LDS Arnova
As economical as pressure testing. As precise as tracer gas.
Leak Testing Under Pressure: Rising Costs, Uncertain Supply, Compromised Throughput.
Tracer Gas Method
Manufacturers across HVACR, automotive, battery and high‑volume industrial markets face increasing pressure from fluctuating energy and material costs. Helium—widely used in tracer‑gas leak testing—has become unpredictable in price and global availability. Shortages can immediately interrupt production lines and create significant operational risk.
Pressure-Based Methods
Pressure-based methods often introduce additional challenges: slow cycle times, temperature‑sensitive measurement drift, limited reproducibility and poor suitability for flexible or large‑volume components.
Reliable leak testing must therefore secure throughput, stabilize operating costs and remain independent of volatile supply chains.
A More Predictable and Cost Efficient Testing Strategy
The reliance on expensive and volatile helium, as well as the performance limitations of traditional pressure testing methods, pose growing challenges for many production processes. The use of air or argon as a test gas opens up a new, economically viable approach to leak testing—without compromising sensitivity or process stability.
This strategy combines the high performance of tracer gas leak detection with the cost and supply reliability of helium. At the same time, it significantly outperforms pressure drop and pressure rise methods in key aspects such as cycle time, measurement stability, and reproducibility. Even large, flexible, or temperature-sensitive components can be tested reliably and reproducibly.
The result is stable testing processes, a secure production flow, and permanently lower total costs.
Business Impact:
- Significantly reduced testing costs per component compared to helium-based leak testing systems
- Independence from helium shortages and price fluctuations
- High measurement reliability and repeatability at test gas levels, clearly superior to pressure testing methods
- Shorter test and cycle times for high-volume manufacturing environments
- Improved end-of-line quality with lower operating costs
The INFICON Solution for System Integration: LDS Arnova
LDS Arnova introduces a new generation of tracer‑gas leak detection for automated production systems.
It is based on the proven LDS3000 platform—known for reliability, connectivity, repeatability and robust industrial integration—and enhances it with the capability to use air or argon for high‑performance leak testing.
This enables helium‑level performance while eliminating helium‑level cost and supply dependency.
Your Benefit:
LDS Arnova combines stable test performance, high sensitivity and short cycle times with the world’s most cost‑effective tracer gases.
Advantages at a glance
Performance & Process Stability
- High sensitivity for argon (approx. 1 · 10‑6 mbar·l/s)
- Stable and reproducible measurement independent of temperature fluctuations
- Short cycle times suitable for high‑volume testing
- Significantly fewer false positives than pressure‑based methods
Integration & Efficiency
- Fully compatible with LDS3000 interfaces and software
- No additional safety infrastructure required
- Supports air and argon as tracer gases
- Minimal change to existing system architectures
- Reduced investment needs, no helium recovery systems required
Operational Security
- Stable, predictable gas supply
- Lower consumable costs
- Eliminates dependency on volatile helium markets
Who benefits
For anyone looking to make end-of-line leak testing more reliable, predictable, and cost-effective—from plant leadership to system integration.
Accountability & outcomes
- Plant managers: reduce downtime and keep operating costs stable
- Operations leaders: increase throughput and ensure predictable performance
- Quality leaders: reliable end-of-line control at scale
Engineering & implementation
- Process engineers: build robust, repeatable end-of-line test sequences
- System integrators: a cost-effective alternative to helium testing
- System integrators: a higher-performance alternative to pressure-based methods
- R&D teams: sensitive, repeatable leak-detection capability
- Production engineers: testing for large, flexible, or temperature-sensitive parts
Typical Applications
- HVACR systems, heat exchangers, refrigeration circuits
- Battery cooling plates, EV thermal management systems
- Tanks, housings, fire extinguishers, urea tanks
- Components requiring 1 · 10‑2 to 1 · 10‑6 mbar·l/s leak‑rate thresholds
- High‑volume consumer or industrial parts where pressure testing fails
Why LDS Arnova Changes the Economics of Leak Testing
The LDS Arnova uses standard air or argon—readily available and free of supply constraints.
This enables highly stable, reproducible leak testing while closing the performance gap between pressure decay and helium methods.
LDS Arnova enables:
- High sensitivity and repeatability using readily available compressed air
- Reduced influence from humidity and thermal drift
- Stable performance across large volumes, flexible, or temperature-sensitive parts
- Lower operating cost—no cylinders, no logistics, no supply bottlenecks
Specifications
| Min. detectable leak rate for air | mbar·l/s | 1 · 10-4 |
| Min. detectable leak rate for Argon | mbar·l/s | 1 · 10-6 |
| Measuring units | mbar l/s, Pa m3/s, atm cc/s, g/a, ppm | |
| Max. inlet pressure "ULTRA"-Mode | mbar | 0.2 |
| Max. inlet pressure "FINE"-Mode | mbar | 0.9 |
| Max. inlet pressure "GROSS"-Mode | mbar | 18 |
| Response time | s | <1 |
| Digital inputs/outputs (if used with IO1000 Modul) | 10 inputs / 8 outputs | |
| Control input | V | max. 35 (PLC compatibel) |
| Ion Source | 2 yttrium/iridium long-life cathodes (3 years guarantee) | |
| lin/log recorder output | V | 0-10 |
| Serial interface (with IO1000 / BM1000) | RS232, RS485, Fieldbus | |
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | mm in | 330 x 240 x 280 13 x 9.45 x 11.1 |
| Ambient temperature range | C F | 10 - 45 50-113 |
| An IO1000 module or BM1000 module as well as a data cable are necessary for the operation of an LDS Arnova. The data cables can be used for connecting to an IO1000 module or a BM1000 bus module and the CU1000 control unit. | ||
Ordering Information
| 560-500 | LDS Arnova, base unit (additionally 1 data cable and a I/O-Module or BM1000-Module needed) |
| 560-310 | IO1000 module |
| 560-315 | BM1000 PROFIBUS module (other bus modules upon request) |
| 560-320 | CU1000 Control unit (additional 1 data cable needed) |
| 560-332 | Data Cable 2 m |
| 560-335 | Data Cable 5 m |
| 560-340 | Data Cable 10 m |
| 551-102 | Connection cable for display unit 5 m length |
| 551-103 | Connection cable for display unit 0,7 m length |
| 560-320 | CU1000 control unit |
| 560-324 | Snap-on mounting rail power supply unit 24 V, 10 A |
| 561-501 | Argon Calibration Leak Type TL4 |
| upon request | Customized leaks |
| 14511 | Pump module, D4B, AC motor, 230 V |
| 14520 | Sniffer valve |
| 14521 | Sniffer line, 3m |
| 14522 | Sniffer line, 5m |
| 14523 | Sniffer line, 10m |
| 560-319 | XL Sniffer Adapter |
| 560-320 | CU1000 Control unit (additional 1 data cable needed) |
| 560-323 | Internal Helium Test Leak TL7 for LDS3000 |
| 560-324 | DIN Rail Power supply 24v, 10A |
| 560-330 | Membrane pump, 4-stages ( Recommended to use with XL Sniffer Adapter) |
| 20004642 | Replacement Sniffer tip, 400 mm |
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For implementation support, integration guidance or technical consultation, simply contact us.
