Product range introduction

Product Range introduction

The quantity of products packed in flexible packaging is steadily increasing globally, and this together with the usage of Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) technology. Packaging machines are now capable of automatically packaging huge quantities of products at an incredible speed. It is therefore difficult for the Quality Control Department to keep pace, particularly for the procedures that are still manual as of today, like leak testing. In addition, as manufacturing is moving more and more towards automation, the opportunity for human interaction to spot and correct errors is drastically reduced.

Leak detection is the key to ensure integrity of the food packaging, and therefore safety, taste conservation, in short, consumability. It is a great challenge to Food Manufacturers for two main reasons:

1. 1. The only credible method for testing flexible packaging is the “Flow Measurement at a Constant Pressure“ method according to DIN 55508-1 of 01/02/2018. There are very few leak detectors on the market today using this technology.
  2. 99% of leak detection operations for products packaged in flexible packaging is manual. The most commonly used, bubble detection, is painstakingly slow and does not deliver any data at all.

The main reason why leak detection has not been automated as of today is due to the fact that you have to manually adhere a septum to the packaging, and then manually perforate the septum with a hollow needle to perform the leak test.

A septum takes the form of a sticker that is adhered to the flexible packaging to be tested. The septum’s main function is to provide a leak-free seal to maintain the gas pressure inside the system. In other words, it helps to avoid creating an additional leak when the packaging is perforated with a needle for the leak test or the O₂ measurement.

Septum perforated by a hollow needle.

In addition, when there is little space between the product and the packing (headspace), the hollow needle could pierce the food and partially block the needle. As a consequence, the flow would become restricted, or even cease, which results in the gas test or leak test becoming compromised.

This is entirely avoided with the Alpha and GammaTowers, due to the use of a solid thin conical stainless-steel pointer, therefore avoiding any partial or total blockages.

The Astaara Range has been developed to address these issues.

A truly innovative concept:

The Astaara perforating device (Tower) contains a solid thin conical stainless-steel pointer, which perforates the flexible packaging and then retracts. The inside of the packaging and the detector tester are communicating via the channel created, enabling leakage measurement and gas analysis. The sealing is secured thanks to a bellows, so neither a septum nor a hollow needle is needed, and it therefore cannot get clogged. This invention has been internationally patented, and has three immediate benefits:

1. 1. O₂ measurement & leak detection can be automated.
  2. Reliable data is available in real time.
  3. O₂ measurement & leak detection can be performed without any consumables, leading to great savings.

Another advantage of the Astaara Range of products is that our solid thin conical stainless-steel pointer is completely concealed, and that unlike the needle used in all current leak test methods, it cannot come in contact with anybody and cause harm accidentally.

Here is a summary of the Astaara product range:

1/ Bench-top leak detector AlphaLab and bench-top O₂ analyser and leak detector GammaLab.

AlphaLab & GammaLab are bench-top instruments, and have the same look but different features.

The AlphaLab is made of an AlphaTower + an AlphaLeakTester.

The GammaLab is made of a GammaTower + an AlphaLeakTester.

The AlphaLab can deliver leak test and altitude simulation.

The GammaLab executes O₂ + leak test and altitude simulation.

Both instruments are manually operated, and are particularly adapted to be used in laboratories and R & D departments. All data is available in real time.

Lean more about the AlphaLab

Lean more about the GammaLab

AlphaLab / GammaLab

2/ Bench-top leak detector AlphaLeakTester (working with needle & septum).

Bench-Top Leak Detector working with Septum & Needle

AlphaLeakTester

The AlphaLeakTester is a bench-top leak tester dedicated to flexible packaging testing for the food, pet care and cosmetic Industries. It has been specially designed for laboratories in Factories that have to follow stringent Quality Inspection procedures and processes like ISO 22000 & HACCP.

The AlphaLeakTester is used for leak testing and altitude simulation.
The altitude simulation is designed to identify the altitude at which your packaging will start to leak when subjected to pressure differences such as during air transport.

The AlphaLeakTester is made up of an AlphaLab without an AlphaTower.

You can start investing in an AlphaLeakTester first, and add an AlphaTower at a later stage.

To test your packaging, stick a septum on the sample, and perforate through with a hollow needle (everything is supplied by Astaara).

Lean more about the AlphaLeakTester

3/ Perforating instrument AlphaTower and stand alone O₂ analyser and perforating instrument GammaTower.

AlphaTower & GammaTower have the same appearance but have different capabilities.

If you already have a leak testing instrument or an oxygen analyser and you want to stop using consumables like septum & needles to save costs, connect the AlphaTower to your instrument, perform the test manually and read the results on your instrument. It is only possible to connect one instrument at a time.

The GammaTower is a stand-alone O₂ analyser with a perforating tower. Test manually the food sample packed under MAP and read the O₂ level on the OLED Display (1.5”) on the front of the GammaTower.

Lean more about the AlphaTower

Lean more about the GammaTower

AlphaTower / GammaTower

4/ Automatic leak detector AlphaPro and automatic O₂ analyser + leak detector Gammapro.

AlphaPro / GammaPro

AlphaPro & GammaPro have the same appearance but have different characteristics. They both have been designed to be installed on a dedicated inspection line.

Briefly, the AlphaPro performs a fully automatic leak test, while the GammaPro executes a fully automatic O₂ measurement followed by a leak test. Particularly adapted to handle large volumes, no human intervention is required and all data is available in real time.

Lean more about the AlphaPro

Lean more about the GammaPro

Product Name	Auto	Manual	Description	Leak	Altitude simulation	O₂	Remarks
AlphaLab	No	Yes	Bench-top leak detector with Alpha Perforating tower. To be used in laboratories and R & D departments.	YES	YES	NO	Specially designed for flexible packaging.
AlphaLeakTester	No	Yes	Bench-top leak tester working with Needle & Septum. To be used in laboratories and R & D departments.	YES	YES	NO	Works with needle & septum.
GammaLab	No	Yes	Bench-top O2 analyser & leak detector with Gamma perforating tower. To be used in laboratories and R & D departments.	YES	YES	YES	Specially designed for flexible packaging.
AlphaTower	No	Yes	Perforating tower to be connected either to a leak detector or to a gas analyser.	Only perforation	Only perforation	Only perforation	Designed to test without consumables.
GammaTower	No	Yes	Stand-alone O2 analyser with perforating tower.	NO	NO	YES	O2 measurement only. Designed to test without consumables.
Alphapro	Yes	No	Fully automatic leak detector with integrated perforating tower. Specially designed for assembly line sample testing in Factories.	YES	NO	NO	Is today the only AUTOMATIC leak detector on the market. Works without consumables.
GammaPro	Yes	No	Fully automatic O2 analyser & leak detector with integrated perforating tower. Specially designed for assembly line sample testing in Factories using MAP.	YES	NO	YES	Is today the only AUTOMATIC O2 analyser & leak detector on the market. Works without consumables.