2010
Heat Stress & the Human Body
For many, the peak of Summer brings high temperatures to the workplace. For others, high temperatures in the workplace are an everyday occurrence. Understanding heat stress and its attendant safety challenges is crucial for those working in hot environments.
What is heat stress?
Heat stress is a physical hazard. It is caused by environmental conditions and results in the breakdown of the human thermal regulating system.
What are the symptoms of heat stress?
There are various degrees of heat stress. Each has its own unique symptoms. The most common form of heat stress is heat exhaustion. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include dizziness, confusion, headaches, upset stomach, weakness, decreased urine output, dark-colored urine, fainting, and pale clammy skin.
What do I do If I think I am experiencing some form of heat stress?
Act immediately –
- Advise a co-worker that you do not feel well
- Move to an area away from the hot environment
- Seek shade and cooler temperatures
- Drink water (1 – 8 oz. cup every 15 minutes) unless sick to the stomach
- Have someone stay with you until you feel better
What should I think about before working in a hot environment?
Before working in a hot environment, consider the type of work to be performed, duration of time to be spent in hot areas, level of physical activity, and other nearby hazards. Always use appropriate PPE and work together as a team.
Heat Stress & Hydration
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In last week’s Tip, we covered the topic of heat stress, its symptoms, and treatment. This Tip focuses on the importance of hydration as a preventive measure.
What is heat stress?
Heat stress is a physical hazard. It is caused by environmental conditions and results in the breakdown of the human thermal regulating system. If you work or play in hot environments, your body needs a lot more water than you might think.
What is hydration?
Hydration is the process of adding water. Our bodies need water to do many things. In hot environments we need large quantities of water to help keep our bodies cooled to a temperature that allows them to function properly. Heat stress becomes a health and safety concern when the volume of water we need to function drops below the level necessary to maintain homeostasis. We call this low water condition dehydration or under-hydration. The average person is 7% under-hydrated.
How can I avoid being under-hydrated?
Developing the habit of drinking water at routine intervals. One 8 oz. cup every hour on hot days will assure proper hydration.
How will I know if I am properly hydrated?
Check the color of your urine. You are properly hydrated if your urine is clear, copious in volume, and light yellow in color.
What are the benefits of proper hydration?
Staying properly hydrated will help to avoid heat stress and may increase your energy level. For every 1% under-hydration, you lose 5% of your energy potential.
Infrared Inspection of Capacitors
Capacitors are devices commonly found in AC electrical distribution systems where power factor correction is required. Like any electrical component, capacitors need to be regularly checked for proper operation. Infrared thermography can be used to rapidly inspect capacitors from a safe, remote distance.
Capacitors are wound devices that are electrically connected between potential and ground. Capacitors used for power factor correction are generally encased in painted, rectangular steel canisters and often have two equal sized bushings for electrical connections. In a three phase circuit, there may be several capacitors connected to each phase.
The most common failures of capacitors are loose/deteriorated bushing connections, open circuits due to internal winding failure, and open supply circuits. When inspecting capacitors, be sure to:
- Visually inspect capacitor bodies. Capacitors should not be misshapen/ swollen.
- Thermographically inspect capacitor bodies. Capacitors should be warmer than ambient air temperature and exhibit equal temperatures across all phases.
- Check bushing and wiring connections for hotspots.
Any thermal anomalies detected should be investigated and corrected as soon as possible. Capacitors operating at ambient temperature should be corrected immediately as imbalanced capacitance can be more detrimental than having no capacitors at all.
Infrared inspection of electrical distribution systems is one of the many topics covered in the Level I Infraspection Institute Certified Infrared Thermographer® training course. For information on thermographer training or to obtain a copy of the Standard for Infrared Inspection of Electrical Systems & Rotating Equipment, visit us online at: www.infraspection.com or call us at 609-239-4788.
Insect Safety Tip
Tip provided by: Conoco Phillips
For many, it’s that time of year again when nature’s little wonders come out and remind us that we need to be a proactive in reducing our exposure to the flying and crawling types of hazards. In this Tip, we offer suggestions for dealing with mosquitoes, ticks, and bees.
Mosquitoes – Nationwide there are more than 60 different kinds of mosquitoes some of which are capable of spreading disease. Mosquito larvae can develop in both tidal and fresh water locations; the key to minimizing their population is to reduce the availability of standing/stagnant water. Treat, remove or drain “water collectors” such as cans, discarded tires, etc. A single discarded tire can produce tens of thousands of mosquitoes over the course of a season! An insect repellant can help protect you from bites.
