Aerospace Inspection Training | THERMOGRAPHY ‘CHAPTER 2 The Infrared Camera 12 Dated Marsh 2011 Infrared Camera Introduction Infrared camera operation is a skill that takes practice to lean, jst ike everyting else. This ