Infrared Training Center

Thursday, June 21, 2012

New ITC Message Board Forum

We have some exciting news for you; we have developed a brand new Message board Forum so you can ask questions, get answers, and offer your expertise to the thermography community.

Try it out today! Click here.

It is an entirely new format with a lot of new capabilities, here are some of them:

Monday, June 11, 2012

Optical Gas Imaging Course now Confers CEUs

This course is intended for users of the FLIR Systems, Inc. Optical Imaging Cameras. Skilled users of the new FLIR GF Series cameras and the legacy GasFindIR camera can inspect over 3,000 connections per day. Current sniffer technology is limited to about 500 connections per day.

Students will learn how to setup and operate the FLIR Optical Imaging Cameras. They will learn how to optimally adjust their cameras for varying environmental conditions to find gas leaks. Students will learn under what environmental conditions gas leaks are most easily found, somewhat easy to find, and difficult to find.

Certification: Upon successful completion of the required activities listed below, each student will be certified as an Optical Gas Imaging Thermographer.
clip_image002Earn 2.0 IACET CEUs
Earn 20 ITC Certification Renewal Credits

Required Activities: Here is what is required to successfully pass this course:

  • Attend the entire 3 day course
  • Perform the lab activities as instructed
  • Pass the exam
  • Submit a course evaluation
  • Submit an acceptable field assignment within 90 days from the completion of this course

Learn More

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

IR Cost Savings for Seam Welder PM’s

by Steven Noel
Reliability Engineer / Group Leader
Batesville Casket Co.

The Batesville Casket Assembly Plant located in Batesville, Indiana has two Seam Welders in their fabrication department. These Seam Welders are resistance welders that are designed to weld a continuous weld that holds the casket bottoms in place while making an air tight seal. Each Seam Welder runs proximity 27 units each hour and is in use for up to 10 hours each day throughout the week.

clip_image002

When a seam welder starts failing due to insulation failure you start seeing poor welds which in some cases don’t show up until the unit is built and vacuum tested prior to ship out. At this point to make repairs to the casket is costly due to disassembly and removal of the interior to gain access to the bottom.

Furthermore if one of the Seam Welders were to fail during production it would reduce production by 50%. The lead time for making this type of repair is two to three hours causing production losses estimated at eight to ten thousand dollars.

These Seam Welders are 16 volt DC / 20,000 amp resistance welders so being very low voltage and high amperage any insulation breakdown will cause the foot and lower wheel to overheat and eventually fail.