Ticks – Ticks like to rest on low-lying brush and “catch a ride” on a passersby. Areas prone to tick infestation are wooded areas and low-growing grasslands. The best way to reduce your risk of tick-bites is to avoid infested areas. When venturing into tick prone areas, stay in the center of paths, avoid sitting on the ground, and conduct frequent tick-checks. Dress properly by wearing a long-sleeved shirt and long pants, tucking your shirt into your pants and your pants into your socks. This reduces the skin area exposed to ticks and thwarts their efforts to crawl onto your skin. Again, an insect repellant can help protect you.
Bees – Keep a lookout for nests and the activity associated with them especially when opening cabinets or enclosures where bees might nest. For small nests or individual bees, knock down sprays may be effective. For large nests or colonies, contact a professional to have them removed.
Medical Attention – Be alert for signs of an allergic reaction to insect bites or stings. Non-emergency symptoms vary according to the type of insect and the individual. Most people have localized pain, redness, swelling, or itching. Signs of severe reaction which require immediate medical attention include trouble breathing, wheezing, shortness of breath, weakness, swelling anywhere on the face and a tightening throat. In such cases, seek medical treatment immediately!
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Go Easy on the Stuffing
Tip provided by: Accolade Group of Vermont, LLC
Publishing and maintaining a quality website is vital to the success of any business. Of equal importance is getting your website noticed. In this Tip, we offer advice on effective ways to increase the prominence of your website.
Stuff it! No, this is not what you do with a turkey on Thanksgiving, nor is it what you say to your boss on a bad day. “Stuff It” is what amateur web authors do to get more attention from the search engines. For example, let’s say they have created a website to promote a business selling widgets. They want everyone to come to their website and they believe that the quickest way to attract people to come is to use the word “widget” all over the place. So they write copy for their website that looks like this:
WIDGETS
Widgets! That’s what this widget website is all about. We have the best widgets for all your widget needs. And who doesn’t need a widget? Our widgets can be ordered in any size: small widgets, medium widgets, large widgets. Extra large widgets? If you want widgets that are extra large, we have the best Extra large widgets available from any widget website.
OK, that’s key word stuffing. Does it work? Will more visitors come to a stuffed website? No, not any more. Stuffing was once a popular way to trick Search Engines into giving a website a prominent position on the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS). Unfortunately, this tactic hasn’t worked since the late 1990s. The Search Engines are wise to this trick which is still used by some novice web developers; especially those who are “do it yourselfers.” Sorry, but stuffing wasting your time.
For best results, begin your campaign to attract attention to your website by writing copy for humans (remember them?) and not for Search Engines. Write as though your website might actually be visited by real, live people. If you talk to them kindly and intelligently, they just might show up. And why might this happen? It might happen because the Search Engines have advanced enough to recognize when a webpage is written for human consumption and not for food to be digested by Search Engine spiders.
You should continue to place headings in Headlines using tags like H1 and H2 as I did above for the headline Widgets. Would you like to make it bold? You can do that also. Just make sure that the copy that follows your headline is not stuffed with a “keyword” like “widget.” And, of course, make it fit for human consumption. Not only can Search Engines tell the difference, your website visitors can, too.
Lastly, if your webpage has content that is significant to your business, then don’t bury it in your website. The more links a visitor needs to click to get down to the webpage, the less important it will appear to a Search Engine. What’s worse is, that just as a webpage too many clicks deep from the Home Page may escape the notice of a Search Engine, so too may it escape human notice.
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Thermography Standards – Recipes for Success
Professional chefs routinely rely on recipes to provide consistency in their meals. Thermographers can find similar success by following published standards when performing infrared inspections.
A technical standard is an established norm or requirement. It is usually a formal document that establishes uniform engineering or technical criteria, methods, processes, or practices. Customs, conventions, or corporate standards which become generally accepted are also referred to as standards.
Standards may be developed privately or unilaterally by a corporation or by standards organizations that rely on the input of industry experts who volunteer their time. The standardization process may be by edict or may involve formal consensus of the members of a standards organization.
Like recipes, infrared applications standards outline requirements and procedures that, when carried out by a competent person, will help to produce similar and repeatable test results. Equipment usage standards help to ensure that test and measuring equipment is utilized properly and functioning accurately. Standards may also be used to judge the work product of thermographers particularly when an infrared inspection report is being introduced as evidence in a legal case.
