Production Testing Guide
IP67 / IP68 Leak Testing in Production
Use a production leak test as a controlled, correlated proxy for an ingress requirement—not as a substitute for the applicable IEC water-immersion test.
Manufacturers use air and trace-gas methods to make repeatable production decisions on sealed enclosures after the test limit has been established through their validation process.
Discuss a production testWhat IP ratings mean
IEC 60529 defines the IP Code and its scope for protection provided by enclosures against access, solid foreign objects and water. IPX7, IP67 and IP68 are ingress ratings defined by IEC 60529 water-immersion tests; the applicable condition depends on the code and the product specification. The standard describes a product test context. It does not certify a leak tester, fixture or production station.
For production teams, the question is practical: what measurable station result corresponds to the product’s validated ingress requirement? That answer must come from the manufacturer’s validation evidence, product construction and intended environment.
Why production lines use air leak testing
Immersion can be appropriate for product qualification or verification, but repeatedly immersing every unit may not fit a line’s handling, drying, traceability or throughput needs. An air-based test can be non-destructive, fast and repeatable when the part, fixture and test sequence are controlled. It also supports a recorded pass/fail decision without introducing water into an assembled electronic product.
That operational benefit does not turn an air test into an IP certification. It is an in-line production proxy whose acceptance limit is correlated by the manufacturer to the applicable ingress requirement. A change to the enclosure, gasket, fixture, method, timing or limit should be reviewed against that validation.
Correlate the limit; do not assume equivalence
Begin with the required ingress condition and representative product samples. Define the part boundary, test gas, fixture, volume, stabilization interval and measurement method. Compare the production result with the manufacturer’s ingress-validation evidence to establish an acceptance limit in the chosen units. The manufacturer owns that validation and release decision; Zaxis can help configure a production test around the documented requirement.
An IP67 or IP68 rating is established by the IEC 60529 immersion test on the finished product; the production air test is the correlated, nondestructive proxy that confirms each unit matches the validated condition. The purpose of correlation is to make the defined production measurement meaningful for that product.
Methods for enclosure production testing
| Method | Enclosure and access fit | Leak-limit / production consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure decay | Ported housings or fixtures that create a sealed positive-pressure volume | Useful when pressure-versus-time evidence fits the documented target; added volume and stabilization matter. |
| Vacuum decay | Sealed enclosures, sensors and products suited to evacuation | Uses movement back toward atmospheric pressure; validate with the part and fixture. |
| Mass flow | Components with an intentional flow path or larger-volume flow-based applications | Measures controlled air flow against programmed bounds; select only where flow evidence fits the product. |
| Trace gas | Applications needing a measurable tracer or a lower leak target than an air method supports | Helium, hydrogen forming gas or argon selection follows the requirement, detection approach and production environment. |
Air leak testing and trace-gas leak testing are peer method families. Start with the requirement, part access, volume, cycle-time target and evidence needed—not with a preferred instrument.
Typical sealed products
Production teams apply this planning approach to sealed electronics, sensors, cameras, connectors, battery enclosures and wearables. Existing Zaxis electronics guidance covers smartphones, smartwatches, diving watches, underwater lights, proximity sensors, antennas and GPS locators; battery and EV applications include pack enclosures, trays, cooling plates, housings, connectors and high-voltage electronics.
Each category has different geometry, material behavior and failure modes. A camera or wearable may need a closely controlled chamber around a finished enclosure, while a connector or housing may permit a direct sealed connection. The part-specific fixture is the bridge from a product requirement to a repeatable station measurement.
Fixture notes for sealed enclosures
A fixture must locate the part, control the chamber or internal test volume, seal without damaging the product and repeat the same connection on every cycle. Short, direct plumbing helps limit added volume. For finished products with no test port, a close-fitting chamber can create an external test boundary. Clamp force, O-ring contact, port closure, thermal settling and part-present sensing all deserve review.
See the Leak Test Fixture Design Guide for a detailed design checklist, verification approach and automation inputs.
Zaxis instrument routes
For air-based production testing, review the Z1 for machine integration; Z5, Z5L and Z8 for modular configurations; and the Z8N configuration where appropriate. Confirm features, interfaces and the selected method against the specific application.
For trace-gas workflows, Zaxis offers Z-Charge and Z-Ion routes. Trace gas is considered when the documented requirement and selected detector call for a measurable tracer.
Keep the correlation under change control
Correlation is not a one-time label applied to a tester. It depends on the production configuration that was evaluated: part design and materials, gasket or adhesive process, fixture seals, test volume, pressure or vacuum stages, settle time, measurement interval and acceptance logic. Preserve those settings with the product record.
When a product revision, supplier, fixture, gas path or production environment changes, the manufacturer should assess whether the established production limit still represents the ingress requirement. A failed station result may call for a controlled retest or diagnostic process; it should not be treated as proof of a particular water-ingress failure mode without supporting evidence. This separation keeps a fast in-line decision useful while protecting the integrity of the manufacturer’s validation program.
Practical review questions
Before a line is released, ask whether the selected method measures the same boundary that the ingress requirement protects. Confirm the fixture does not bypass a seal, the representative products include expected variation, and the program makes the sequence repeatable. Confirm the recorded result can be traced to the relevant product and fixture revision.
For enclosures with multiple cavities or ports, decide whether the test measures one combined response or independent boundaries. This decision affects both the fixture design and the usefulness of a failed result. When evidence must identify a leak location rather than make an in-line pass/fail decision, plan a separate diagnostic step.
IP67/IP68 production testing FAQ
What do IP67 and IP68 mean?
They are ingress-protection ratings defined by IEC 60529. The code identifies protection categories; the applicable product test conditions and acceptance decision belong to the manufacturer’s validation plan.
Can an air leak test certify an IP rating?
No. An in-line air test is a correlated production proxy when the manufacturer has validated its limit against the applicable ingress requirement. Passing it does not itself equal IP67 or IP68 compliance.
Why use an air test instead of immersion on a production line?
A controlled air method can be non-destructive, fast and repeatable for a defined part and fixture. It should be correlated to the manufacturer’s validation evidence.
Which method suits a sealed enclosure?
Pressure decay, vacuum decay, chamber testing, mass flow or trace gas may be considered depending on access, volume, reject limit and the required production evidence.
What must be validated for a production station?
The manufacturer should validate the part, fixture, method, acceptance limit, timing and production conditions against the product’s ingress requirement.
