FLIR ONE Online Training

FLIR ONE Basics
This course will introduce you to the operation of the FLIR ONE and FLIR ONE Pro infrared camera. This course is a self paced on-demand web course, you can start as soon as you enroll and you can stop and continue where you left off at any time. There is NO CHARGE for this course.

IR Consultant Pricing Survey - U.S.

One of the most frequently asked questions we get from our students and readers is "How much do consultants charge for IR inspection services?"

This groundbreaking survey provides you with the answers. The results of this survey should prove invaluable to you for both pricing and marketing your services.

We will be updating this information with a new survey to be conducted later this year. The results will be published as part of the InfraMation 2018 Conference Proceedings which all attendees receive.

If you want to be included in the survey, make sure that you opt in to "ITC email" on the Online Training registration page or your profile (for current online learners). Participants will be able to purchase the published report at a 50% discount.

Link to the Report Page

Lens Choice for Looking Through IR Windows

by Gary Orlove
More and more organizations are installing IR windows or sight glasses in their electrical equipment so inspections can be made with an infrared camera.
The advantages are obvious: worker safety is improved as thermographers and electricians don't have to open live electrical cabinets, and inspection times can be reduced.
However, what lens choice is the best to use with your infrared camera to provide adequate resolution, and yet see as much of the electrical equipment as possible?
Here are three images that were taken at a power plant looking at an ISO phase buss. The buss is only about a foot away and is taken looking through an infrared window (crystal type).

25 deg.

45 deg.

90 deg.

Images courtesy - John Fricot, FLIR Systems
As you can plainly see, the 90° lens is clearly the way to go.  It provides enough detail for analysis, yet extends your field of view by a huge amount.

How the temperature of your nose shows how much strain you are under

Researchers at the University of Nottingham's Institute for Aerospace Technology (IAT), together with academic staff from the Bioengineering and Human Factors Research Groups, have demonstrated that facial temperatures, which can be easily measured using a non-invasive thermal camera, are strongly correlated to mental workload.

It was found that the effect is most pronounced above the sinuses around the nose, and that facial temperatures were reduced as participants carried out tasks of increasing difficulty.

The results show that when people are fully focused on a task, their breathing rate changes as the autonomic nervous system takes over. There may also be a diversion of blood flow from the face to the cerebral cortex as the mental demand increases, although this is the subject of further research.

Read the entire article

FLIR Home Energy Audit Tools

What tools do Home Energy Auditors and Home Inspectors use? Shopping for the right Home Energy Auditor or Home Inspector can be a timely process. Beyond their certifications and experience, you should also consider the types of tools they use to perform their tasks.

Here’s a video with Tom O’toole of FLIR Systems and Flemming Lund, a certified Energy Auditor & Home Inspector, talking about the tools used in the various phases involved in a home energy audit.

Cost Avoidance/Energy Savings for IR Thermography

"Has anyone documented Cost Avoidance Or Potential energy savings using Thermography. Ex. Downtime, Labor, Materials. I would be interested in understanding how you determined final cost or energy savings."

This is the $64,000 question, how to justify the cost and benefits of an IR program. The methods used vary depending on your situation, what downtime costs in your facility, overtime and rush ordering to get new parts, lost production cost, your energy cost, etc.

I have selected several white papers that illustrate how different organizations have calculated their costs. Use them as examples of what can be done, and how they are presented.

Use this link to download the files.

InfraMation 2018 - Call for Papers and Abstracts

InfraMation 2018 will be held in Austin, Texas, September 11-14, 2018 and we are thrilled to be heading to the "Live Music Capital of the World". Austin is known for its vibrant buzzing energy, never-ending entertainment options, and stunning outdoor settings. One thing is for sure, we will be ready to paint the town InfraRED! Join other thermal imaging experts to learn the latest thermal imaging techniques and applications, and make valuable connections!

Hilton Austin has been chosen as the InfraMation 2018 host hotel. Hilton Austin is situated right in downtown Austin, TX, just a quick walk from exclusive shopping, amazing restaurants, and a multitude of live music venues on 6th Street and the surrounding area. InfraMation attendees receive a deeply discounted rate of $199/night plus taxes. Based on availability, this incredible rate can be extended 3 days post or prior if you'd like to stay a bit longer!

Submit your abstract through this simple online form.

Benefits & Requirements - Why should you present at InfraMation 2018?

• Qualify for a deeply discounted conference registration fee
• Identify yourself as an infrared thermal imaging expert in your field
• Earn valuable certification renewal credit
• Further validate your expertise for clients and customers
• Expand your professional and business referral network
• Represent your organization on a big stage

Publish your paper on a searchable CD that every InfraMation attendee receives. InfraMation is the leading infrared training experience in the world. As thermal imaging becomes more mainstream, early adopters such as yourself will be sought out for your extensive know how and experience. Simply put: InfraMation is the place to get recognized! The only "hard" requirements are that your paper be non-commercial in nature (for sponsorship or exhibition opportunities, click here) and submitted in English. Abstract approval is based on clarity, suitability, and technical merit of work.

Suggested Topic Areas

• Buildings
• Roofing Systems
• Water Ingress / Moisture / Remediation / Mold Testing
• Insulation / Air Leakage / Energy Loss
• Standards & Certification
• Pest Detection and Control
• Condition Monitoring
• Electrical Distribution - Indoor, Outdoor, Transmission, Distribution
• Mechanical Applications - Bearings, Gearboxes, Conveyors, Steam,
• Hydraulic
• Standards & Certification
• Petrochemical Applications
• Business
• Marketing/Sales/Pricing
• Program Management / Cost Avoidance / Cost Saving
• Safety
• Research & Science Applications
• Medical/Veterinary Applications
• Optical Gas Imaging Applications
• IR Report Preparation Techniques
• Aerial Drone and UAV Applications / Techniques
• Public Safety
• Non-Destructive Testing - Material flaws, voids, etc.
• Alternative / other Applications / Other Technologies

What the heck is Emissivity? (Part 2)

Fill up two soda cans with hot water and wrap one in scotch tape. Which one will cool down faster? Obvious, right? Check it out, you might be surprised!

Infrared Training Center

What the Heck is Emissivity? (part 1)

Fill two soda cans with hot water and wrap one with scotch tape. Which one will radiate more heat? You might be surprised at the answer! Watch the video to find out why.

It is Not Always about Loose Contacts

by Ahmed Osman Mohamed Hamoudy
Electrical PM & PdM Engineer
Cemex, Egypt

In modern industries, there are many predictive maintenance techniques that can be utilized to avoid an unexpected failure. At CEMEX,  we count on those techniques and deploy them in such a way as to get the most use from it, and avoid any undesirable consequences. IR thermography's use has become widespread in cement plants; application areas typically include rotating kilns, insulation, mechanical, and electrical systems.

This article will explore the uses of IR thermography, specifically as part of the Motor Control Center systems predictive maintenance routine, including typical electrical panel failure points (contactor, terminations, feeding breaker, fuses, cables, etc...).

Figure 1. Rotary Kiln

One of the Clinker Rotary Kilns (4,500 Tons per Day) is supposed to be available for operation not less than a year, which is a challenge of course, to guarantee continuous operation for the kiln system for this time without any unexpected shutdown.