At present, Infraspection Institute publishes the most comprehensive list of standards for infrared thermography. Coauthored by numerous expert thermographers, these standards outline industry best practices and are updated regularly to reflect current trends and technology. They have also been utilized to provide the core language for several similar ASTM and ISO standards. Current Infraspection standards include:
Applications Standards
- Standard for Infrared Inspection of Electrical Systems & Rotating Equipment
- Standard for Infrared Inspection of Building Envelopes
- Standard for Infrared Inspections to Detect Pests and Pest Related Damage
Equipment Usage Standards for Imaging Radiometers
- Standard for Measuring and Compensating for Reflected Temperature
- Standard for Measuring and Compensating for Emittance
- Standard for Measuring and Compensating for Transmittance of an Attenuating Medium
- Standard for Measuring Distance/Target Size Values for Imaging Radiometers
Infrared standards and their proper use is taught in all Infraspection Institute Certified Infrared Thermographer® training courses. For more information or to purchase standards, please visit the Standards Section of the Infraspection website.
Preventing Lyme Disease
Tip content provided by: WebMD.com
For thermographers who work outdoors, exposure to Lyme disease can pose a significant health hazard. In this Tip, we discuss this serious disease, its symptoms, and ways to help prevent it.
What Is Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease is a serious infection transmitted to humans and other mammals via the bite of deer ticks that are infected with the spirochete bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi. The animals that most often carry these insects are white-footed field mice, deer, raccoons, opossums, skunks, weasels, foxes, shrews, moles, chipmunks, squirrels, and horses. Lyme disease is not contagious between persons.
Where Is Lyme Disease Found?
Lyme disease has been reported in nearly all states in the United States, although most cases are concentrated in the coastal northeast, Mid-Atlantic States, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and northern California. Lyme disease is also found in large areas of Asia and Europe.
What Are the Symptoms of Lyme Disease?
In the early stages of Lyme disease, you may experience flu-like symptoms that can include a stiff neck, chills, fever, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, fatigue, muscle aches, and joint pain. You also may experience a large, expanding skin rash around the area of the tick bite. In more advanced disease, nerve problems and arthritis, especially in the knees, may occur.
Applying Thermography
Thermography is a versatile nondestructive test technique that has a wide variety of applications. In short, thermography can be applied to any situation where knowledge of heat patterns and associated temperatures across a surface will provide meaningful data about a system, object, or process.
In thermography, there are two basic approaches to evaluating data. Qualitative thermography or thermal imaging relies on observing thermal patterns and noting any inexplicable differences or anomalies. Quantitative thermography adds non-contact temperature measurements to thermal images.
Many systems produce heat as a byproduct of operation. Such systems include electrical distribution systems, machinery and insulated structures. These systems are generally inspected during normal operation once line-of-sight access is obtained.
Thermography can also be applied to systems that do not produce heat as a byproduct of operations by actively heating and/or cooling the target and observing the resulting images. Systems that are candidates for active thermography include building facades, low slope roofing systems, storage tanks and composite materials.
When heated or cooled properly, thermal patterns caused by changes in the thermal conductivity or capacitance of the subject system can provide evidence of internal structures, water infiltration, or contaminants. The use of active thermography is growing, especially for inspection of composite materials used in the aircraft, aerospace, and marine industries.
Both active and passive thermography are covered in depth in the Infraspection Insitute Level I Certified Infrared Thermographer® training course. For more information on our Level I open enrollment or our Distance Learning courses, please visit the Infraspection website.
September 07, 2010
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School’s Open – Drive Carefully
Tip content provided by: Mid-Atlantic AAA
For many areas, September is a month of transition – cooler weather, leaves turning color, and children returning to school. In this Tip we offer some advice for keeping school students safe.
Over 56 million students are projected to be enrolled in U.S. schools this fall; over 70 percent will be under 15 years old. According to the National Highway Traffic Administration, one-fifth of all children 14 years of age and younger who die in motor vehicle crashes are pedestrians. On average, one pedestrian is killed in the United States every two hours.
Morning can be a dangerous time for children, as they travel to the bus stop, ride their bike to school or walk along their routine path. Afternoon introduces additional risks as the ring of the final bell marks the sound of freedom for school-age children. Unfortunately, children are often distracted by thoughts of playtime or are unable to accurately judge traffic situations while on their journey home.
Keeping the following in mind can help protect everyone’s safety:
- Slow down in or near school and residential areas.
- Drive with your headlights on – even during the day – so children and other drivers can see you.
- Look for clues such as School Safety Patrols, Adult Crossing Guards, bicycles, and playgrounds, which indicate children could be in the area.
- Always stop for school buses that are loading/unloading students.
- Limit distractions such as cell phones, CD players or other devices that cause you to take your eyes off the road.
- Practice extra caution in adverse weather conditions.
- Pay particular attention near schools during the morning and afternoon hours.
- Scan between parked cars and other objects for signs that children could dart into the road.
