What is the average duration of a leak test and gas analysis for food packaging?

There is no single answer to this question, because the duration of a quality control on a package depends entirely on the technology and measurement method used in your factory. In the food industry, cycle times can vary from a few seconds to several minutes.

To help you situate your current performance, here is a state of the art of average test durations according to the technologies available on the market:

  1. Gas analysis (O2/CO2): from 1 to 15 seconds

Modified atmosphere analysis (MAP) involves sucking a small amount of gas from the headspace to measure its composition. The speed mainly depends on the type of sensor:

  • Traditional sensors (electrochemical or older technologies): They often require a stabilization time or greater gas aspiration. The test usually takes between 5 and 15 seconds.
  • The latest generation optical or laser sensors: Ultra-reactive, they only need a micro amount of gas. The diagnosis is almost instantaneous and can be down to 1 or 2 seconds.
Duration of a leak and gas analysis test

Duration of a leak and gas analysis test

  1. Leak test (hermeticity): from 10 seconds to several minutes

Measuring the tightness of a packaging is a more complex physical challenge than analyzing a gas. The time required varies drastically depending on the method:

  • The immersion test (water tank / bubble): It is a visual and destructive method. Between preparation, vacuum immersion and human observation, the test often takes 1 to 3 minutes per package.
  • The vacuum or pressure variation test (instrumental method): The packaging is evacuated in a bell or via a probe. The device measures pressure kinetics. Depending on the volume of the packaging and the sensitivity of the pressure sensors, the standard market cycle generally oscillates between 15 and 45 seconds.

 

  1. The combined tests (gas + leak)

When manufacturers have to carry out two tests in a row on separate devices, the total cumulative time (including handling) often exceeds one full minute, creating a real impact on the rates of operators at the end of the line.

Combining these different steps therefore represents a major waste of time for agri-food factories. Given this situation, is there now a solution capable of breaking down these time barriers by bringing together the best of each technology?

 

How long does a leak and gas analysis test with Anéolia’s elyos® last?

By shaking up these market standards, Anéolia developed the elyos®. By integrating the fastest cutting-edge technology into a single portable device, the elyos® is at the top of the industrial performance map:

  • For the gas: only 1 second! Thanks to its optimized optical sensors, the analysis of the headspace is done in the blink of an eye.
  • For the leak: 10 seconds flat! Its depression management and metrological reactivity allow to validate the watertightness where other systems require two or three times more time.

For the handset: about ten seconds in total. The elyos® combines both analyses into a single sample, transforming what used to take a minute into a flash and smooth control.

Learn more about the elyos : click here