Thermography for Electrical & Mechanical Maintenance

Thermal imaging cameras help you detect hot spots and heat leaks, identify defects in electronics and power grids, and audit energy efficiency. Rent a FLIR E-Series infrared camera by the day, week, or month, to support your electrical and mechanical maintenance needs.

A thermal imaging camera is a reliable non-contact instrument which is able to scan and visualize the temperature distribution of entire surfaces of machinery and electrical equipment quickly and accurately. Infrared thermography maintenance programs have contributed to substantial cost savings for customers.

Thermal imaging cameras are now a "must have" tool for preventive maintenance engineers, inspectors, and the rapidly emerging application of home and building energy conservation. Infrared cameras capture high definition temperature profiles of objects at distances from a few inches to hundreds of feet. The thermal images rapidly identify defects in electronics and power grids, heat leaks in windows and doors, water leaks and mold problems, and hot spots in machinery.

Electrical: Hot Fuses

Motor: Internal Winding Problem

Thermal Imaging for Predictive Maintenance

Infrared cameras that incorporate temperature measurement allow predictive maintenance professionals to make well informed judgments about the operating condition of electrical and mechanical targets. Temperature measurements can be compared with historical operating temperatures, or with infrared readings of similar equipment at the same time, to determine if a significant temperature rise will compromise component reliability or plant safety.

The use of thermography has revolutionized predictive maintenance inspection programs for virtually all types of industries.

Infrared Predictive Maintenance for Utilities

Utilities worldwide use infrared cameras to locate problems or to detect hot spots and other problems before they turn into costly failures and production downtime or dangerous electrical fires. For utilities, failure is not an option. That's why infrared thermography has become the core of utility predictive maintenance programs around the world. Utilities depend on thermography to avoid costly failures in power generation, transmission and distribution as infrared cameras help find anomalies before trouble strikes and service is affected.

Thermal Camera Uses for Manufacturing Industries

Manufacturing industries, refineries and many others worldwide use infrared cameras to locate problems or to detect hot spots and other problems before they turn into expensive failures and production losses or dangerous electrical fires. At manufacturing facilities, thermal imaging cameras are used for inspecting a countless number of production equipment and components as well as the complete electrical power supply system.

An infrared image including accurate temperature data provides the maintenance expert with important information about the condition of the inspected object. Inspections are done with the production process in full operation. In many cases the use of a thermal imaging camera can help optimize the production process itself.

Thermography for Mechanical Equipment

To get even more out of your FLIR E-Series rental, you can use your infrared camera to audit energy efficiency of your plant environment, including roofing, heating and cooling systems, and building structures.

Some examples of mechanical equipment where thermography is used:

• Pumps (overheated connections, fuse problems, overloaded electrical cables etc)
• Process valves (open, closed, leakage)
• Storage tanks (sludge levels)
• Pipelines (check if and where there are anomalies, for example locate build up of scale etc)
• Motors (overheating bearings, misalignment, overheated windings)
• Conveyor belts (overheated bearings)
• Furnace inspections (with a special camera designed to “see through flames” for high temperature industrial furnace applications, ideal for monitoring all types of furnaces, heaters and boilers.)

Electrical Equipment Maintenance with Infrared Imaging

Some examples of electrical equipment where thermography is used:

• Primary power source i.e. outdoor high voltage switchyard
• Switchgear
• Transformers
• Low voltage installations i.e. breaker panels, faulty electrical outlets/wall sockets
• Fuse panels
• Motor control centers (MCC)
• Electrical cabinets

How Service Companies Use Thermographic Cameras

Service companies' main customers for electrical and mechanical applications are either utilities or manufacturing industries – thus the usage is the same as described for these categories.