Q&A: How to Efficiently Inspect Breathable Films of Various Specifications? Jingcheng Engineering’s Single Machine Supports Multiple Product Models

I. A Problem That Gives R&D Labs a Headache

Within the same company,We offer a variety of ePTFE products(math.) genusTheir structures vary, but each one must be verified at the same timeBreathabilitycap (a poem)Water Pressure ResistanceThe

The traditional approach would be:Three products × two tests = six procedures—or even six pieces of equipment. Procurement costs have risen, lab space is fully occupied, parameter management has become increasingly chaotic, and operators are constantly switching between different pieces of equipment.

Is there a more reasonable approach?

JC-WG200 Waterproof Breathable Membrane Comprehensive Tester

JCGK Jingcheng Engineering's JC-WG200 Multifunctional Testing Platform for Waterproof and Breathable MembranesThe answer given is:One machine + multiple sets of product fixtures + independent test parametersThe

II. Why Are “Waterproof” and “Breathable” Tested as Two Separate Categories?

There are significant differences in how pressure and leak rates are expressed across different countries and industries.If a piece of equipment can only display a single unit of measurement, manual conversion and parameter reconfiguration are required when switching between different production lines....it’s not just the workload that increases, but also water resistance and breathability—which may sound like two sides of the same product attribute, but in terms of testing logic, they areTwo completely independent dimensionsThe

Breathability TestThe focus is on air permeability:Under specified test conditions, determine whether gas and water vapor molecules can pass through the membrane as required.The

Water Pressure Resistance TestThe focus is on water resistance:As water pressure gradually increases, will the membrane continue to block various forms of liquid water?(soapy water, oil, etc.)PenetrationThe

It is entirely possible for a membrane to meet flow rate standards but fail to block water, or to meet water pressure standards but have severely inadequate air permeability. This is not a contradiction; rather, these two performance dimensions are inherently independent of one another,They must be verified separately; they cannot be used as substitutes for one another.The

Shenzhen Jingchenggongke Technology Co., Ltd.(JCGK) The automotive industry case study presented here—featuring the results of three actual test samples—clearly illustrates this logic.

III. Three Samples, Three Results

Sample	Breathability	Water Pressure Resistance	Final Ruling
Sample 1	FAIL	PASS	NG
Sample 2	FAIL	PASS	NG
Sample 3	PASS	NG	NG

Three products, three failure paths—the final conclusions were the same, but the causes differed.

Sample 1 While its waterproof performance meets the standard, its breathability does not—if only a water pressure resistance test were conducted, this product would be mistakenly deemed compliant.

Sample 3 This situation warrants closer attention: the air permeability rate was 41 mL/min, which is within the specified range, so the product passed the air permeability test; however, the water pressure resistance parameters exceeded the requirement by 20 kPa, so the product as a whole is still considered a failure.

That is precisely the point of conducting both tests at the same time—Meeting any single standard does not guarantee product reliability.

IV. How can a single piece of equipment accommodate three products with different specifications?

These three samples vary in appearance and specifications, but they have one thing in common:Inspections focus primarily on the areas where the waterproof, breathable membrane is located.The

JCGK Jingcheng Engineering's platform-based approach is based precisely on this. The equipment itself remains versatile, with corresponding designs tailored to different products.Custom-Fitted Tooling, including the positioning method, sealing area, test interfaces, and product clamping position.

The logic for switching between products is simple and clear:

Change the fixture → Load the product → Call up the corresponding parameters → Start the test

There is no need to purchase the testing platform repeatedly. The three products use the same set of test logic, but each product hasIndependent Test ParametersIncludesAir Permeability Requirements, Hydrostatic Pressure Standards, Membrane Area, and Sealing BoundariesThe

This solution is not suitable for all scenarios. If the testing principles for different products differ significantly and their detection ranges vary widely, dedicated equipment will still be required. The prerequisite for making this determination isFirst, conduct sample testing to verify whether the concept of "one machine, multiple uses" is truly viable.The

V. Who will benefit from this plan?

R&D Laboratory

During the R&D phase, product models change frequently, and it may be necessary to test samples featuring multiple new materials, structures, or lamination processes on the same day. The greatest value of a platform-based solution lies not in the number of features it offers, but rather inReduce the time wasted switching back and forth between different devices(math.) genusEnable horizontal comparisons within the same testing frameworkThe

Quality Control Department

A standardized testing process leads to consistent evaluation criteria:Conduct breathability and water pressure resistance tests on different products using the same standards... and ultimately outputs three results: breathability, water resistance, and a PASS/NG determination. Instrumented testing makes it easier to generate these results than manual, item-by-item assessment.Traceable, Comparable Quality BaselineThe

Purchasing Decisions

Procurement is not based on the price of a single piece of equipment, but rather onTotal Investment. Multiple products correspond to multiple sets of tooling, not multiple instruments,This results in savings in the number of instruments purchased, laboratory space, operator training, and routine maintenance.The

VI. From the Laboratory to the Production Line

The design philosophy behind this platform goes beyond simply solving "How do I take the test today?", and it also leaves room for future automation:

Manual Testing → Semi-Automatic Inspection → Automatic Loading and Unloading → Production Line Integration

In mass production scenarios, features such as automatic positioning, robotic handling, automatic changeovers, data logging, and quality traceability can be further configured. The tooling and parameters accumulated during the R&D phase do not need to be scrapped and restarted from scratch; instead, they serve as the foundation for the mass production solution.

Conclusion

If your company is considering a testing plan for waterproof and breathable membranes, we recommend starting by evaluating these five aspects:

Number of products, membrane material structure, air permeability standards, water resistance pressure, and test cycle time.

These five dimensions determine whether a "one-machine, multiple-product" approach is feasible, and they also dictate the direction of tooling design and parameter configuration.

JCGK Jingcheng Engineering can conduct testing protocol and tooling validation based on actual samples.Test first, then decide.

Original Statement: This article was written by the technical team at Shenzhen Jingcheng Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. Please cite the source when reprinting.Data sources: Precision Engineering internal test data and customer cases.