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Bypass hot work permits: pinpoint potential problems in explosive environments without the paperwork
The world of hazardous manufacturing and production can be complicated enough without adding extra elements to your workload. Hot work permits are often seen as being an essential part of working in hazardous environments - but what if you could inspect without this having to provide copious amounts of paperwork?? A multinational chemical manufacturing company has recently begun to do just that; freeing up time and labor to redeploy throughout its workforce. Typically, inspecting in Zone 2 hazardous environments requires getting a hot work permit signed off by a manager. This can consist of extensive manual paperwork and requires that...
Cooled Versus Uncooled Thermal Cameras
Cooled or Uncooled? Thermal imaging cameras equipped with a cooled detector offer distinct advantages in comparison to their counterparts with an uncooled detector, albeit at a higher cost. In the realm of contemporary thermal imaging technology, a cooled thermal imaging camera incorporates an imaging sensor intricately linked to a cryocooler. This cryocooler effectively reduces the sensor's temperature to cryogenic levels, a crucial step to mitigate thermally-induced noise below the signal originating from the observed scene. Cryocoolers, though highly precise mechanical systems, exhibit wear and helium gas leakage over time. Typically, they necessitate rebuilding after 10,000-13,000 hours of operation. The question...
What Is the Right Handheld Thermal Camera for You?
When deciding on the most suitable thermal camera to include in your tool bag, there are key factors to consider, primarily revolving around the camera's intended purpose and frequency of use. It's worth noting that FLIR thermal cameras cater to various applications, including residential, commercial, and industrial settings, with prices ranging from a few hundred US dollars to high five figures. Notably, there are notable performance enhancements available at different price points. The ideal handheld thermal camera will offer the necessary features and functionalities required by the user while remaining within their budgetary constraints. Understanding which specifications are the most...
Thermal Sensitivity
Comparing Sensitivity of Thermal Imaging Camera Modules Beyond resolution, thermal camera integrators must consider thermal sensitivity Thermal imagers make pictures from heat, also called infrared (IR) or thermal energy. They capture IR energy and use that energy to create images through digital or analog video outputs, with the details defined by differences in temperature. Heat is a separate part of the electromagnetic spectrum versus typical visible light. A camera that can detect visible light won’t see thermal energy, and vice versa. Infrared camera detectors are made of an array of individual detector elements. Because the wavelengths of energy in the...