Temperature is one of the most measured quantities in our daily lives, whether at home or at work. We cook our foods to a certain temperature. We dress ourselves by knowing outside temperatures, doctors use temperature as a starting point for disease diagnosis.

In industry, temperature is one of the first observable parameters that will indicate the condition of operating processes and equipment. Heat, or thermal energy, is a by-product of all work whether electrical, mechanical or chemical. Heat is generated either intentionally or unintentionally, it is transferred, contained and otherwise attempted to be controlled or expelled to suit our process needs. The resulting thermal behaviour of electrical, mechanical or process equipment can be a powerful clue to diagnose problems or predict reliability of industrial equipment. Infrared Thermography is an electronic technique that quite allows us to see thermal energy.

Infrared thermography is an excellent condition monitoring tool to assist in the reduction of maintenance costs on mechanical equipment. The technique allows for the monitoring of temperatures and thermal patterns while the equipment is online and running under full load. Most mechanical equipment has allowable operating temperature limits that can be used as guidelines. Unlike many other test methods, infrared can be used on a wide variety of equipment including pumps, motors, bearings, pulleys, fans, drives, conveyors etc.

With this new capability Inspectahire have recognized infrared thermography as one of the most versatile and effective condition monitoring tools available today.

Thermal imaging enhances the ability to predict equipment failure and plan corrective action before a costly shutdown, equipment damage, or ultimately, personal injury occurs.

Figure showing temperature difference between two vessels

Why does Infrared work?

All mechanical systems generate thermal energy during normal operation which allows infrared thermography to evaluate their operating condition. One of the biggest problems in mechanical systems is excessive temperatures. This excessive heat can be generated by friction, cooling degradation, material loss or blockages. An excessive amount of friction can be caused by wear, misalignment, over or under lubrication and misuse.

Other equipment such as vibration analysis, oil analysis, and ultrasound can be employed to further determine where the problem actually lies.

Below is a table (by no means exhaustive) of possible applications and the benefits derived from finding these with thermography.

Application	Conditions Detected
Drives/Conveyors, Pillow Blocks, Couplings, Gears, Power Transmission Belts, Pulleys, Shafts.	Overheated bearings or rollers, misalignment of shaft, pulley or coupling, lubrication failure uneven pressure.
Motors	Overheating of windings and bearings, blockages in cooling passages, friction, damping, material deformations, brush contact problems, rotors
Pumps/Compressors/Fans/Blowers	Overheated bearings, high compressor discharges temperature, high oil temperature, and broken or defective valve.
Internal Combustion Engines	Valve or injector malfunction, blocked radiator tubes and oil coolers. Thermal distribution, high radiator inlet or outlet temperature.
Heavy Duty Equipment - Tires, Bearings, Brakes, Hydraulics, Kilns, Ball Mills, Paper Machines	Overheating brakes, tires, bearings, pulleys, gears, gear or pulley misalignment, and blockages in hydraulics.
Mechanical DriveTurbines and Small TurbineGenerator Units, Gas Turbine, Exhaust Ducts	High lube oil temperature, high bearing temperatures, faulty stop/control valve operation, uneven metal temperature, leaking shaft seals, gas turbine firing conditions, including deterioration in firing chambers, cross firing tubes.
Ovens, Furnaces, Kilns, Pipes	Location and severity of damaged insulation, location of steam leaks in buried steam lines.
Valves: Shutoff Valves, Relief valves, steam traps	Leakage, Blockage.

Inspectahire have realized the possibilities of this technology and have several fully trained Thermography inspectors.

Thermography equipment is also available to hire.