Remember, school’s open – drive carefully. You can make a difference just by staying alert and taking the extra care while driving where children are present. For more info on driving safety, contact the Mid-Atlantic AAA.
September 13, 2010
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Purchasing an Imager – Which Brand is Best?
Tip written by: Infraspection Institute
When purchasing a thermal imager, buyers frequently ask, “Which brand of imager is best?” While this seems like a straightforward question, the answer is not so simple. In this Tip we offer advice for making the correct choice.
As infrared thermography gains wider acceptance, its usage is increasing. Meanwhile, the task of selecting an imager is becoming more difficult. Presently, there is a wide selection of equipment available from a record number of manufacturers. With some manufacturers offering several variants of camera models, there are more choices than ever before.
Procuring an imager is a challenge for many reasons: initial purchase price can easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars, no imager is capable of performing all imaging applications, imager performance varies widely, performance specs are not always available or comparable, and making an incorrect purchase can be costly.
Purchasing an imager should be done by assessing your company’s present and future needs, obtaining and comparing manufacturer specifications, and taking time to thoroughly evaluate the imager in the workplace where it will be used. Prior to purchase, the imager and its manufacturer should be carefully evaluated in the following areas:
- Evaluate imagers objective and performance specifications
- Obtain service and warranty information
- Evaluate imager for subjective characteristics
- Consider equipment value
Lastly, when considering pre-owned equipment, it is often a good idea to have a title search conducted prior to purchase to ensure that the equipment is free of liens.
Equipment purchase is of the many topics covered in the Level I Infraspection Institute Certified Infrared Thermographer® training course. For more information on upcoming classes or to obtain a copy of our article, Selecting, Specifying and Purchasing Thermal Imagers, call 609-239-4788 or visit us online at www.infraspection.com.
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September 20, 2010
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Autumn is the Time for Steam Trap Testing
Tip written by: Infraspection Institute
With the onset of seasonably cooler weather, autumn is the time to prepare your steam system for the upcoming heating season. Testing your steam traps before the season begins can help to pinpoint costly leaks before the heating season begins.
Traditionally, two different non-destructive technologies have been employed to test steam systems – contact ultrasonics and temperature measurement. Used individually, each of these techniques has limitations that can lead to false positive and/or false negative results. Combining temperature measurement with ultrasound can result in a highly accurate test method by following a few simple steps:
- Measure trap inlet to ensure that temperature is above 212º F. If trap inlet is below 212º F, ascertain why steam is not reaching trap
- Listen to the trap outlet with contact probe of ultrasonic unit. Continuous hissing or rushing sounds usually indicate a failed trap
- Ascertain that trap is cycling periodically. Frequent cycling may be caused by an undersized or worn trap
- Tag defective traps and document in written report
- Re-test defective traps after repair to ensure effectiveness of repair.
Always be sure to follow appropriate safety precautions especially when working with high pressure steam or when using ladders or lift equipment.
Infrared inspection of steam traps is one of the many topics covered in the Level I Infraspection Institute Certified Infrared Thermographer® training course. For information on thermographer training including course locations and dates, visit us online at www.infraspection.com or call us at 609-239-4788.
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September 27, 2010
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Training – A Wise Use of Year End Budget Money
When it comes to spending year end budget monies, the phrase “Use it or Lose it” often applies. Training can be a wise choice for those looking to reduce a budget surplus.
Staying within budget is a constant challenge for maintenance managers. For many, it seems that there is never enough money in the budget. On occasion, however, it is possible to experience a surplus in one’s budget when nearing year end.
When faced with a budget surplus, it is imperative to fully utilize allocated financial resources. Failure to do so can cause a reduction in future budgeting if management perceives that your department is over funded. When searching for wise choices for year-end spending, training is always a good option.
Thermographic training is a sound investment for initiating a PdM program or expanding an existing one. Whenever considering infrared training be certain to:
- Examine course curriculum to ensure that it meets your needs
- Ensure that course will be germane to all infrared imagers
- Determine course locations or availability of Distance Learning courses
- Ascertain if certification is included with course, its expiration date, and renewal fees
- Insist that instructors be practicing thermographers with documented field experience in their area of instruction
Infraspection Institute has been providing infrared training and certification for infrared thermographers since 1980. Our Level I, II, and III Certified Infrared Thermographer® training courses meet the training requirements for NDT personnel in accordance with the ASNT document, SNT-TC-1A. Certification and applications courses are offered as open enrollment or on-site classes or through our Distance Learning program. All courses are taught by expert Level III thermographers whose field experience is unsurpassed anywhere in the world. For more information call 609-239-4788 or visit us online at www.infraspection.com.
