Aluminium foils are prominently being used in the pharmaceutical industries to secure chemical-based drugs. They are used as high barrier packaging for industrial and food applications as well. They are used for packaging tablets, capsules and much more. The reason why aluminium foils are taken upon other materials for packaging of drugs is the superior barrier properties, it delivers. Foils are the foremost choice for medicines due to their impenetrable nature against moisture, oxygen and any kind of gases, as well as contaminations like micro-organisms and even light. These strong barrier properties help keep the drugs in perfect condition for a longer period of time.

Pinholes or micro-sized leaks are a very common quality drawback that can be seen in foils used for pharma packaging. The pinholes are produced due to the production process the foils undergo. Aluminium foil is drawn from various types of processes that include a rolling procedure where the thickness of the foil material is thinned by exerting compression load with rolls. The pressure exerted sometimes may develop holes in thinner sheets. Additional to this, the quantity and size of a pinhole depend on the filtration of inorganic chemicals from the molten aluminium, the casting procedure and the rolling conditions provided like the type of lubricant used and lubricant filtration quality.

Foils containing pinholes allow moisture and oxygen from the environment to enter inside the package leading to the degradation and contamination of the contents packed inside. It can further reduce the shelf life or stability of the product packaged.

Pinhole tester is a solution for aluminium foil packaging industries and for the sectors they are used in. It is a lightbox chamber that is equipped with a lighted closed chamber above which there is a glass specimen platform. The entire chamber is enclosed with a thick covering that allows a see-through area for pinhole inspection. The equipment is designed as per international test standards and is made of reputed built parts.

To use the machine, the user needs to open the blackout hood and keep the foil sample on the test platform. Switch on the basement light, to make the chamber glow and close the hood. Reset the Digital Event Counter to start a new count. Now one can count the pinholes using two methods. Either one can simply see and count the holes emitting or one can press the digital counter every time they see a hole and at the end can calculate the total holes counted. One can also slide the sample through the box for analysing other areas of the foil.