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RSSCase Study: Predicting Mechanical Systems Failures Using Infrared Thermography
June 19, 2008
•Case Study: Predicting Mechanical Systems Failures Using Infrared Thermography
What exactly is the job of a thermographer? Throughout our training and the course of our work, it becomes apparent that it is much more than locating and photographing a thermal anomaly with an infrared thermal imaging camera. Often we must use our experiences as thermographers to become troubleshooters to diagnose the cause of the anomaly for our work to be thorough. Many anomalies or "hot spots" are caused not by the component being viewed, but by a problem somewhere else within the electrical or mechanical system. The end result, the hot spot, demands that the thermographer understand basic physical principles such as heat transfer, heat reflection, and others. By familiarity with the theories of thermography and by experience within the field, it allows us to accurately locate and define not only the anomaly itself, but more importantly its root cause. In this way the thermal imaging system is utilized to its full potential as a Preventive Maintenance tool. Due to the fact that thermography is a fairly new technology at our facility, it was often times not considered a legitimate tool for the job of Preventive Maintenance (PM). The following case study is one that demonstrates the value of thermography not only as a PM tool, but also as a tool that provides considerable cost savings in man hours and facility downtime.
SOURCE: FLIR Systems, Inc
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