How are outdoor cameras tested for sealing and waterproofing? A look at airtight solutions for the security industry

Outdoor cameras have to operate stably in extreme environments such as wind and rain, sun and rain, and even strong wind and sand, and it has only one most critical underlying capability:

Can it be truly waterproof, dustproof, and resistant to moisture intrusion.

That's why almost all outdoor cameras(including high-speed dome, cylinder, dome, panoramic)Before leaving the factory, they all have to go throughAirtightness and waterproofing test(Air Leak Test)The

So how exactly does an outdoor camera accomplish airtightness testing?
Why do some use direct pressure and others quantitative methods?
What do IP67 and IP68 mean in terms of airtightness test parameters?

Let's talk about it once and for all in the context of Precision Engineering's airtight solutions in the security industry.

Ⅰ. Why must outdoor cameras be tested for air tightness?

Outdoor cameras can face prolonged exposure to the outside environment:

• rainstorm
• Moisture absorption in the housing due to temperature differences
• sandstorms
• Moisture condensation
• Loose structural screws
• Ultraviolet aging causes seals to deteriorate

If the sealing performance is not adequate, the consequences are very direct:

• fogging
• Starlight Camera IR Infrared Fill Light Failure
• Ball head inlet burner plate
• Motherboard gold finger oxidation
• Lens Module Mold
• The whole machine is short-circuited and scrapped

Therefore, waterproof detection is not an option, but an outdoor surveillance productslifelinesThe

Industry standards typically require outdoor cameras to meet:

• IP66: Resistant to powerful water sprays, suitable for sheltered semi-outdoor environments
• IP67: Can withstand 1 meter of water for 30 minutes, which is the standard configuration for mainstream outdoor cameras.
• IP68: Ability to work under deeper water for longer periods of time, used in some high-end dome cameras or special scenarios

And the core validation behind these waterproof ratings is:Air tightness testThe

II. Outdoor camera airtightness test method

Traditional soak testing is destructive, inefficient and unquantifiable, but the solution idea is simple:Where water can get in, gas must get in, and gas is more sensitive than water.

Gas molecules are much smaller in size than water molecules, enabling the discovery of finer leakage channels; more importantly, changes in air pressure can be captured and quantified in real time by high-precision sensors.

Due to the wide variety of structures of outdoor cameras, airtightness testing methods are therefore divided into two categories.

1. Direct pressure method (for open structures with filling holes)

Typical representatives are infrared high-speed dome cameras. These products usually have ventilation holes or reserved test ports, forming a relatively connected cavity inside.

The testing process is very straightforward:

1. Connection to the camera's internal chamber via hermetically sealed quick connectors
2. Fill with gas at a set pressure (e.g. 10 kPa for 1 meter water depth for IP67)
3. Starts detecting after a period of voltage stabilization
4. Highly accurate pressure sensors to monitor pressure changes

If the product seals are intact, there will be little or no pressure drop. If there are leaks, the pressure will decay significantly.

Outdoor high-speed dome camera air tightness test program, using direct pressure method

The advantage of the direct pressure method is:

• Fast test beats, single test takes only a few tens of seconds
• Extremely accurate, detects leaks down to the micron level
• Suitable for ball machines with complex internal structures but with connected chambers.

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2. Quantitative method (for fully enclosed structures without interfaces)

Most outdoor cameras are completely sealed and do not have any ports to access gas. Cartridge, dome, and gun cameras all fall into this category.

The quantitative approach uses a completely different mindset:Instead of inflating the product, the product is put into a sealed containerThe

Specific implementations:

1. Designed to fit the camera profile perfectlyUpper and lower molds
2. Place the camera in the lower mold
3. Upper mold presses down to form a completely sealed external cavity
4. Filling or evacuating this external chamber
5. Determine whether the product is leaking by the change of air pressure in the chamber.

The clever thing about this method is this:There is no need to change the structure of the product, and the volume change of the external cavity is used entirely to invert the sealing of the product.

If there is a leak in the camera, there is a measurable change in pressure in the external chamber. The sensor captures this change accurately to determine if the product is acceptable.

Outdoor surveillance camera airtightness testing program, using quantitative methods

Quantitative methods are particularly suitable:

• Fully enclosed camera
• Products with complex and irregular shapes
• multicavity construction
• Equipment that cannot be opened but must be kept watertight

Ⅲ. Complete Steps for Outdoor Camera Airtightness Testing

Regardless of whether the direct pressure method or the quantitative method is used, a complete airtightness testing system consists of the following components:

Step 1: Set the test parameters according to the protection level

The correspondence between IP level and test pressure is very clear:

protection class	protection capability	Corresponding test pressure	Typical Leakage Limits
IP66	Resistant to powerful water jets	5~10 kPa	Customized to chamber volume
IP67	Soak in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes	10~15 kPa	Back-calculation based on product mix
IP68	Deep water immersion for long periods of time	15~60 kPa	Defined by water depth

1 meter water depth (Freshwater) The resulting pressure is equal to approximately 9.8 kPa.This is why IP67 testing is typically done at 10 kPa.

