Pinholes are identified by an H200 PLUS hydrogen leak detector, which continuously monitors the chamber for the presence of hydrogen leaking from the tube into the chamber.

Finland-based Optinova has installed “in line” leak detection equipment into their production process for catheter tube manufacturing. The thin wall tubing is used for nutrition and blood transfusion delivery systems. Optinova teamed with Adixen Scandinavia (Alcatel), a specialist leak detection company based in Sweden, to assist them with developing a system to identify pinholes in the tubing while being formed.  In-line leak detection benefits Optinova by eliminating secondary testing. The in-line approach calls for the tube to be formed in a cloud of diluted hydrogen tracer gas and then passed through an accumulation chamber at line speed. (Diluted hydrogen as a tracer gas -- 95% nitrogen / 5% hydrogen -- is non-flammable, inexpensive, readily available and environmentally friendly).

Minor defects, pinholes in the tube, are identified by an H200 PLUS hydrogen leak detector, which continuously monitors the chamber for the presence of hydrogen leaking from the tube into the chamber. If a leak is detected, the line is stopped and the faulty section is cut and removed. The H2000 PLUS leak detector has a sensor (Gas-FET) that is specific to hydrogen, has high leak-rate sensitivity (5x10-7 cc/sec), and does not require maintenance.