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October 04, 2010
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Determining Acceptable Load for Electrical Circuits
Tip written by: Infraspection Institute
Infrared thermography is a useful tool for detecting heat patterns caused by overloaded electrical circuits. In this Tip we discuss what constitutes an acceptable load.
Infrared imagers are capable of detecting thermal patterns associated with several electrical deficiencies including overloaded circuits. When viewed with an imager, overloaded circuits will appear warm throughout their entire length with no discrete hot spots. Since it is not possible to determine circuit load from a thermal signature, actual circuit load must be measured with an ammeter.
Once circuit load is known, a question that frequently arises is, ‘How much load is acceptable?’ The answer to this question can be found within the National Electric Code 220-10(b) which provides guidance for circuit loading.
- (b) Continuous and Noncontinuous loads. Where a feeder supplies a continuous load or any combination of continuous or noncontinuous loads, the rating of the over-current device shall not be less than the noncontinuous load plus 125 percent of the continuous load. The minimum feeder circuit conductor size, without the application of any adjustment or correction factors, shall have an allowable ampacity equal to or greater than the noncontinuous load plus 125 percent of the continuous load.NOTE: Exception: Where the assembly including the over-current devices protecting the feeder(s) are listed for operation at 100 percent of their rating, neither the ampere rating of the over-current device nor the ampacity of the feeder conductors shall be less than the sum of the continuous load plus the noncontinuous load.
In other words, for most circuits load should not exceed 80% of conductor ampacity or 80% of the overcurrent device rating. To help ensure accuracy, electric loads should be measured with a true RMS sensing ammeter.
Infrared inspection of electrical equipment is one of the many topics covered in the Infraspection Institute Level I Certified Infrared Thermographer® training course. This same subject is also the focus of our 16 hour application course, Infrared Inspection of Electrical Systems. For more information or to register for a course, visit Infraspection Institute or call us at 609-239-4788.
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October 11, 2010
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RSS News Feeds – An Easy Way to Stay Current
RSS feeds have become a means for automatically receiving information from web publishers on a wide variety of topics. RSS feeds can provide thermographers with up-to-the minute news and information on thermography and related PdM and NDT topics.
One of the definitions of RSS is “Really Simple Syndication”. It is a way to easily distribute a list of headlines, update notices, and sometimes content to a wide number of people. An RSS feed is sometimes called an “RSS Channel.” RSS works by having the website author maintain a list of notifications on his/her website. This list of notifications is called an “RSS Feed.”
Thermographers can benefit from an RSS feed by having the feed automatically deliver content to their computer. This is accomplished via software programs called “News Readers” or “RSS Aggregators.” There are many aggregators available for free as well as some that charge a fee. Every aggregator is different but each one will allow you to create an incoming feed that interests you.
Upon selecting and installing your aggregator, enter the URL of each RSS feed you wish to receive into the appropriate location in your aggregator. By running your aggregator in automatic mode, it will periodically check the internet to see if selected feeds have been updated. If the aggregator finds an update, it will download the updated information to your computer. Then, when you read a headline that interests you, just click on it and you’ll be able to read the full story.
Both infraspection.com and irinfo.org offer free news feeds. To receive feeds from these websites, enter the URLs listed below into your aggregator program.
INFRASPECTION.COM
https://www.infraspection.com/rss_news_feeds/infraspection_news.xml
IRINFO.ORG:
https://irinfo.org/rss_news_feeds/rss_irinfo_main.xml
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October 18, 2010
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Autumn Driving Tips
Tip provided by the South Dakota Safety Council
It’s that time of year when brightly colored trees remind us that Autumn is upon us. Taking a few precautions can help to make driving safer by addressing challenges unique to the fall season.
- Patches of fallen leaves can be just as treacherous as patches of ice. Fallen leaves retain large amounts of water and can create a slippery surface. Drive slowly through them and avoid hard or panic braking.
- Fall brings the first frost. Be aware of slippery conditions that occur with frost. At freezing or near freezing temperatures, the moisture on bridges and overpasses will become ice much more quickly than the approach roadway. The roadways hold heat and the bridges do not; you can go from wet roadway to ice in just a fraction of a second.
- Fall weather such as rain, fog, sleet and wet snow require full driver attention. Remember the “two-second rule” when following other drivers, and in severe weather increase your following distance. If you are being tailgated, let the other driver pass.
- Later sunrises and earlier sunsets can create sun glare. Be sure your windows are clean, inside and out, and have sunglasses handy. If you’re driving away from a low sun, glare will not be a problem for you, but it can be for the drivers approaching from the other direction. It may help to use your low beam headlights, allowing you to be seen more readily.
- In most areas, animal collisions are at their peak in the fall. Be on guard when traveling through areas where wildlife is likely to cross the road.
