Inficon showcases “non-destructive” leak testing method for coffee packs in Bialetti partnership

08 Aug 2024 --- Inficon, specializing in leak testing systems, highlights the efficacies of its “non-destructive” leak testing solution for coffee packaging, through its partnership with Italian coffee manufacturer Bialetti. The method is considered a viable alternative to other systems that often lead to coffee bags rupturing.

Bialetti has adopted Inficon’s Contura S400 series for its coffee capsules and soft packs production. The system’s pressure increase method effectively detects leaks of all sizes without the use of test gasses. This “non-destructive” approach is designed to save time and resources while ensuring product integrity.

Plant manager Arman Khazali puts Bialetti’s annual output at 180 million coffee capsules and 2.9 million soft packs. Because these products are exposed to high water pressure during the brewing process in the coffee machine, a leak would impair the delivery into the cup and therefore the quality of the coffee.

According to Khazali, the leak test must therefore be accurate and able to provide a numerical quantification for each test in order to carry out a statistical analysis. “In addition, non-destructive testing offers added value compared to a destructive test,” he notes.

“Other advantages are the significant reduction in testing time and the fact that we are autonomous in terms of personnel and can therefore produce 24/7.”

Detection testing
To detect leaks in coffee packaging, various methods can be employed, such as bubble bath or CO2 testing. The common principle among these methods is the creation of a pressure difference between the test object and the surrounding environment. 

The Inficon Contura S400 measures leaks using a pressure increase system within a flexible film chamber.This pressure difference forces any contained gas to escape through leaks. The higher the pressure difference, the smaller the detectable leaks. However, high pressure can damage the seals and packaging, which may lead to misinterpretation of results, as intact packaging might rupture and be mistakenly identified as leaking.

Additionally, Inficon highlights that traditional testing systems like bubble baths are highly dependent on the user and must be adjusted differently for each volume and type of packaging. The results are recorded manually, and all tested samples, whether they are found to be intact or leaking, must be disposed of after testing.

“This practice harms manufacturers due to high write-offs and impacts the environment by causing food waste and additional avoidable waste,” underscores Inficon.

Straightforward operating process
In contrast, the Contura S400 system measures leaks using a pressure increase system within a flexible film chamber.

“It is very easy and quick to operate: simply place a test item in the chamber, close it, and the system automatically evacuates to 30 millibar while the membrane protects the packaging from expansion and seal stress,” details Inficon.

“The system then uses highly precise, self-developed and produced pressure sensors to detect potential leaks, providing you with a non-destructive and reproducible result in less than 15 seconds.”

The Contura S400 system calculates a quantifiable and reproducible leak rate in millibar l/s from the pressure increase and the time.

Bialetti’s annual output is estimated at 180 million coffee capsules and 2.9 million soft packs.“No other provider has mastered this process. The device therefore not only shows whether something is leaking or not, but exactly how tight it is. This happens regardless of the type of leak or the number of leaks,” highlights Inficon.

Bialetti has only recently switched from the “destructive” high pressure water bath testing to the “non-destructive” method with Inficon’s Contura S400 series. 

With the help of the applied pressure increase method in the system’s flexible test chamber, the smallest and largest leaks are detected “quickly, reliably and without test gasses,” asserts Inficon. 

“The Inficon system therefore makes a significant contribution to the consistent quality of our capsules and packs,” says Khazali. 

At Bialetti, the process extends to three automated lines for the assembly of capsules and one line for the assembly of soft packs.

The production includes roasting machines, automated lines for capsules and soft-pack assembling, automated machines for coffee makers assembling and die-casting press.