Leak Detection Fundamentals:

Leak Testing PET

Containers Produced
by the Two-Step High Fundamental Fact
Speed Stretch Blow Common Defect Types
in PET Containers:

Molding (SBM) Process • Sealing Related Defects

– The ALPS leak test
seals and pressure checks
Maintain production efficiency while every container, providing
a functional test of every
ensuring the integrity of each container seal surface.
you produce • Holes – Pressure-based
leak testing will detect
The Stretch Blow Molding Process Stretch blow molding (SBM) is a leakage regardless of its
method of producing PET (polytheylene terephthalate) containers that
location or appearance.
have enhanced physical properties such as strength, clarity and gas
barrier characteristics. In the SBM process, a plastic such as PET is • Height and Topload
molded into a preform using the injection molding process. Preforms Capacity – Auxiliary
are typically produced with the neck and threads (the “finish”) at inspections can be added
one end. After cooling, the preforms are fed into a reheat stretch to ALPS leak testers
blow molding machine and heated (typically via infrared) above their to detect containers
glass transition temperature, then blown using high pressure air into outside a given height
metal blow molds so that they realize their final shape. The preform parameter, and to verify
is always stretched with a core rod; in some polymers, including PET, that the container does
this stretching causes strain hardening of the resin, which enables the not deform at a specific
bottles to resist deforming under the pressures formed by carbonated
sealing force.
beverages, which typically approach 60 psi.

Stretch Blow Molding Process

1 2
Injection molded Preform secured
preform heated into blow mold
3 4 5 6
Preform stretched Compressed air Product is removed Finished product
with core rod simultaneously from mold ready for next
blown in – preform production stage
inflates to mold
The SBM process is ideal for high speed, efficient
ALPS Speed-Glider
production of clear containers with precise neck finishes.
Leak Testers
Accordingly, the majority of consumer clear bottles
are produced this way, including those used to contain
carbonated soft drinks, water, sports drinks, juices,
specialty beverages, ready-to-drink teas, dressings,
sauces, and food oils.

As with any consumer product container, leak testing

is imperative to ensuring consistent integrity. ALPS
Inspection offers leak testing equipment appropriate for
containers produced by the SBM process. ALPS testers
can be integrated into your existing production line to
maintain or increase efficiency and confirm quality in
every container you produce.

ALPS NGR NexGen Rotary

Leak Testers
The Speed-Glider family of leak testers is appropriate
for higher speed or higher sensitivity applications where
single-station machines are not fast or sensitive enough.
The Speed-Glider uses a timing screw to space the bottles
for leak testing and to provide positive bottle handling.
Moving test heads require fewer test stations to achieve
higher speeds and greater test times, resulting in a more
accurate leak test. The machine incorporates a single
servo-driven slide to match the slide speed to the timing
screw. Speed-Glider testers are available in configurations
including 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 stations for speeds from 30
up to 500 BPM. The conveyor underneath the leak tester
is typically synchronized to the machine, by means of a
4-20 mA signal, to match the conveyor speed to the slide
speed and ensure the most efficient performance.

ALPS offers several NexGen Rotary leak testers for PET

bottles produced at high speeds, developed based on
experience running thousands of different container types.
Many of the available features were designed specifically
for PET with many of the applications for hot fill and
custom bottle applications. Like all ALPS leak inspection
equipment, the NexGen family of leak testers deliver fast
and accurate results.

ALPS NexGen Rotary testers provide several

benefits, including:

• Scalability: Standard machine sizes available for speeds

up to 1,200 BPM (72,000 BPH).
• Quick-change no-tool change parts for rapid and
efficient changeovers. A complete mechanical
changeover can be completed in 10-15 minutes for even
the largest machine size.
• Leak Test Controller (LTC): Test heads on each station
can be easily removed for maintenance and replaced
with a test head from stock with a downtime of less
than 30 seconds.

