Industry Solutions
Automotive production uses air leak testing to catch faulty components before they ship.
Automotive assemblies contain interconnected components that must work together safely and efficiently.
Zaxis automotive leak testing helps manufacturers identify faulty parts during factory quality control rather than after components reach a customer.
Automotive OEM clients rely on assemblies that perform safely, efficiently and without error. A leak or flaw can compromise performance, increase emissions, decrease fuel efficiency or cause system shutdown.
Zaxis is a USA manufacturer of automotive leak-test equipment. High-speed testers can complete many leak-test cycles in less than a second, allowing factory quality control before parts reach a customer.
Request for QuoteAutomotive parts can include fuel, intake, exhaust, powertrain and electrical assemblies.
Zaxis provides production leak-testing solutions for automotive components and can certify equipment to specific IP rating requirements.
Automotive components include fuel tanks, fuel injectors, exhaust manifolds, intake manifolds, engine blocks, cylinder heads, powertrain parts, electrical components, EV batteries, airbags and airbag assemblies.
Methods used
Automotive parts must handle changing temperatures, road exposure and functional pressure, so the method and fixture should reflect the assembly being tested.
Pressure decay checks a sealed automotive component by pressurizing it with gas and monitoring pressure loss. It applies to air springs, fuel-system parts, engine components and other closed assemblies.
Configurable pressure parameters let the test reflect the component rather than a generic bubble observation.
Pressure decay explained →Vacuum decay monitors a component after evacuation and can test air intake manifolds or sealed EV elements. A semi-automated manifold cell completed vacuum decay with poka-yoke functions in under 30 seconds.
The method is non-destructive and suited to assemblies where the sealed volume can be controlled.
Vacuum decay explained →Mass flow measures gas moving through the component, so it can support automotive parts with a designed flow path. The result is compared with expected flow at the required condition.
It is one option alongside pressure or vacuum decay when the application needs a flow-based measurement.
Mass-flow testing explained →Automotive testing teams can configure these Zaxis platforms for their workflow. The Isaac HD, iKit and 7i referenced on this page were discontinued on 03/31/25 with limited parts after 2028; their successors are the Z5, Z1 and Z8.
Z5Compact multi-channel tester for factory automation: up to four independent channels in a 6.5" × 7" × 9" footprint.
Z1Single-channel tester built for machine integration; cascade units for synchronous multi-channel cells.
Z8Up to four test ports, sequential or concurrent, with an 8-inch touchscreen and 2–1,000 PSIG range.
Zaxis PDEntry-level pressure-decay tester in a small footprint that mounts close to the fixture.Zaxis equipment can be certified to specific IP rating requirements.
Zaxis products complete many leak-test cycles in less than a second.
Automotive air leak tester options include the Zaxis 7i, Isaac HD, iKit and Zaxis PD. Zaxis can certify equipment to specific IP rating requirements.
A fuel regulator maintains consistent fuel pressure for steady engine operation. A small leak can reduce reliability, increase emissions and introduce a safety concern, so the test needs to find faults before the part proceeds through production.
Pressure-rise testing evaluates a sealed system by applying controlled conditions and monitoring for a pressure increase caused by air entering the system. The method is non-destructive and is intended to detect small leaks in closed systems.
For a regulator program, establish a consistent seal and pressure condition around the component. The resulting test gives the manufacturing team a defined result instead of relying on a visual inspection.
A traction battery begins with electrolyte-filled cells that may be round, prismatic or pouch shaped. Cells form modules, modules form packs, and packs are placed in a housing at the end of the manufacturing process. Each stage has its own leak-tightness concern.
Very low leak rates are needed at the cell level, where vacuum, burst and accumulation-chamber methods can be used. Modules, packs and housings may be cooled with water-glycol or air-conditioning refrigerant, and a leak in that circuit can create a short-circuit risk.
The housing protects the battery from outside conditions, so the finished enclosure also needs an ingress-focused test. Testing throughout the build connects cell integrity, cooling protection and enclosure performance.
Ingress protection codes use the letters IP followed by two digits. The first digit addresses solid ingress from 0 through 6, with 6 meaning dust tight; the second addresses liquid ingress from 0 through 9, including protection from powerful high-temperature water jets at 9.
Physical IP water tests can be time-consuming and destructive. Pneumatic testing offers a way to validate an IP rating without submerging the component, helping teams test sealed automotive electronics and other enclosures without damaging them.
Function, form and environment still drive the fixture and test choice. A backup camera, for example, needs an approach that considers its sealed assembly and expected service exposure.
Automotive products can include interconnected components that act as a single system, such as valve assemblies, fluid-handling systems and electronic enclosures. These designs need testing that protects the complete assembly while preserving the purpose of each connection.
Discrete cavities are isolated areas within an assembly, including chambers in fuel systems. Each can need its own measurement, because a result from one cavity does not demonstrate the condition of another isolated space.
A fixture can isolate the required cavity and apply a repeatable pressure or vacuum condition. This approach helps manufacturing teams assess complex products without treating every assembly as one undifferentiated volume.
Fuel tanks, fuel injectors and intake and exhaust manifolds are pressure- or vacuum-decay tested in the factory, so faulty parts are caught before they ship.
Engine blocks, cylinder heads and powertrain components run on high-speed testers; many Zaxis leak-test cycles complete in less than a second.
Electrical components, EV batteries and airbag assemblies are tested for seal integrity, and Zaxis can certify the test equipment to specific IP rating requirements.
Consumer Electronics Leak TestingSmartphones, smartwatches, sensors and antennas chamber tested to published IP ratings.
Industrial Leak TestingBench and automated production-line testing of industrial components and assemblies.
Medical Device Leak TestingCatheters, IV sets, bags, pumps and diagnostic equipment.Zaxis supports fuel tanks and injectors, exhaust and intake manifolds, engine blocks, cylinder heads, powertrain parts, electrical components, EV batteries, airbags and airbag assemblies.
Factory leak testing can catch faulty components before shipment, avoiding compromised performance, increased emissions, reduced fuel efficiency or a system shutdown.
Automotive options include Zaxis 7i, Isaac HD, iKit and Zaxis PD, selected around the part and production requirement.
Zaxis products can complete many leak-test cycles in less than a second for high-speed automotive manufacturing.
Zaxis can certify automotive leak-test equipment to specific IP rating requirements.
The component is pressurized with gas and monitored for pressure decay, which indicates a leak.
Vacuum decay evacuates the component and monitors the vacuum for decay, which indicates a leak.
Mass-flow testing measures gas flow through the component; a deviation from the expected flow rate indicates a leak.
Cells, modules, packs, cooling circuits and housings each have different leak-tightness and protection needs during battery production.
It monitors a sealed system for pressure increase caused by air entering through a leak.
It can validate ingress performance without a destructive water test when the part, fixture and target condition are properly defined.
