Predicting Mechanical Systems Failures Using Infrared Thermography

By Brian D. Susralski and Thomas Griswold

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. The following case study is one that demonstrates the value of thermography not only as a preventive maintenance tool, but also as a tool that provides considerable cost savings in man hours and facility downtime.