ALPS Flex Pitch Multi-Station Moving Head
Leak Tester
The ALPS Flex Pitch leak tester is a multi-moving head,
high speed leak tester that detects defects in wide
range of bottle types. The tester mounts over an existing
conveyor, so no line modifications or bottle transfers are
required. The innovative design of the Flex Pitch tester
maximizes flexibility, as test heads can be preset to the
required pitch, enabling one-touch changeover between
containers of varying diameters and making it particularly
suitable for unusual container shapes. The machine is
available in 2, 3 or 4 moving heads that offer 100 % leak
testing and top seal surface defect detection at speeds
up to 250 BPM.
Innovation from ALPS
In our drive for continuous improvement in package
integrity, ALPS has developed capabilities that augment
industry standard inspection practices, including a
patented turntable vacuum system, topload deflection
detection and laser height inspection options, as well as
an integrated coding ad line integration options.
Turntable Vacuum System (U.S. Patent #7,559,232).
The patented ALPS Turntable Vacuum System was
designed to detect smaller pinholes in the gate of PET
bottles. The standard ALPS leak test uses the pressure
decay method, which detects a pressure drop from the
inside of the container as air moves out through a hole.
The bottom of the bottle must seal against the turntable to
achieve the full effect. With the Turntable Vacuum System,
a high vacuum is applied underneath each leak test station
through a hole in the turntable. If there is a pinhole in the
bottle, the vacuum draws air through the pinhole at a high
rate, creating a greater pressure drop inside the bottle and
allowing for the detection of significantly smaller holes
during the duration of the leak test.
Topload Deflection Detection and Laser Height
Inspection Options
The topload deflection detection option is a go/no-go
inspection that uses an additional sensor on each probe
cylinder. The sensor is adjusted to activate at a specific
height when the test probe is sealed onto the bottle.
If the container partially collapses as a result of the probe
force, the switch turns off and the bottle is rejected.
This method detects bottles that are grossly short or
deformed due to a lack of topload capacity.
The laser height inspection option was designed as a
result of customer demand for a method for monitoring
container heights directly after bottles are blow molded.
A through-beam laser array is mounted over an infeed
or exit starwheel. As the container passed through the
sensor, an “average height” is taken of readings from the
top of the bottle. A small amount of vacuum is typically
applied underneath the inspection zone, to assist in
stabilizing the containers.
Coding Device Ready Option
ALPS has also developed a method for integrating laser
coding of PET containers onto the inspection turntable.
This takes advantage of the fact that containers’
positioning is highly controlled for leak testing. The coder
is positioned on the infeed side of the testing machine
approximately 90 degrees from the bottle entry point.
Interface signals are provided to track containers, trigger
the coder, and ensure that the coder is working.
Line Integration Options
In keeping with ALPS desire to help you maintain or
increase your efficiency while ensuring the integrity of
each container produced, ALPS leak testers are designed
to integrate with a variety of production line types,
including high-speed photo-eye, tabletop conveyor, and
air conveyor designs. For high speed PET lines, ALPS
leak testers are equipped with three upstream sensors to
regulate the speed and keep the infeed timing screw full
of containers for the most efficient handling. Testers are
designed for easy installation onto an existing continuous
tabletop conveyor. If the production line utilizes air
conveyor, which is common for high speed PET, a tabletop
conveyor section is required for the leak tester. In this
case, bottles are fed directly from the air conveyor into
the ALPS timing screw infeed. On the exit side of the
tabletop conveyor, bottles are then transferred back onto
the air conveyor.
Common Defect Types in PET Containers
There are a wide range of defect types that can be
found in PET container production. Even the smallest
defect can produce negative outcomes, including poor or
inconsistent product quality and brand reputation. ALPS
leak testing equipment is engineered to identify the
following types of defects:

• Sealing Related Defects (e.g., Short Shots, Nicks,

Cocked Necks) – The ALPS leak test seals and
pressure checks every container, providing a functional
test of every seal surface. ALPS specifically uses the
lowest test pressure in the industry, to enable low
sealing forces and the ability to tune the Seal Surface
Inspection. Alternate probe seals (softer or harder) and
probe designs (fixed, tilting, etc.) can be provided to
ensure the integrity of the most critical sealing related
defects for a given container.
• Holes (e.g., Gate Leaks, Gate Cracks, Contamination
Defects, Misformed Bottles) – Pressure-based leak
testing will detect leakage regardless of its location or
appearance. The most common area for small leaks
in a PET container is the Gate, which is the injection
point on the bottom of the container. Leaks can occur
anywhere in the bottle if there are material issues (e.g.,
contamination from recycled material) or process issues
affecting the proper formation of the bottle.
• Height and Topload Capacity – Auxiliary inspections
can be added to ALPS leak testers to detect containers
outside a given height parameter, and to verify that the
container does not deform at a specific sealing force
(topload). Height checks can also detect a “perfect short
shot” which describes a defect caused in the pre-form
injection stage. In a perfect short shot, the plastic
doesn’t reach all the way to the far end of the injection
mold, but it is even enough across the entire finish to
pass leak inspection; while it is shorter than desired,
it is not rejected. A typical short shot is low area in an
otherwise normal finish, so the seal sits on the rest
of the finish, but the low area doesn’t seal, so the
container is rejected for a leak.
How Can ALPS Help?
No matter the type of container you produce, leak testing
helps protect you and your customers from defects
that can result in damaged products and damage to
your brands; it also protects your financial investment
by preventing waste and protecting inventory. ALPS
equipment is designed to make leak testing easy and
automatic, by integrating seamlessly into your Stretch
Blow Molding production line and providing options to
meet any number of specifications across container shape
and size, testing methodology, and line speed.
ALPS understands the SBM process and will work with
you to understand your individual inspection needs.
With several machine types to choose from and a range
of targeted testing and handling options to meet the leak
testing needs of almost any line or container type, ALPS
has the right leak tester for you.
Look to ALPS for expert advice and state-of-the-art
leak inspection solutions that seamlessly
integrate into your Two-Step SBM line.
Visit us online at
www.alpsleak.com
or contact us today at
877-969-2713
to discuss the right solution for
your production needs.

2440 W Corporate Preserve Drive, Ste. 600

Oak Creek, WI 53154, USA

+1 414 671 3332

info@alpsleak.com
www.alpsleak.com

LDF-TWOSTEPPET-E 1120 RevA