ISO80369-6 test equipment

ISO80369-6 test equipment. ISO 80369-6 — Small-bore connectors for liquids and gases in healthcare applications — Part 6: connectors for neuraxial applications. Kingpo machines reference connectors and gauges in-house from hardened steel, inspects them against the figure before despatch and supplies them with a calibration certificate.

What it is used for

• Dimensional and mechanical checks on the connector under test
• Repeatable mating with the sample so results are comparable between laboratories

ISO 80369-6 defines the neuraxial connector family and its Annex C reference connectors.

Specification

How the test is run

1. Condition the reference connector and the sample together at the test temperature stated in the standard.
2. Mate the sample to the reference connector with the axial force or torque the standard specifies — never by hand feel alone.
3. Apply the test medium. Leakage tests use liquid under positive pressure or air under sub-atmospheric pressure; mechanical tests use a tensile or compressive load at a controlled rate.
4. Hold for the dwell time in the standard and record the reading.
5. Repeat for the number of samples the protocol calls for and report the worst case, not the average.

Reference connectors are inspection tools. Overriding tests and repeated axial-load tests wear them by design — plan replacement against test cycles.

Choosing the right figure

Annex C (and the equivalent annexes in the other parts) assigns one figure per reference connector, and each figure is certified for a specific set of tests. Picking the wrong one is the most common specification error in this category: the connectors look almost identical, but a figure that is certified for leakage is not the one you use for separation from axial load. Order against the figure number in your test protocol, not against the photograph.

What this is not

A reference connector is not a complete test system. Leakage, sub-atmospheric air leakage and separation-force tests need pressure, vacuum or force applied through ISO 80369-20 test apparatus. It is also not a simple go/no-go dimensional gauge: for a quick fit check on a conical fitting you want a plug gauge or a ring gauge, not a reference connector.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use one reference connector for several tests?

Only the tests the figure is certified for. Different figures are machined to different limits and, in some cases, to different materials, because the test loads differ.

Do you supply the test apparatus as well?

Yes. Kingpo builds the ISO 80369-20 apparatus — leakage, sub-atmospheric air leakage, separation force and unscrewing torque — alongside the reference connectors.

Is a calibration certificate included?

Yes, and we re-calibrate reference connectors you already hold.

Related gauges and equipment

Other gauges and test equipment to the same standard:

• ISO 80369-6-Figure C.4 Male reference lock connector for testing female neuraxial connectors for leakage, separation from unscrewing, stress cracking and non-interconnectable characteristics

Send the standard, figure number and quantity to Kingpo technical sales for a quotation and delivery date.