Step 2: Fixing the product in the special tooling

The ball machine could not be effectively fixed by conventional fixtures because it is a sphere. The solution was to designAirtight Quick Clamp ConnectorsIt is a great way to ensure a tight seal and improve efficiency with quick loading and unloading.

Quantitative Air Tightness Testerfailing agreementProfiling test fixturesThe inner surface of the mold is precisely matched to the outer contour of the camera to ensure the formation of a completely airtight cavity.

Step 3: Automated Testing and Data Collection

Modern airtightness testing equipment is highly automated:

1. Automatic Pressure Building: Equipment is inflated or evacuated according to preset parameters
2. stabilization phase: Eliminate temperature fluctuations and piping effects
3. detection stage: High-precision sensors for real-time acquisition of pressure or flow data
4. verdict: Automatic comparison of limits, display of PASS / NG
5. Data logging: SN code, test pressure, leakage value, test result and time stamp are all stored automatically.

The whole process does not require human intervention and avoids errors in subjective judgment.

Step 4: Production traceability and quality management

Modern security products have mandatory requirements for data traceability. Precision Engineering'sAir tightness testing equipmentUsually equipped:

• Barcode Scanning System: Binding Product SN Code
• Test Data Recording: time stamps, test pressures, leak values, test results, and other information
• USB export function: Generate Excel reports with one click
• MES System Interfacing: Real-time uploading of data to the plant management system

This system ensures that every camera that leaves the factory has a complete inspection record, so that in case of a problem in the market it can be accurately traced back to the batch or even to a single product.

Ⅳ. Why Precision Engineering's solutions are the industry's first choice

Shenzhen Jingchenggongke Technology Co., Ltd.The accumulation of technology in the field of outdoor camera airtightness testing is reflected in several key dimensions:

Technology Adaptability: Direct Pressure and Quantitative Dual Mode Support

Cameras of different configurations can be selected for the most suitable detection method:

• Balls, with interface equipment: Straight pressure mode for fast and accurate testing
• Cylinders, hemispheres, fully enclosed equipment: dosing mode, no need to change the product structure

One set of equipment covers the entire product line, avoiding repeated investment.

Tooling design: solving the problem of fixing shaped structures

Outdoor cameras come in a wide variety of shapes, with spheres, arcs, and irregular polyhedra being common. Precision Engineering offers:

• Profiling Fixture: fits perfectly to the outer contour of the product
• Quick Clamp: Reduction of loading and unloading time
• modular design: Only the fixture module needs to be replaced when changing the model.

This flexibility is especially important for manufacturers with extensive product lines and can result in significant savings on equipment purchases.

Data judgment: very high differentiation

The actual test data shows extremely clear differentiation, as exemplified by the results of the three tests in the video case:

• conformity: Leakage value 30 Pa
• defective product: Leakage value 252 Pa
• serious leakage: Instantaneous drop in pressure curve

This differentiation makes the determination uncontroversial and not plagued by critical states.

Production Integration: Adapting to the needs of large-scale mass production

The production pace of the security industry is very fast, a single production line may reach thousands of units per day. Precision Industrial TechnologyAir tightness test equipmentThe characteristics of the

• Rapid testing: Control of single test cycle in 10~60 sec.
• MES interfacing: Seamless integration into plant information systems
• automated process: Reduction of manual handling
• Data traceability: Meet the requirements for quality system certification

Parameter optimization: not simply applying standards

Many manufacturers use IP67 as the standard for 10 kPa, but in reality, each product's IP67 is the standard for 10 kPa.Chamber volume, housing thickness, seal materialAll are different, and leakage limits need to be calculated on a structure-specific basis.

Precision Engineering can provide customers withLimit value backcalculation servicesThe test parameters are based on the product characteristics, which is extremely critical in engineering practice.

Summarize

The waterproof capability of outdoor cameras is based on the "structural sealing design" + "structural sealing design".Airtightness Tester" double insurance, rather than just soaking the product in water to verify leaks.

Precision Engineering'sAirtightness TesterCan do:

• No damage to the product
• True Mass Production Full Inspection
• Precise determination of leak location
• Suitable for protection standards such as IP67 / IP68
• Covering the full range of outdoor cameras

Every outdoor camera that can operate stably in the wind and rain has gone through such harsh and precise tests. If you have further needs for airtightness testing, please contact us.Welcome to consult Jingcheng Engineering at any time, we customize professional solutions for you!The

Original Statement:this paper was written byShenzhen Jingchenggongke Technology Co., Ltd.Written by the technical team, reproduced with attribution.Data sources:Precision Engineering internal test data and customer cases.