed leak free, the reading will eventually stabilize around
a fixed value. If this does not happen, use a water and soap solution to find the leak. As an interesting
experiment, grasp the brass test port with your hand. As the heat of your hand warms the metal, the
pressure (flow) in the test circuit increases (the pressure loss on the display decreases).