ITC InfraMation - = September 2004

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September=20 2004

Volume 5, Issue=20 9

In This=20 Issue:=20

Welcome

Shiny Metals and = Non-contact=20 Infrared Temperature Measurements

IR News you can=20 Use

ITC Message Board=20 Posts

Brainteaser of the=20 Month

Last Month's=20 Brainteaser

Past = Issues

Course=20 Calendar

About the=20 ITC

Check=20 out the Conference Schedule!

Hi=20 {{user("firstname")}},

It's back to=20 school time again and we have a plenty of goodies to serve up to = you this=20 month.

First, our own=20 self proclaimed professor Joe DeMonte discusses the perils of = measuring=20 the temperature of shiny metals with infrared devices.

Second, we=20 have posted the schedule for the InfraMation conference in = October. Some=20 of the clinics have more than 70 people signed up, we are close to = running=20 out of room. So if you want to attend a clinic, register = soon!

As=20 usual we have our IR News, Message board posts, and our monthly Brainteaser for you to solve.

As with all images in this newsletter, = click each=20 image to see a larger version.

If you want to=20 save this newsletter for viewing off line in your computer, just = go to the=20 web page = using=20 your browser and select File....Save As or save this email = page as html in=20 your email software.

See you in Las=20 Vegas,

Gary=20 Orlove,
Editor and = Publisher

Shiny Metals and = Non-contact=20 Infrared Temperature Measurements [top]

By Joe DeMonte
ASNT/PdM Thermal Infrared Level = 3
Senior=20 Thermography Course Instructor
Infrared Training Center =

Here is an article = that I put=20 together to show the untrained user of =93spot radiometers=94 why = there can be=20 significant errors in measurements. Using infrared devices for = non-contact=20 temperature measurement may seem like an easy task. Just squeeze = the=20 trigger on the =93laser pyrometer=94 and point it at the target = for accurate=20 temperatures, right? Wrong!! Different materials have different=20 efficiencies at radiating. I will discuss briefly the important = measures=20 that must be taken to accurately measure temperatures with these = devices.=20

Take a look at an aluminum block heated up on a hot = plate. I am=20 viewing this hot plate with an infrared camera that detects the = same=20 radiation as a typical spot radiometer such as a Raytek or 3M = =93laser=20 Pyrometer=94. It produces an infrared picture of the heat and = allows me to=20 obtain temperatures from thousands of points across the thermal=20 map.

&n= bsp; &nb= sp; =20
Al block heated on a hot=20 = plate &n= bsp; =20 Temperature of the Tape on the Al block

In = the next=20 image, I have placed a simple piece of 3M Super 88 black = electrical tape=20 on the surface of the aluminum block.

It = is not=20 possible for the tape to actually be hotter than the block. The = source of=20 heat is=20 at the bottom of the block and needs to conduct upwards through = the=20 aluminum and then outward through the tape. What we are seeing is = the=20 difference in the efficiency of both the aluminum and tape to emit = IR=20 radiation. The actual value of this efficiency may range from 0.0 = to 1.0=20 and is termed emissivity. The tape has an average emissivity = of 0.95 for the wavelengths of my infrared camera. Take a = look at=20 the next image for another temperature measurement of the block = with the=20 tape still attached.

As = you can=20 see, the temperature of the block as read by an infrared device is = nearly=20 100=B0F lower than that read on the tape! We would have the same = results=20 with a spot radiometer. Check out these pictures of the same block = with a=20 spot radiometer:

&n= bsp; =20
Temperature on the=20 = tape! &n= bsp; =20 Temperature on the block!

Next, I will correct for emissivity using my infrared = camera by=20 setting it to 0.95 and take the same measurement of the = tape.

Temperature with Emissivity Correction

Proper=20 compensation for emissivity results in another correct temperature = rise.=20 We can now adjust the infrared camera to give us a better = understanding of=20 the aluminum temperature now that we know the actual temperature = is 203=B0F,=20 not 191=B0F or 103=B0F as previously thought.

There is much=20 more to this than meets the eye, and the basic course that I teach = on=20 infrared science/certification lasts for a full four days. We just = have to=20 remember that accurate temperatures on clean, unpainted, and = uncoated=20 metals are not easy with infrared devices. Take your temperature=20 measurements from highly corroded metals, or from other higher = emissivity=20 targets and you will have less error in your reading. If you want = accuracy=20 from a chromed piece or other clean metal, just place a piece of=20 electrical tape on it and you will be much better off than = without. But=20 remember that this kind of tape will melt at around 200=B0F! =

IF YOU = DON'T HAVE AN=20 ACCURATE TEMPERATURE ON ONE OBJECT, YOU CANNOT GET AN ACCURATE = DIFFERENCE=20 IN TEMPERATURE BETWEEN TWO OBJECTS EVEN WHEN THE EMISSIVITY IS = EQUAL=20 BETWEEN THE = TWO!!

IR News you can Use = [top]

Space Shuttle Processing Status = Report:=20 S04-029
NASA, DC - Aug 27,=20 2004
... Thermography was also performed = at KSC=20 to check for internal flaws. ... light to heat areas that = are=20 immediately scanned with an infrared camera for=20 temperature ...
One Star's Life Ends With A = Ring
PhysOrg.com, (subscription) United=20 States - Aug 19, 2004
... = Spitzer's=20 infrared camera, which captured the new picture of = NGC=20 246, was built by the Goddard Space Flight center, directed by = the=20 Smithsonian Astrophysical ...
The hunt for Fort = Louis
AL.com, AL - = Aug=20 16, 2004
... A couple of years ago, Waselkov = tried to=20 use some advanced methods, including a radar system and a = thermal=20 imaging system, to locate the remains of buildings.=20 ...
Raising bars beyond = reach
Press-Enterprise=20 (subscription), CA - Aug 15,=20 2004
... In some cases, sports scientists are = helping=20 the coaches. "CT scans, X-rays, high-speed video, thermal = imaging can be used to help coaches see better," said=20 ...
Reproductive Efforts for Zoo = Atlanta's Giant=20 Panda Lun Lun Were ...
Business Wire (press = release), CA -=20 Aug 9, 2004
... awaited conclusive signs = of the=20 pregnancy, physiological data were collected which included = hormonal and=20 behavioral tracking, ultrasound and thermography. = ...=20
Options exist in breast cancer=20 screening
Canton=20 Repository (subscription), OH - Aug 9,=20 2004
... The issue of using screening exams to = detect=20 breast cancer early has become even more complex with the = introduction=20 of breast thermography. ...
Surveillance of Illegal Aliens=20 Tested
Grand = Forks=20 Herald, ND - Aug 6, = 2004
... The=20 initiative already uses remote-controlled aerial drones and = infrared=20 thermal imaging cameras to search for migrants and = smugglers. ...
FLIR Infra Red Camera is a Highlight = for UK=20 Company
Process &=20 Control Today, UK - Aug 2,=20 2004
... explains, =93Many companies invest in=20 thermal imaging with preventive ... And he=20 concludes, =93the ThermaCAM=AE E Series ... = brought the=20 benefits of thermography to a ...
Port protection becomes = high-tech
Baltimore = Sun, MD -=20 Aug 1, 2004
... An alarm is sounded and=20 closed-circuit television cameras equipped with thermal=20 imaging for nighttime can locate and track the potential = threat=20 and send the ...=20

ITC Message Board = Posts=20 [top]

Here is a selection = of recent new=20 threads by IR Community members. Feel free to click the links, see = how=20 people have responded, and post your own response if you = like.

Clarify for Level One Qualifications
I=20 note in a document I received that a level one is "qualified to = start a=20 9 Step infrared Program". I am sure I could do it - if I knew = what it=20 was!! I assume in a factory setting a predictive maintenance = program=20 might be it. Please clarify. Thanks!
Veterinary Thermal Imaging Seminar, Oct 14-17th, 2004=20
Join us at Vetel Diagnostics in = San Luis=20 Obispo, California for an informative 3 1/2 day seminar on = Veterinary=20 Thermal Imaging, Oct 14-17th, 2004 at the Sands Motel and = Conference=20 Center. 1930 Monterey St. San Luis Obispo, CA. 93401, Contact = Kelly=20 Martin 800-458-8890
Our speakers include Tracy Turner, DVM, = Jim=20 Waldsmith, DVM, and Mike Walsh, DVM.

The tuition is = $350.00 per=20 participant and CE credits are offered. You can find a complete = course=20 outline at http://www.veteldiagnostics.com/Training%20Sessions.htm=20 .

Please contact Kelly Martin at Vetel Diagnostics for = any=20 additional information you require;
1-800-458-8890, = 805-781-7691 or=20 Veteldiagnostics@aol.com=20
Veterinary IR Courses
There will be a=20 hands on Basic Veterinary IR Course in Roswell, New Mexico on = December=20 4-8, 2004. This session will focus on how to choose and operate = an=20 appropriate infrared
camera from one of several = manufacturers;=20 safety, applicable anatomy and physiology, how to prepare the = patient=20 and the environment for an infrared examination, proper patient=20 positioning,
artifact avoidance, etc. Both small and large = animal=20 models will be imaged by participants.

A more advanced = course=20 will be held in Waterbury, Connecticut on October 1-5, 2004. = This=20 session will be a continuation of Session 1, however it will = focus=20 primarily on helping experienced veterinary thermographers = improve their=20 ability to produce high quality thermal images that are suitable = for=20 diagnostic use. Additionally, this session will incorporate=20 opportunities to present and discuss clinical cases, review = critical=20 principles such as artifact detection, and take several field = trips=20 including a working fieldtrip to a racetrack such as Belmont = Park, or=20 other equine facility.

Please see details on : http://www.vet-therm.com/
Infrared market
I am new = to this=20 board. Need your help to understand the Infrared market. I am = trying get=20 a sense of what is the potential for the Infrared market. Market = size,=20 market share etc.

For a starter, in the automotive = industry, for=20 the night vision application, how big is the market for IR = camera? How=20 much potential is there. etc.
Electrical Inspections & Flash = Suits
I recently attended and presented at the EPRI = Infrared Users=20 Group Meeting (IRUG) on this subject. There is a lot of concern = in=20 regards to safety. There are NO specific guidelines and/or = procedures=20 that specifically addresses what the thermographers should or = should not=20 wear in regards to additional PPE, etc. A committee is being = formed t=20 look at this. Any information, suggestions and/or comments in = regards to=20 this subject would be greatly appreciated.
Pitching PdM to utility power plant = managers
I have an opportunity to make a pitch to a local = power plant=20 manager next week. They currently use IR once a year only for a = very=20 limited application evidently required by federal law (involving = storage=20 of nuclear fuel though it's no longer a nuke plant).

The = balance=20 of the plant (now NG, sometimes backup fuel oil) uses no IR = whatsoever=20 (outside of occasional switchyard/substation scans). The = maintenance=20 supervisor's feeling of course is that they run as tight a ship = as they=20 can using preventive maintenance techniques, thus IR is = unnecessary. He=20 has agreed to give me some time to try to convince him that = regular IR=20 scans throughout his entire facility would definitely be more = cost=20 effective if they shift away from schedule based toward = condition based=20 maintenance.

I've been to InfraMation once and read what = I can=20 to keep up on this stuff, but here is the first chance I've had = to go=20 head to head running a large facility who really understands the = distinction between PM and PdM, and understands how IR would fit = into=20 it, but is convinced he doesn't need it.

I need to find = a=20 concise, coherent way to walk in there and sell him IR in 15 = minutes or=20 less, on the basis of the cost effectiveness. I need hard data = to do so.=20 In the ocean of information out there, I'm looking for one = single wave I=20 can paddle into and ride to the shore. :-)

Any advice = would be=20 greatly appreciated. Specific examples of power plants who've = made the=20 switch from PM to PdM along with some kind of metric gauging the = cost=20 effectiveness of the IR program would be invaluable to me right = now.=20
Electric Utility-Distribution Class MOV = Arrestors
Looking for anyone who has established an upper = threshold=20 temperature rise on MOV arrestors. We have been finding numerous = MOV's=20 with a 20 to 30 degrees rise over reference temperature. = Responses will=20 be greatly appreciated.
Trying to understand IR
I'm trying to=20 understand why infrared is such a hot technology right now? = Seems as=20 though spending on IR is outpacing most other areas of = technology right=20 now.

If you are a purchaser of IR equipment, could you = help me=20 understand what applications are driving this growth? Also, by = how much=20 do you anticipate your purchases of IR equipment will increase = next year=20 (is the growth sustainable)?

Thank you much for helping = me=20 understand what I'm missing here.
Help with estimating?
While of course=20 I'm aware that no two situations are alike and thus there can be = no hard=20 and fast rule of thumb for estimating the time it takes to do a=20 competent and thorough IR inspection of any facility, I'm = wondering if=20 there exists somewhere out there at least a flow chart or = outline guide=20 that allows you to hang your hat on an estimate range before = you've=20 actually executed the job.

For instance, I'm going to = bid on a=20 creamery that runs 24/5, generally with between 35 and 40 people = on the=20 line at any given time. They have peak loads around 2 MW, with = baseline=20 a little under half that. They estimate about 5000 hp total = motor loads,=20 with a couple of 500 units, two or three 200's, several 100's, a = handful=20 of 20 to 50's, and more 5 to 10 hp motors than they can keep = track of.=20 Production is variable across several different lines (milk, = cheese, ice=20 cream, etc.).

Again, I know it's not like opening up an = auto=20 mechanic's guidebook, which tells him he should estimate 3.45 = hours for=20 a serpentine timing belt on a particular make and model car -- = but does=20 knowing the parameters above, along with perhaps net floor area = and a=20 rough layout of MCC locations, allow for at least a ballpark = "standard"=20 hour estimate if we make enough assumptions?

I haven't = run=20 across anything like it in all my research, but I figure just = about=20 every independent thermographer on the street must run into the = problem=20 on a daily basis. Do people even share this kind of info in the = interest=20 of promoting thermography, or is it all played close to the vest = in the=20 interest of competition?
Portable video recorder for Flir E4 = thermacam
Can anyone recommend a relatively inexpensive = portable video=20 recording device that will work with a Flir E4 = Thermacam.
IR Window on HT Switchgear
Most of the=20 switchgear is manufactured with certain design criteria such as = IP 65 or=20 IP55 or etc. What will happen to the IP rating if IR Window is = installed=20 on those HT switchgear to facilitate scanning?

What will = be the=20 repercussion? Any tests done on the switchboard for "before and=20 after"?
Stator thermal patterns
I = was=20 wondering how successful anyone has been in attempting to = isolate=20 localized heating resulting from crack rotor bars, or shorted = end-rings=20 in motors? Thermal differences degree wise that have been = identified=20 with above faults. I am trying to utilize this technology to = confirm=20 what I identify in my vibration spectral data as faults above. I = would=20 also like to hear how aluminum stator cases (covered with at = least .9=20 emissivity media) verse sheet metal/cast steel housings show = these=20 localized hot spots.

And of course=20 if YOU have a question or want to start a discussion on a = topic, we=20 would love to hear from you. Just post a new thread on a mes= sage=20 board.

Brainteaser of the=20 Month =20 [top]

Here is this month's = brainteaser.=20 Readers who email us the correct identification and explanation of = the=20 object(s) in=20 the thermograms are entered into a drawing to win a prize from = ITC. Please=20 put "Brainteaser" as the subject of the = message.

