Airborne Ultrasound

Airborne ultrasound has been acknowledged as a referenced technology in the latest USP <1207> Chapter Guidance, serving as a deterministic test method for assessing seal quality. Moreover, it holds the status of being an ASTM Test Method F3004 and an FDA Recognized Standard for conducting seal quality integrity tests.

PTI’s proprietary Airborne Ultrasound technology offers a non-destructive and non-invasive approach to inspecting seal quality. This technique can be applied to a wide range of materials such as Tyvek®, paper, foil, film, aluminum, plastic, and poly. The method involves the propagation of ultrasound waves through the package seal, leading to the reflection of sound waves. By measuring the variation in the strength of the reflected signal, defects in the seal can be identified.

PTI’s Seal-Scan® and Seal-Sensor employ non-contact airborne ultrasonic testing technology. This method detects various types of defects, both visible and invisible, leaking and non-leaking, process-related, and random.

Seal-Scan® technology is adaptable to different production constraints and environments, making it an excellent solution for flexible packaging systems. It has proven to be one of the most effective non-destructive testing methods for flexible packages. In 2013, ASTM Test Method F3004-13 was awarded to airborne ultrasound technology, which was developed using PTI Seal Scan technology. This ASTM test method is also recognized by the FDA as a consensus standard for seal quality inspection.