Aerosols

The test waterbath is one of the key devices in the aerosol production process, as it allows for effective checking of the container’s tightness. According to the requirements of Regulation 2008/47/EC, all filled aerosol containers must be tested in a hot water bath to ensure their safety and compliance with standards. The water temperature and immersion time are precisely adjusted so that the internal pressure of the can simulates the conditions as if the product inside reached a temperature of 50°C, which mirrors the actual transport and storage conditions.

The Test Waterbath consists of a series of functions ensuring the safe and effective execution of the test. With a temperature sensor and its maintenance system, an overflow prevention system, dryers, and ventilation, the device guarantees full control over the process, as well as enabling the removal of cans that do not meet the required standards.

The filled aerosol containers pass through the bath, where they are immersed in water at 60°C for a period of 2 to 5 minutes – the test duration can be adjusted according to the product’s specifications and the client’s requirements, but the most common time is 3 minutes. If the can is found to be leaky, the gas inside will escape, which is detected by the formation of bubbles on the water’s surface.

After passing through the immersion process, the cans are dried with compressed air using a built-in dryer, ensuring they are ready for further processing. The water in the bath can be heated using various methods, depending on the client’s factory infrastructure – most often, water, steam, or electric heating is used.

Solmatic offers three models of test waterbaths, each with different capacities, capable of testing 60, 80, or 120 cans per minute. Despite high efficiency, this process is quite energy-intensive as it requires heating and maintaining the water temperature at 60°C in a tank with a capacity of 1000 to 1500 liters.

The Laboratory Test Waterbath (manual) is a smaller version of the Automatic Test Waterbath, designed for conducting tests on a smaller scale. The device is operated by a single operator and allows for manual testing of can tightness. The bath accommodates eight aerosol containers filled with product. The operator uses a lever to immerse the tested containers in heated water, which enables visual detection of leaks in the tested containers and the elimination of defective units from the production line.

The water in the bath is heated to 60°C, simulating the storage and transport conditions of the containers. Cans that show leakage are easily identified by the release of gas, forming bubbles on the water’s surface. Defective containers are then manually removed from the production line.

The Laboratory Test Waterbath is an ideal solution for small production trials where full automation is not necessary. While manual, it provides high accuracy and allows testing in laboratory conditions, with complete control over the process.

Aerosol manufacturers are constantly seeking new and improved methods for testing the tightness of containers. In response to this need, Solmatic has developed an innovative device – the Gas Leak Detector, designed to meet the specific requirements of one of our clients in Poland. This device is used to detect gas leaks from aerosol cans during production and eliminate defective containers from further processing.

The Gas Leak Detector works in conjunction with a conveyor system, through which aerosol cans pass and are checked by the gas sensor gate. Our device is equipped with eight highly sensitive sensors that analyze the gas spectrum. Aerosol containers filled with gas pass through two testing stations. If a sensor detects the presence of gas, it indicates that the can is leaking. The defective can is automatically removed from the production line – blown off the conveyor by a stream of compressed air and falling into a container located at the bottom of the device, where it is then collected by the operator.

The Gas Leak Detector is the first such device developed by Solmatic. Our goal is to continue improving this technology so that in the future, it becomes a cheaper and more energy-efficient alternative to traditional methods of testing aerosol container tightness.