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My First Decade with Infrared
With this inaugural blog post, I thought it would be good to reflect on something that I feel was an important change that occurred in the infrared industry over the last decade. Even though my career...
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Thermal Perceptions vs. Reality
Looking back over the years, as thermal imaging has grown in popularity, it has come to the public eye through movies, television and news. In some cases it’s depicted incorrectly while in others it’s...
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Infrared in the Automotive Industry
Infrared in the Automotive IndustryRoy Huff, ASNT NDT Level IIIOur fascination with various means of transportation lends itself nicely to the world of thermography. Robust thermography programs are...
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What Infrared Camera Should I Buy?
Probably the most common question I’m asked during class. Even better is the student who pries a bit further and, hoping for some juicy detail, tries to pin me down with the “Okay, I know you guys are...
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Hidden Inspection Hazards – An Arc Flash Isn’t the Only Thing That Bites
I once was working at a Virginian coal prep plant where raw coal from the deep mines is separated from the rock, cleaned, and then sized. The plant takes this coal through the process of crushing and...
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Open, Scan, and Re-Cover
It may take a little longer, but opening a single set of switchgear, or just a few buckets on one MCC at a time, not onlyreduces the effects ofconvective cooling, it is also safer as there is less...
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You Found It, Now What?
I was working with a thermographer the other day and after about two days of side-by-side work, I could tell this guy was going to be an awesome thermographer. He understood heat transfer theory. I...
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Dogs, and Cats, and Harleys, Oh My!
After most folks attend a Level I Thermography course, they’re pretty excited to go out and find problems and practice what they’ve learned. Obviously from the standpoint of their employer, this is a...
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Breaking It All Down
Becoming a well rounded industrial thermographer involves many facets. An essential part of the thermography puzzle is knowing where to look during an infrared inspection.No one can be expected to know...
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Be “Thermally Aware” of Your Environment
If I could only offer one tip, or bit of advice, that thermographers should follow closely when conducting infrared inspections, it’s that they always remain “thermally aware” of their surrounding...
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Using an Equipment List for Infrared Inspections – Do You Need One?
When I first started conducting infrared inspections, the only documentation I had was for the thermal anomalies that I found. At the time, I thought doing so was the best way to utilize my time. But,...
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So Many Camera Choices!
I live in the mountains of northern Georgia in a town of about 1,700 people. Tourism is a big industry here because we’re nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. People come here to...
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Will the Real Thermographer Please Stand Up?
Who should be selected to become the company thermographer?One of my favorite discussions in class is when we go around the room and do introductions. It’s during this time that people will state their...
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Follow-up Infrared and Requalification Inspections
As a traveling service thermographer, I do not have very many opportunities to conduct follow-up inspections to repairs completed after my report is submitted. But, back in the day when I was working...
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Basic Infrared Camera Care
I remember when I was first assigned an infrared imager to use as my own. I was like a kid on Christmas (or Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, Festivus, etc.) morning. I was excited to have unfettered access...
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Staying Focused During Your Infrared Inspections
I would like to share my thoughts about “focus.” I’m not taking about focus of the optical-kind but more about staying mentally focused.No matter what you do in life, if you do it often enough, it can...
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Why are We Using Infrared, and What Can be Gained From It?
Why are we using infrared, and what can be gained from it? After eight-and-a-half years as an on-site technician, and three years as a traveling technician, this question has popped up on more than one...
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Background Temperature Correction: What it Does and Does Not Do
Thermal reflections are the bane of thermography, there’s no question about that. When inspecting surfaces that have a low emissivity, and hence a high reflectivity, temperature measurements can be...
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Happy Birthday, William Herschel!
Sir William Herschel, born November 15, 1738, was known for many things. He wrote symphonies and taught music. He was also an astronomer that built telescopes and discovered Uranus as a planet. And if...
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Think Thermally® This Thanksgiving
The upcoming Thanksgiving holiday this week in the United States is a great time to "Think Thermally" and have fun with your thermal imager. I’m sure many of you enjoy hanging out in the kitchen before...
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