Common sense along with the basics of safe driving – always wearing a safety belt, driving alert and sober, and driving at safe and legal speeds – can help you travel safely in the fall.
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October 25, 2010
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Infrared Inspections of Process Equipment
Tip written by: Infraspection Institute
Infrared thermography offers good potential for detecting energy losses from process equipment and piping as well as some symptoms of pipe deterioration.
It is important to remember that thermography is a line-of-sight technology that detects thermal patterns and associated temperatures across the surface of an object.
Subsurface characteristics or defects cannot be detected by thermography unless they cause a temperature differential of at least 0.1 Celsius degrees across the surface of the object being inspected. Presently, interior corrosion detection is best detected with ultrasonic thickness testing; exterior corrosion may be detected by visual examination.
Thermography may prove useful if corrosion is being caused by water saturated insulation surrounding your process piping. If this is the case, water saturated insulation should show excess energy loss at the point where the water is entrapped. It will be necessary to visually inspect the pipe to confirm the actual condition of the pipe.
When performing thermal imaging, be aware that weather conditions such as solar gain, wind and atmospheric attenuation can adversely affect your results. Be certain that your imaging system is capable of detecting the anticipated defect by understanding how emissivity, spectral response and spot size will affect your inspection.
Infrared inspections of process equipment is one of the many topics covered in the Level I Infraspection Institute Certified Infrared Thermographer® training course. For information on thermographer training including course locations and dates, visit us online at www.infraspection.com or call us at 609-239-4788.
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November 01, 2010
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When Should You Upgrade Your Imager?
With any technology, change is inevitable. Advances in infrared imager technology now provide thermographers with new equipment choices on a semiannual basis. With more choices than ever, it is important for thermographers to be able to determine when they should upgrade their imager.
With the recent introduction of 640 x 480 pixel imagers, many have suggested that thermographers with older imaging systems will suffer a loss of business to those with newer equipment. While increased resolution may seem desirable, of greater importance is matching infrared equipment to the task at hand. For imaging large objects or imaging at close range, imagers with lesser resolution may be sufficient to the task.
In addition to improved image quality, there are technical and sound business reasons to consider an upgrade. These include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Increased portability, functionality, and/or ease of use
- Improved measurement accuracy
- Better availability of service, parts, and calibration
- New business opportunities afforded by new equipment
- Customer demand for new features and benefits
Depending upon the age of existing equipment, there may be financial advantages to upgrading or acquiring new equipment. Typically, a professional accountant can offer the best advice in this area.
For nearly 30 years, Infraspection Institute’s Certified Infrared Thermographer® training courses have set the industry standard for excellence. In addition to our Level I, II, and III Certified Infrared Thermographer® courses, we offer several industry-specific application and operator training courses. All courses are taught by field-experienced Level III practicing thermographers. For more information or to register for a class, call 609-239-4788 or visit us online at www.infraspection.com.
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November 09, 2010
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Infrared Training – Why it Isn’t All the Same
With interest in thermography at an all-time high, more people are seeking training and certification. When comparing infrared course offerings, many mistakenly assume that all training and certification courses are the same.
The greatest limitation in an infrared inspection is the thermographer. Because of this, thermographer training and certification have long been recognized as requirements to help ensure accurate inspections. To this end, several firms offer Level I, II, and III training courses; however, these courses are not equal.
The American Society for Nondestructive Testing document, SNT-TC-1A outlines suggested topics for training and certifying NDT personnel in the Thermal/Infrared Testing Method. Suggested topics range from basic theory and camera operation to advanced thermographic applications. Since these topics are suggestions, companies have wide latitude in compiling course content. Because of this, one should never assume that courses bearing the same name will contain similar content.
When considering any infrared training course, be certain to:
- Review course curriculum carefully to ensure it meets your needs
- Ascertain type of certification provided and its expiration date
- Consider the history of the training firm and its credentials
Lastly, beware of training courses offered by equipment manufacturers or “vendor neutral” instructors. Only an independent training firm can offer unbiased opinions with respect to equipment choices.
For nearly 30 years, Infraspection Institute’s Certified Infrared Thermographer® training courses have set the industry standard for excellence. In addition to our Level I, II, and III Certified Infrared Thermographer® courses, we offer several industry-specific application and operator training courses. All courses are taught by field-experienced Level III practicing thermographers. For more information or to register for a class, call 609-239-4788 or visit us online at www.infraspection.com.
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November 15, 2010
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Temperature Measurement and Building Envelope Inspections
Tip written by: Infraspection Institute
Temperature measurement is recognized in many thermographic applications as a means for gauging the severity of exceptions. For infrared inspections of building envelopes, temperature measurement is frequently of little or no value and may serve to underestimate the severity of certain conditions.
