Thermal imaging becomes affordable

Citation

(2007), "Thermal imaging becomes affordable", Sensor Review, Vol. 27 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/sr.2007.08727dad.008

Thermal imaging becomes affordable

Thermal imaging becomes affordable

Test and measurement engineers are increasingly asking what else they can inspect with infrared. This technology is so versatile and easy to use that it can be applied to such a broad range of tasks from research and design through predictive maintenance to monitoring energy loss. What is driving this application expansion is the newfound affordability of this technology and one of the principle architects of this change is FLIR Systems.

ThermaCAM^® P640 (Figure 7), the world's first portable thermal imaging camera with 640£480 detector that provides unrivalled image quality. To put this into perspective, it features more than 307,000 pixels or measurement points whereas the nearest alternative provides just 76,000. This means the image quality is far superior and that the camera can be used at greater distances away from the target, an important development in the inspection of high-voltage installations.

Figure 7 ThermaCAM^w P640, the first camera with a 640 × 480 pixel detector

No longer the sole preserve of professional thermographers thermal imaging is now widely used by a range of trades. FLIR Systems' infrared cameras fall into two basic categories beyond those designed for professional and in-depth thermal analysis. Next in line is the ThermaCAM^® E-Series, a range of infrared cameras aimed at those conducting regular condition monitoring surveys with a need for good image quality, data collection plus analysis and reporting, but not for the sophisticated features of the high-end cameras.

Top of this range is the ThermaCAM^w E320 that provides an excellent upgrade path to the professional cameras. It has, for example, a 320 × 240 pixel detector offering superb thermal imaging performance. All other ThermaCAM^® E Series cameras have a 120 × 160 pixel detector. This mid-range camera provides full, non-contact temperature measurement and analysis capabilities of both live and saved images. Thermal sensitivity is an excellent, 80mK. This not only allows the operator to see smaller temperature changes, but it also provides clear, noise-free images that are beyond the capability of less sensitive cameras.

The infrared camera that is really extending the use of thermal imaging in general engineering is the find-it-fix- it InfraCAM^® that has set a new entry- level benchmark for safe, non-contact thermal inspection. This model has a 120£120 pixel uncooled focal plane array that displays an outstandingly crisp radiometric image in a choice of colour palettes on its 3.5in. LCD. This quality allows the operator to identify more problems before they become expensive failures.

With a high-quality image, a field of view of 25 × 25º a 200mK sensitivity and temperature range of - 20 to 350º this low-end camera is far from a low- end performer. It also could not be simpler to use. Its point and shoot operation and simple plug and play report generation makes the InfraCAM^® a highly time-efficient tool.

Infrared cameras now of course, come in a range of shapes and sizes for either fixed or portable use. Even the lower end fixed mounted cameras for process monitoring and control are considerably more powerful and affordable than they were just a few years ago. The FLIR Systems ThermoVisione A series is typical of this new breed.

These IEEE1394 Firewire enabled cameras can deliver true 50Hz frame rates and 50mK NETD. Coupled with the latest release of ThermaCAM Researcher – the preferred choice for image data capture and analysis in the infrared – the ThermoVision™ A20 camera produces a flexible and affordable tool for a broad range of applications.

The ThermoVision™ A40 brings increased resolution through a 320 × 240 LWIR detector and a wider choice of lenses including a choice of microscope lenses for analysis of thermal events on small objects. Both cameras feature a variety of analogue and digital I/O to enable batch triggers, external optics correction and alarms to be enabled; they are also now compatible with the Compact Vision system from National Instruments.

For further information, please visit the web site: www.flirthermography.com