If you are planning to purchase a thermal camera in Australia, it is essential you know how to use your device to get the most out of it. There are some best practices you need to be aware of to get the most out of your cameras.
Ensure the mechanical or electrical system is running fully loaded
If you want to highlight thermal anomalies, it is essential to ensure that the mechanical systems or electrical systems you are imaging are running fully loaded. Fully loaded systems will generate higher differential in temperature and make it easier to identify issues.
Keep your image in focus
It is very important to ensure that your image is in focus not only for clarity purposes but also for accurate temperature measurement and discrimination. Your focus should be set to the object being measured if it seems that a surrounding area may be out of focus.
Ensure your thermal imaging camera is marked if working in a zone 1 area
If you are working in division 1 or zone 1 hazardous area, it is essential to ensure your thermal camera is marked with the right certification to avoid the risk of explosion. It is a requirement for employers to identify hazardous areas for both contractors and employees.
Use maximum temperature in an area feature
If you are searching for temperatures below or above a temperature threshold, you should use a maximum temperature or isotherm within an area feature. This will ensure you highlight excess clearly when using your night vision equipment. These features can save a lot of time and increase awareness as surveys may take several hours where fatigue could cause useful anomalies to be overlooked.
Minimise thermal reflection
It is crucial to observe a scene from different angles to reduce thermal reflection when using thermal cameras. The unusually warm area could be your own thermal reflection. Reduce solar reflection on display screens outdoors by carefully changing your stance. You can also swivel your lens to get rid of reflection.’
Consider the emissivity of the object
It is essential to consider the emissivity of the object first if you want to get close to an accurate temperature measurement. However, it is crucial to remember that regular thermography can show temperature changes leading to potential failure effectively.
Ensure your camera settings are consistent
This applies to comparative thermography. You need to ensure the emissivity and camera settings remain consistent. The system load should be similar although this can be impractical.
Store images and relate them to visible images
When building reports, you should remember to store images and relate them to visible photos. This will make it easier to pinpoint faults for scheduled maintenance. You should choose reporting software that makes the entire process simple.
Report critical items separately
When using a thermal camera in Australia, it is important to report critical items separately and draw attention to them. This will ensure preventative maintenance where you can find faults and fix them before they lead to a total breakdown and uptime.