Infrared inspections can be used to detect a wide variety of problems in building envelopes. These conditions include, but are not limited to: air leakage, missing or damaged insulation, latent moisture, and pest infestation. Since thermographic detection of these conditions is qualitative, temperature measurement is not required. In fact, there is no reliable means for correlating temperature with the severity of the aforementioned deficiencies. For conditions such as latent moisture, there is no acceptable temperature limit or differential.
Although temperature measurements are frequently meaningless for building envelope inspections, many thermographers routinely include them in their reports. Unfortunately, this practice can create unnecessary liability for a thermographer and damage his/her reputation if their work product is ever questioned or compared to published standards or accepted industry practice. Presently, published thermography standards and accepted industry practice do not incorporate temperature measurement into building envelope inspections.
When faced with situations where temperature measurement can be useful, thermographers should take steps to ensure the accuracy of their measurements. For non-contact temperature measurements, minimum considerations should include equipment calibration, spot measurement size, target emittance, as well as local weather and site conditions.
Infrared inspections of building envelopes is one of the many topics covered in the Infraspection Institute Level I Certified Infrared Thermographer® training course. For more information including course locations and dates, visit Infraspection Institute online at www.infraspection.com or call us at 609-239-4788.
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November 22, 2010
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Thanksgiving Safety Tip
Tip written by: Infraspection Institute
When it comes to heat transfer and safety, thermographers traditionally think of the workplace. With the Thanksgiving holiday upon us, neither of these topics should be overlooked when it comes to preparing the holiday feast.
According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 76 million Americans become ill each year as a result of foodborne pathogens. Of these, approximately 5,000 die. Proper hygiene practices before, during, and after food preparation can reduce the risk of food poisoning.
As part of their nationwide Be Food Safe public education campaign, the US Department of Agriculture offers four simple tips for safe food preparation:
Clean – Wash hands, surfaces and utensils often to avoid spreading bacteria when preparing food.
Separate – Use different cutting boards for raw meat, poultry, seafood and vegetables. Keep raw turkey away from vegetables and side dishes that won’t be cooked.
Cook – You can’t tell it’s done by how it looks! Use a food thermometer. Every part of the turkey should reach a minimum internal temperature of 165ºF.
Chill – Keep the refrigerator at 40ºF or below to keep bacteria from growing. Pumpkin pie should always be refrigerated and all food should be refrigerated within two hours.
If deep fried turkey is your preference, be sure to observe all safety precautions and never leave your fryer unattended. For more information on food safety, visit the US Department of Agriculture website.
From all of us at Infraspection Institute, Happy Thanksgiving to all of our readers and friends! May you enjoy a safe and happy holiday in the company of those you love.
~ Jim and Christopher Seffrin ~
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November 30, 2010
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IR Inspections of Single Phase Power Panels
Tip written by: Infraspection Institute
Determining exceptions in single phase power panels is often challenging due to the absence of appropriate reference components. In this Tip, we offer suggestions for properly inspecting these panels.
Infrared inspections of single phase circuits are often challenging due to the absence of similar components under similar load. Unlike polyphase panels, single phase power panels typically contain circuits of different sizes. Oftentimes, these circuits are under widely varying loads. Depending upon power usage, many circuits may be under zero load causing other circuits to appear quite ‘hot’ by comparison.
Overloads confirmed with ammeter.
Prior to performing an infrared inspection of single phase panels, make certain that the panel is under adequate load. When inspecting, keep the following in mind:
- Inspect panels in an orderly fashion working from line to load side for all circuits. When possible, compare similar components under similar load to each other.
- Inspect each overcurrent device for uneven heating between the line and load side connections. Check all connections within the panel to ensure that hot spots do not exist.
- Check warm conductors for load using a true RMS sensing ammeter. Don’t forget to include neutral conductors.
- Document all exceptions with a thermogram, control photo and all pertinent data including time, date, and load conditions.
- Be aware that some devices such as GFCI breakers may normally appear warm due to their construction and/or operation.
Lastly, be certain to observe all necessary safety practices when working on or near energized electrical equipment.
Infrared inspection of power distribution systems is one of the many topics covered in the Level I Infraspection Institute Certified Infrared Thermographer® training course. For information on thermographer training or to obtain a copy of the Standard for Infrared Inspection of Electrical Systems & Rotating Equipment, visit us online at www.infraspection.com or call us at 609-239-4788.
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December 06, 2010
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Making Your Own Blackbody Simulator
Blackbody simulators are essential tools for checking the calibration of infrared imagers and radiometers. One alternative to purchasing a blackbody simulator is to make your own.