Click here to email your = guess

Do you have an interesting image that you think would = stump other=20 thermographers? If so please email me your image (preferably in = native .img,=20 .jpg, .tif, .tgw, or .tmw format) with an accompanying visible = photo and=20 explanation. If your image is used, you receive a gift as=20 well.

Last Month's=20 Brainteaser [top]

Our=20 thanks goes to our Brainteaser contributor last month, Michael = O'Neill=20 from PPL Electric Utilities Corp. in Lancaster, PA, who explains = what=20 these are below.

"We have had a = problem=20 with core-10 steel transmission line poles that require drilling = of the=20 poles for attachments. These poles range from 50 to 135 feet tall = and=20 support 138 kV or 69 kV lines on our system. If the drilled areas = are not=20 properly sealed, water enters and can freeze causing the pole to = split at=20 the weld seam. After our first discovery of one of these poles we = spoke of=20 various ways to identify how to find and repair them before they = failed in=20 service. IR of course was the best alternative. We are presently=20 performing the inspections from the air and on the = ground.

&= nbsp; =20

The images were taken with = direct=20 sunlight striking the pole surface. The emissivity of the surface = is 0.96=20 over all the areas in question. This is due to the nature of the = steel=20 (core - 10) used. It is designed to rust with the resulting patina = protecting the pole from further rusting."

Congratulations to our winner, Lee = Wills from=20 Infrared Technology Services near Houston, TX. Both Lee and = Michael=20 receive a = special low=20 emissivity traveling coffee=20 mug.

Past=20 Issues =20 [top]

Click the links = below to view=20 past issues of this newsletter:

All past issues from February = 2000=20 through August 2003

May=20 2004

March=20 2004

February 2004

January 2004

December 2003

November 2003

October 2003

September=20 2003

Course Calendar =20 [top]

Click the links = below to see our=20 latest course calendars (in local language).

Americas - Level I

Americas - Level II

Americas - Level III

Americas - E Series

Americas - Building Science

Americas - Electrical

Americas - Roof

Americas - R&D

Eurasia

Deutschland

France

Italia

United = Kingdom

About the Infrared Training=20 Center =20 [top]

The Infrared Training Center offers training and = certification in=20 all aspects of infrared thermography use. Our world-class training = headquarters are located near Boston, Massachusetts, USA and = Stockholm,=20 Sweden and have the world's most extensive hands on laboratories = for=20 infrared applications. In addition, we have training centers = around the=20 world. Please join us in exploring the fascinating world of the = infrared!=20

Your comments and suggestions about this newsletter are = welcomed=20 and encouraged. If you have an interesting application or case = study to=20 share, we encourage you to submit it for publication. Published = articles earn credit towards IR = recertification.

Please e-mail Gary = Orlove or=20 send regular mail to the Americas office.

Visit our website:

ITC Americas, BOSTON

16 Esquire Road
N. Billerica, MA 01862, = USA

Tel: +1-978-901-8405
Toll free:=20 = +1-866-TRAINIR
&= nbsp; =20 (866-872-4647)
Fax: +1.978.901-8832
E-mail: mailto:info_us@infraredtraining.com

ITC Eurasia, SWEDEN

Rinkebyv=E4gen 19
SE-182 11 Danderyd, = Sweden

Tel: +46 (0) 8 753 25 00
Fax: +46 (0) 8 753 26 = 01
E-mail:=20 mailto:itc@flir.se

THIS DOCUMENT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL = PURPOSES ONLY.=20 INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED 'AS IS' WITHOUT = WARRANTY=20 OF ANY KIND. The user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy = and the=20 use of this document. The Infrared Training Center newsletter may = be=20 copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1. All = text=20 and images must be copied without modification and all pages must = be=20 included; 2. All copies must contain the Infrared Training Center=20 copyright notice and any other notices provided therein;
3. = This=20 document may not be distributed for profit

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