Understanding Pressure Testing

Whether you’ve recently entered a new trade or are researching things about hydraulics, there are inevitably a number of questions that will cross your mind. Specifically when researching how certain materials are tested, you might find a variety of methods that employ different materials to find different types of strength. One question you may wonder is what is proof pressure or what is burst pressure? Many industries and businesses rely on pipes, valves, and cylinders to operate their machines, which means both these types of testing are incredibly important.

Proof Pressure Testing

Proof pressure testing is a way to test the durability of a material in a controlled setting. Usually this method tests the material at anywhere between two and six times the normal amount of pressure it will be experiencing on a daily basis. There are a number of benefits to this type of testing such as the fact that it is not destructive to the parts. It’s a great way to test the limits of materials without distorting or damaging them. It can prove that materials meet factory standards and also prove the reliability of parts not to break in emergency situations. This type of testing is common in industries that require every single type of material and part be tested before approving it for use.

Burst Pressure Testing

Burst pressure testing is a similar process, but it tests the maximum pressure a part can handle without damaging the internal sensor. This determines how much pressure a material can handle without failing. The main difference between this testing method and proof pressure testing, is that it is not a non-destructive way to test parts. Typically after a material undergoes a burst pressure test it can’t be used again. This method is typically used in situations where a device needs to withstand incredibly high pressures without failing.