Kedron Engineering Quality

Kedron has a strong reputation for quality and service. We only use the best technology available to deliver the most accurate results.

All our products are subjected to rigorous inspection procedures and are Helium Mass Spectrometer leak tested when required.

Kedron’s Alcatel ASM 142 Helium Mass Spectrometer

About Helium Mass Spectrometry

Helium mass spectrometry, or helium leak testing, is a highly precise means of leak detection. This technology was first developed for the Manhattan Project during World War II to locate extremely small leaks in the gas diffusion process.

At the heart of helium leak testing is a complex piece of equipment called a helium mass spectrometer. Quite simply, this machine is used to analyze air samples (which are introduced into the machine via vacuum pumps) and provides a quantitative measurement of the amount of helium present in the sample. In practice, a "leak," is identified by a rise in the level of helium being analyzed by the machine.

Helium leak testing can identify extremely small leaks. For example, our equipment can detect a leak so small that it would emit just two cubic centimeters of helium (or the amount equal to two sugar cubes) in 320 years. While very few applications require this level of precision, this example serves to highlight the accuracy possible with this process.

Why Is Helium Superior?

While many gases are used in leak detection, helium’s qualities provide for superior testing. Having an AMU (Atomic Mass Unit) of only 4, helium is the lightest inert gas. Only hydrogen, with an AMU of 2, is lighter than helium. However, due the hydrogen’s explosive potential it is rarely used.

Additional reasons why helium is a superior tracer gas:

Only modestly present in the atmosphere (roughly 5 parts per million)
Flows through cracks 2.7x faster than air
Nontoxic
Nondestructive
Nonexplosive
Inexpensive
User Friendly

Due to these attributes, and its high sensitivity, helium leak testing has gained broad acceptance in a wide range of leak testing applications.

Kedron’s Leybold UL500

Kedron are proud to say that our quality management systems are accredited to BS EN ISO 9001:2008