ASTM_F_2338_-_09_2013.pdf

Designation:F233809(Reapproved 2013)Standard Test Method forNondestructive Detection of Leaks in Packages by VacuumDecay Method1This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2338;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 Test PackagesPackages that can be nondestructivelyevaluated by this test method include:1.1.1 Rigid and semi-rigid non-lidded trays.1.1.2 Trays or cups sealed with porous barrier liddingmaterial.1.1.3 Rigid,nonporous packages.1.1.4 Flexible,nonporous packages.1.2 Leaks DetectedThis test method detects package leaksby measuring the rise in pressure(vacuum loss)in an enclosedevacuated test chamber containing the test package.Vacuumloss results from leakage of test package headspace gasesand/or volatilization of test package liquid contents located inor near the leak.When testing for leaks that may be partially orcompletely plugged with the packages liquid contents,the testchamber is evacuated to a pressure below the liquids vapor-ization pressure.All methods require a test chamber to containthe test package and a leak detection system designed with oneor more pressure transducers.Test method sensitivities citedbelow were determined using specific product-package sys-tems selected for the precision and bias studies summarized inTable 1.Table 1 also lists other examples of relevant product-package systems that can be tested for leakage by vacuumdecay.1.2.1 Trays or Cups(Non-lidded)(Air Leakage)Hole orcrack defects in the wall of the tray/cup of at least 50 m indiameter can be detected.Nonlidded trays were tested at aTarget Vacuum of 4E4 Pa(400 mbar).1.2.2 Trays Sealed with Porous Barrier Lidding Material(Headspace Gas Leakage)Hole or crack defects in the wallof the tray/cup of at least 100 m in diameter can be detected.Channel defects in the seal area(made using wires of 125 min diameter)can be detected.Severe seal bonding defects inboth continuous adhesive and dot matrix adhesive packagesystems can be detected.Slightly incomplete dot matrixadhesive bonding defects can also be detected.All porousbarrier lidding material packages were tested at a TargetVacuum of 4E4 Pa(400 mbar).The sensitivity of the test forporous lidded packages is approximately E-2 Pam3s-1using acalibrated volumetric airflow meter.1.2.3 Rigid,Nonporous Packages(Headspace Gas Leak-age)Hole defects of at least 5 m in diameter can bedetected.Plastic bottles with screw caps were tested at a targetvacuum of 5E4 Pa(500 mbar).Using a calibrated volumet-ric airflow meter,the sensitivity of the test is approximatelyE-3.4 Pam3s-1.Air-filled glass syringes were tested at a targetvacuum of 7.5E4 Pa(+250 mbar absolute)and again at atarget vacuum of about+1 mbar absolute.The sensitivity ofboth tests is approximately E-4.1 Pam3s-1using a calibratedvolumetric airflow meter.1.2.4 Rigid,Nonporous Packages(Liquid Leakage)Holedefects of at least 5 m in diameter can be detected.Thisdetection limit was verified using a population of water-filledglass syringes tested at a target vacuum of about+1 mbarabsolute.1.2.5 Flexible,Nonporous Packages(Gas or Liquid Leak-age)Such packages may also be tested by the vacuum decaymethod.Sensitivity data for flexible packages were not in-cluded in the precision and bias studies,although the use ofvacuum decay for testing such packages is well known.1.3 Test ResultsTest results are qualitative(Accept/Reject).Acceptance criteria are established by comparingquantitative baseline vacuum decay measurements obtainedfrom control,non-leaking packages to measurements obtainedusing leaking packages,and to measurements obtained with theintroduction of simulated leaks using a calibrated gas flowmeter.1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded asstandard.No other units of measurement are included in thisstandard.1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.1This test method is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee F02 on FlexibleBarrier Packaging and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F02.40 onPackage Integrity.Current edition approved Aug.1,2013.Published September 2013.Originallyapproved in 2003.Last previous edition approved in 2009 as F2338 09.DOI:10.1520/F2338-09R13.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2D996 Terminology of Packaging and Distribution Environ-mentsE691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study toDetermine the Precision of a Test MethodF17 Terminology Relating to Flexib