Vacuum Leak Tester for Packaging
Find seal failures, pinholes and closure defects before the batch leaves your plant.
DVACI designs and manufactures the CDV series of vacuum chamber leak testers for flexible and rigid packaging. The range includes five chamber sizes and three control systems for laboratory and production quality-control applications.
Choose the Right CDV Model
The right chamber depends on the size of your largest package, the number of samples per cycle and the vacuum level required by your test method.
CDV BT Bench Top
Compact vacuum chambers with the control system positioned below the chamber to save laboratory or production-line workspace.
- 11–20 in chamber width
- Up to -28.9 inHg
- Laboratory friendly
CDV FS Floor Stand
Floor-standing vacuum chambers designed for larger packages or for testing multiple samples during the same quality-control cycle.
- 24–31 in chamber width
- Up to -28 inHg
- Mobile floor stand
Compare the Five Standard Chamber Sizes
Filter by installation format, then compare internal dimensions, maximum vacuum and equipment weight.
CDV 2
- Inside chamber
- 11 × 8 × 8 in 28 × 20 × 20 cm
- Max. vacuum
- -28.9 inHg -980 mbar
- Weight
- 42 lb 19 kg
CDV 3
- Inside chamber
- 18 × 12 × 10 in 45 × 30 × 25 cm
- Max. vacuum
- -26.5 inHg -900 mbar
- Weight
- 84 lb 38 kg
CDV 4
- Inside chamber
- 20 × 14 × 14 in 50 × 35 × 35 cm
- Max. vacuum
- -22 inHg -750 mbar
- Weight
- 92 lb 42 kg
CDV 5
- Inside chamber
- 24 × 20 × 16 in 60 × 50 × 40 cm
- Max. vacuum
- -28 inHg -950 mbar
- Weight
- 232 lb 105 kg
CDV 6
- Inside chamber
- 31 × 24 × 20 in 80 × 60 × 50 cm
- Max. vacuum
- -22 inHg -750 mbar
- Weight
- 387 lb 175 kg
Specialized CDV Configurations
Extend the standard chamber platform for internal pressurization, pharmaceutical dye testing or controlled pressure and altitude applications.
Internal Pressurization Kit
Inject controlled compressed air into flexible or vacuum-packed samples to reveal gross leaks through bubble emission during immersion testing.
Explore internal pressurizationCDV Pharma
A package-integrity system focused on pharmaceutical applications, including methylene-blue dye testing of blister packs and other suitable package formats.
Explore CDV PharmaCDV Pressure
Combines vacuum and controlled-pressure capabilities for evaluating packages exposed to air freight or high-altitude transportation conditions.
Learn about altitude testingThree Ways to Operate
Choose the control level according to test frequency, operator workflow and process requirements.
M
Direct Operator Control
Simple control of vacuum and cycle duration for occasional or straightforward testing.
View Manual Control
S
Repeatable Timed Cycles
Timer-controlled hold periods improve repeatability between operators and production shifts.
View Semi-Automatic
P
Programmable Test Recipes
Touchscreen control and programmable sequences for high-frequency and standardized quality-control tests.
View PLC ControlHow a Vacuum Leak Tester Works
The package is placed inside a transparent vacuum chamber. When pressure around the sample decreases, air trapped inside the package pushes outward. A leak can then become visible through bubbles, product seepage or package deformation.
Bubble Emission Leak Test
The package is submerged in water and vacuum is progressively applied. Air escaping through a defect creates a continuous or localized stream of bubbles, allowing the operator to identify the leak location.
Learn about ASTM D3078Dry Vacuum Leak Test
Bottles, jars and tubes can be tested without water. Under vacuum, liquid escaping through a closure or seal becomes visible on the package or an absorbent surface.
Altitude Simulation
Reduced pressure can simulate atmospheric conditions experienced during air freight or transportation through high-altitude routes.
Explore altitude testingPackage Leak Testing Standards
The appropriate method depends on the package format, product and quality-control objective.
Review the official ASTM D3078 standard for flexible packaging and the official ASTM D6653/D6653M standard for high-altitude packaging evaluation.
Bubble Emission
Leak detection in flexible packaging through visual bubble emission under vacuum.
Empty Rigid Containers
Leakage testing of empty rigid containers using a vacuum-based method.
Altitude Simulation
Evaluate packaging systems under reduced atmospheric pressure conditions.
Internal Pressurization ASTM F2096Gross Leak Detection
Bubble detection through controlled internal package pressurization.
What Packages Can You Test?
CDV vacuum chambers support flexible, rigid and thermoformed package formats across multiple industries.
Industries That Rely on Vacuum Leak Testing
CDV vacuum chambers support packaging inspection during incoming inspection, line qualification and routine quality-control activities.
Food & Beverage
Pouches, trays, bottles, vacuum packs and modified-atmosphere packaging.
Pharmaceutical
Vials, bottles, closures and pharmaceutical packaging configurations.
Cosmetics & Personal Care
Bottles, tubes, jars and other liquid-filled cosmetic and personal-care packaging.
Chemical & Specialty Products
Cleaning products, hygiene liquids, fertilizers, agricultural chemicals and other specialty chemical packaging.
Bubble Emission or a Deterministic Method?
Visual vacuum chamber testing and deterministic techniques answer different package-integrity questions. The appropriate approach depends on the package, product and validation objective.
Read Dye Immersion vs. Bubble TestBubble Emission
- Visual observation
- Can locate a leak
- Useful for routine package QC
- Relatively simple operating principle
Vacuum Decay / HVLD
- Measures a physical signal
- Objective measurement output
- Used in specific CCI applications
- Requires application-specific validation
Why Choose DVACI?
Manufacturer
CDV vacuum chambers are designed and manufactured by DVACI for package integrity applications.
Scalable Range
Move from manual control to semi-automatic or PLC operation as test volume increases.
Application Support
Get help selecting chamber size, test method and operating configuration for your application.
International Support
Direct technical support combined with an international distributor network.
Vacuum Leak Tester for Packaging FAQ
A vacuum leak tester uses a chamber connected to a vacuum source. Lowering pressure around the package creates a differential pressure that can reveal leaks through bubbles, visible product seepage or package deformation.
ASTM D3078 describes bubble emission leak testing for flexible packaging. Other methods apply to different package formats and test objectives.
Cycle time depends on the package and test procedure and can range from under a minute to several minutes, including loading, vacuum hold and observation. Immersion, dry, pharmaceutical and altitude-simulation methods may require different cycle durations.
Wet immersion tests generally make the tested package unsuitable for sale. Dry tests may be non-destructive depending on the product and test conditions.
Yes. Atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude, so maximum attainable vacuum and test settings must consider the installation location.
Select a chamber that can hold your largest package with sufficient space around it and consider how many samples you need to inspect during one test cycle.
Find the Right Vacuum Leak Tester for Your Packaging
Tell us what you package, the dimensions of your largest sample and the test standard you need to meet. We can help identify a suitable CDV configuration.