Infrared Imaging for Maintenance Programs

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jeffweeden Active Contributor Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Dartford, kent , England Posts: 11 Good Answers: 1	Infrared Imaging for Maintenance Programs 06/27/2008 5:10 AM
	Hi, I am considering setting up a maintenance program using infra imaging camera. Have been having surveys done once in a while on electrical distribution boards and MCC's. But now am considering in investing in our own camera. Just wondered what other applications they can be used for.. thinking pumps and motors, bearings , fan belts and line blockages. Can you give me any other applications that you have used them for...and what results. Any good or bad issues to watch out for. Most of the work will be in a hazardous area so will need a spark permit unless you know of an ATEX approved camera. Kind regards, Jeff. __________________ Raise to the challange and do it safely
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Vulcan Guru Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northern Mindanao, Philippines Posts: 2147 Good Answers: 53	#1 Re: use of infrared imaging in maintenance 06/27/2008 7:34 AM
	electrical distribution boards and MCC's...pumps and motors, bearings , fan belts and line blockages You've already covered most of the uses for them. One other way we used them was to find compressed air leaks. Our factory is quite noisy and finding a leak by sound is difficult. The leak is quite visible because the surface that the leak is hitting has a different temperature than the surroundings. __________________ Miscommunication: when what people heard you say differs from what you said. Make yourself understood.
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The JMAN Power-User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 289 Good Answers: 19	#2 Re: use of infrared imaging in maintenance 06/27/2008 9:44 AM
	Jeff. In addition to the already mentioned electrical distribution surveys, I've found my infrared camera (a FLIR BCAM-SD) to be useful for moisture detection in building structural elements, including roofing, facades, walls and floors. For walls and floors, and other interior components, the substrates that have been impacted by mioisture are cooler than the surrounding areas, due to conductive as well as thermal capacitive effect. For roofing surveys (which are best conducted in the evening), the water-impacted roof areas have a higher thermal mass, and cool more slowly than the surrounding (dry) areas. Defects in flashing become quite apparent with the IR imaging. It is also useful for surveying to locate insulation defects on piping & HVAC systems. Definitely a worthwile investment, as these units have dropped in price significantly recently... ========================================================================= Just my $0.02...
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Bricktop Guru Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: The People's Republic of Massachusetts Posts: 1946 Good Answers: 73	#3 In reply to #2 Re: use of infrared imaging in maintenance 06/27/2008 10:32 AM
	They have come down a lot in price. I just got a quote on these: http://www.extech.com/instrument/categories/thermo/subcategory/thermography.html The SD is $4995, and the i5 is $2995. Extech is a Flir company. __________________ I go into every human encounter expecting to be framed for a crime I didn't commit. Dilbert, 2013
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backman2 Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 9	#4 Re: Infrared Imaging for Maintenance Programs 06/27/2008 7:18 PM
	I have a similiar question up right now. If you learn anything, let me know! backman2
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Milo Guru Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: "Dancing over the abyss." Posts: 4884 Good Answers: 243	#5 Re: Infrared Imaging for Maintenance Programs 06/28/2008 8:44 AM
	I used a non contact infrared thermometer "gun" back in the 1990's for just such a purpose. We would "read" the bearings and gear boxes after 3 hours of our post weekend startup and chart the temps. You could see when the trend changed easily , with out going into spc. Our culprits were bearings on drives for our wheelabrators (shotblasters). We eliminated over half of our unscheduled downtime with this technique. We tried using it for circuit boards on the controller for one of our draw lines, Many failures, but the resolution was lacking, i'll bet that the camera that you are considering would do a better job on that. milo __________________ People say between two opposed opinions the truth lies in the middle. Not at all! Between them lies the problem, what is unseeable,eternally active life, contemplated in repose. Goethe
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Anonymous Poster	#6 Re: Infrared Imaging for Maintenance Programs 06/28/2008 1:11 PM
	We have used imaging to find the location of buried HP steam and HTHW lines that are not on our prints. Ed
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Anonymous Poster (1); backman2 (1); Bricktop (1); Milo (1); The JMAN (1); Vulcan (1)

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