Aerosol Leak Testing – Safe and Proven Solutions

With the aim of providing our clients with solutions that ensure the highest production quality and end-user safety (the pressure inside a finished can ranges from 6 to 10 bar), we offer proven and safe aerosol leak testing systems. Tests are carried out using three types of equipment: an automatic test waterbath, a gas presence sensor, and a laboratory test waterbath.

Automatic Test Waterbath

Automated test waterbaths operating in continuous motion are among the most commonly used methods for leak testing aerosol containers of specific sizes and valve types. The system consists of a waterbath module, drive, dryer, and control cabinet, and requires no operator intervention.

How does the system work? Filled aerosol containers pass slowly through the waterbath, where they are immersed in water heated to 60 °C for 3 to 5 minutes. If there is a leak, gas bubbles will begin to emerge from the can – allowing the detection of a defective unit. Such containers are automatically rejected from the production line.
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After exiting the bath, the cans are dried with a stream of compressed air. Solmatic offers three versions of automatic waterbaths, designed for production lines with different capacities – 60, 80, or 120 cans per minute. While this method is effective and well-established, its drawback is relatively high energy consumption – the system requires heating and maintaining a constant temperature of 1000–1500 liters of water.

Gas Presence Sensor

Aerosol manufacturers are constantly looking for new, more efficient leak detection methods. To meet this demand, Solmatic developed an innovative device for a customer in Poland – a gas presence sensor gate.

This unit is designed to detect gas leaks from aerosol cans on an existing production line and to automatically remove defective containers.

The system works in conjunction with a conveyor transporting the cans. The gate is equipped with eight highly sensitive sensors that analyze the gas spectrum. If any of the sensors detect gas presence, it indicates a leak. The defective can is immediately removed from the line by a blast of compressed air and deposited in a collection container, from which it is picked up by an operator.

This is the first device of its kind developed by Solmatic. Our goal is to continue developing this technology so that it may become a more energy-efficient and economical alternative to traditional leak testing methods in the future.

Laboratory Test Waterbath

The manual test waterbath is a compact device used for small-scale leak testing – most often in laboratories or quality control departments. It is operated by a single operator.

The bath can hold eight aerosol cans at a time. The operator uses a lever to immerse the containers in heated water, observing them for gas bubbles that may indicate a leak. Defective cans are then excluded from further processing.

Which Solution Should You Choose?

It all depends on your individual needs, production scale, and preferences. At Solmatic, we offer solutions tailored to specific requirements – from single testing stations to fully automated testing lines. We provide comprehensive project implementation, as well as technical support and expert guidance at every stage of the project.