Background
A manufacturer of brass ball valves and hydraulic fittings for industrial fluid systems had been using a water pressure test (hydrostatic) on a 10% sampling basis. Field warranty data showed a 0.6% seal failure rate — predominantly from body casting porosity and seat seating defects that sampling could not reliably catch. The decision was made to move to 100% dry-air leak testing at production speed.
Requirements: test three valve sizes (DN15, DN25, DN40) on the same station, direct pressure test at 800 kPa (1.2× rated pressure), cycle time ≤ 20 seconds, integrate with the existing production conveyor, and eliminate the water test tank and drying station.
Test Requirements
| Parameter | DN15 Valve | DN25 Valve | DN40 Valve |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test pressure | 800 kPa | 800 kPa | 600 kPa |
| Leak limit | ≤ 1.0 kPa drop / 10 s | ≤ 1.5 kPa drop / 10 s | ≤ 2.0 kPa drop / 10 s |
| Test method | Direct pressure (body cavity) | Direct pressure | Direct pressure |
| Cycle time | ≤ 20 s (all variants) | ||
Solution
LY Series LY-M-V1000 instruments were installed at two stations — one for DN15/DN25 valves, one for DN40. The LY-M-V1000 covers 5–1200 kPa, accommodating all three test pressures from a single instrument without hardware change. Thread-plug fixtures were machined to match each valve port thread specification (G½, G1, G1½), with quick-change adapters allowing the operator to swap port plugs in under 60 seconds for size changeover.
Pressure program selection is handled by a barcode scan at station entry — the LY reads the part number, loads the corresponding pressure setpoint and dwell time, and runs the correct program automatically. No manual parameter adjustment is required during production.
Results After Deployment
- 100% production coverage — hydrostatic sampling test eliminated
- Cycle time: DN15 16 s, DN25 17 s, DN40 18 s — all within 20 s target
- Water test tank and drying station removed — floor space recovered
- Warranty seal failure rate: 0.6% → 0.04% in first full production quarter
- Size changeover: < 60 s with quick-change port plug adapters
- Zero re-calibration events in 8 months of operation
Instruments Used
- LY Series LY-M-V1000 — 5–1200 kPa direct pressure, 4-stage auto cycle, barcode program selection
- Custom thread-plug port fixtures (G½, G1, G1½) with quick-change adapters
- Barcode scanner for automatic program selection by valve part number
- Standard leak holes at 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 kPa for station validation
Testing metal valves or hydraulic fittings? Share your port thread specification, rated pressure, and production volume — we will design thread-plug fixtures and configure the correct LY model.
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