In order to provide accurate temperature values, infrared imagers and radiometers must be calibrated on a periodic basis. During the calibration process, blackbody simulators provide targets with a known temperature and a known emittance.
Thermographers wishing to perform a calibration check of their instruments may elect to purchase a blackbody simulator. Several models are commercially available with prices ranging up to several thousand dollars. As an alternative, thermographers may elect to make their own simulator from commonly available items. This may be accomplished as follows:
- Procure a 2 liter square metal can and a 60 Watt electric aquarium heater. Can opening must be large enough to allow heater to be inserted into can opening.
- Cover the exterior of the can with Scotch #191 PVC electrical tape.
- Fill the can with water to within 1” of the top and insert aquarium heater. Avoid causing can to overflow.
- Energize heater and set to desired temperature. Be certain to allow sufficient time for can temperature to stabilize.
When performing a calibration check of infrared equipment, set the subject radiometer’s emittance control to 0.97. Ascertain the can temperature using a thermocouple. Compare the two values and note any differences.
Lastly, be certain to work safely. In particular, avoid fully immersing any aquarium heater not designed for immersion. Be certain to disconnect the aquarium heater from its power source and allow it to cool prior to removing it from the can.
Equipment calibration is one of the many topics covered in the Level II Infraspection Institute Certified Infrared Thermographer® training course. For information on thermographer training including course locations and dates, visit us online at www.infraspection.com or call us at 609-239-4788.
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December 13, 2010
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Non Uniformity Correction
Focal plane array detectors are standard components for most commercial thermal imagers. One feature common to all FPA imagers is a function known as non-uniformity correction.
Using an FPA detector in the construction of an imager provides high resolution and other advantages. One disadvantage is that FPA detectors tend to “drift” during imager operation. When the pixels of an FPA detector drift, their response to the radiant energy emitted by an object changes.
As an FPA detector drifts, the displayed image will develop areas with inexplicably hot or cold pixels. Drifted pixels cause the appearance of hot/cold artifacts within the image and cannot be relied upon for accurate temperature measurements. Depending upon imager type and ambient conditions, significant drift can occur within a very short period of time.
To correct for drift, all FPA imagers have a function known as non-uniformity correction. Simply put, NUC is a feature that ‘resets’ the image by aligning all detector pixels to the same value. Depending upon imager model, the NUC process may be an automatic feature of the imager or a manual function performed by the thermographer. Performing a non-uniformity correction may require several seconds to complete; during this time imaging is not possible.
During the NUC process, a high emittance object of uniform temperature is temporarily placed within the optical path of the imager. When the NUC process is activated, the imager’s computer electronically adjusts the gain of all detector pixels to a uniform value thereby removing errors caused by detector drift. A NUC should be performed at regular intervals during imager operation or whenever hot/cold artifacts appear within the image.
Infrared imager operation is one of the many topics covered in the Level I Infraspection Institute Certified Infrared Thermographer® training course. For information on our open enrollment or Distance Learning courses, please visit us online at www.infraspection.com or call us at 609-239-4788.
December 20, 2010
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Holiday Wishes
Tip written by: Infraspection Institute
It is hard to believe that another year has passed and the holiday season is once again upon us. With this Tip, we invite our readers to share a favorite memory as we celebrate the season.
Recently, we noticed a television schedule announcing the airing of one of our all-time favorite programs, ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’. As children growing up in the 1960’s, the annual airing of this program was proof that Christmas was just around the corner.
With no reruns on broadcast television, we, like many of our childhood friends, would plan our entire week around watching this special program each year. With a cool soundtrack, the program brought our favorite Peanuts characters to life as Charlie Brown strove to discover the meaning of Christmas. To this day, Linus VanPelt’s simple monologue is one of our favorite holiday memories.
With the holidays and busy year-end schedules upon us once again, we invite you to take the time to make special memories with family and friends and to keep them in your heart where you may easily find them in the future.
As we enjoy this holiday season, we extend a heartfelt Thank You to all of our readers, friends, and associates throughout the world for everything that you do for us all year long.
May your holidays be filled with peace and joy and your New Year with good health and happiness.
~ Jim & Chris Seffrin
Linus’ Monologue
Charlie Brown: Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?
Linus: Sure, Charlie Brown. I can tell you what Christmas is all about. Lights, please.
And there were in the same country, shepherds, abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night and lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them. And the glory of the Lord shone ‘round about them and they were so afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not. For behold, I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you, ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest and on Earth, Peace and Goodwill toward men.”
That’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown.
Excerpted from ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ by Charles Schulz
