Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions, a member of the global Busch Group, celebrates 60 years of leak detection expertise. This milestone marks six decades since the commercialization of the company's first helium leak detector, the ASM 4, and highlights the continuous development of a portfolio that has supported demanding industrial and scientific applications around the world.
The story began in Annecy, France, in the 1960s. A request from a nuclear research and development hub required a highly sensitive solution for tightness testing in isotope enrichment for nuclear power plant fuel. Existing leak detection methods were not sufficient for the demanding process requirements, particularly because the equipment had to prevent contamination such as moisture. Drawing on strong vacuum technology know-how, the engineers developed a new type of leak detector based on mass spectrometry with helium as tracer gas: the ASM 4.
Vacuum technology as a driver
As a vacuum solution manufacturer and supplier, Pfeiffer has always benefited from the close collaboration between its vacuum technology and leak detector development teams. This strong connection has enabled the leak detector portfolio to continuously integrate technological advances from vacuum generation, helping to improve performance, cleanliness, and robustness over time.
Early developments focused on more compact and easier-to-use systems, such as the ASM 10, while maintaining high detection sensitivity. In the 1980s, turbomolecular vacuum pumps replaced diffusion vacuum pumps and liquid nitrogen traps, making leak detectors faster and more convenient to operate. In the 1990s, automatic calibration and dry primary pumping were introduced to meet the specific needs of industries such as semiconductor manufacturing. The ASM 142 later became one of the most recognized leak detectors in the market, followed by further generations designed for high performance, ease of use, and robustness.
Reliable leak testing across industries
Today, Pfeiffer leak detectors are used wherever leak tightness is essential for product quality, process reliability, and safety. Applications range from vacuum-insulated products and medical devices to battery manufacturing, semiconductor production, industrial quality assurance, maintenance and research and development. Whether components must be protected from moisture, contamination, or process losses, tracer gas leak detection provides the sensitivity and reliability that are required for demanding test environments.
In its anniversary year, Pfeiffer continues this tradition of innovation with the launch of the new ASM HVM. The mobile leak detector is designed for reliable, high-sensitivity helium leak testing of medium test volumes in semiconductor manufacturing, R&D, and other industrial environments where mobility, cleanliness, and fast testing are essential.
Combining a turbomolecular vacuum pump with a dry scroll backing pump into a powerful system, the ASM HVM enables fast, oil-free testing and is suitable for cleanroom use. Its compact and ergonomic design, rotatable and removable color touch display, and integrated toolbox support efficient leak detection in different testing areas. "Over the past 60 years, Pfeiffer has continuously shaped the development of tracer gas leak detection," says Clotilde Lesigne, Head of Product Management Leak Detection at Pfeiffer. "With the ASM HVM, we are building on this experience and addressing today's customer needs for clean, mobile, ergonomic, and high-performance leak testing solutions."
