An Infrared camera must be considered a vital maintenance tool

  • By Ken Keith
  • one year ago
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The basic intent of a well-designed maintenance program is to reduce the risk of premature failure and insure the continued operations of components and/or assemblies. The success of the maintenance system is based on the seamless integration of multiple diagnostic disciplines, of which infrared scanning must be an integral part of. An infrared camera, along with a properly trained thermographer, can determine the “current health/condition” of a component or system that is being monitored. The camera provides ital information in a non-contact, non-destructive real-time imagery methodology.The infrared camera has become a vital diagnostic tool in the monitoring of mechanical systems. Long, costly downtimes can be reduced, if not illuminated. For example, when considering electric motor systems, “thermal imaging is a well-documented method used to detect conditions such as loose connections; overloaded phases and circuits; bearing problems, hot spots or overloaded motors and other thermal faults” (Dr. Howard Penrose – 2003 InfraMation conference).The presentation will explore, with examples, the avenues where the infrared camera is a useful, cost saving maintenance tool in mechanical, electrical, and other applications.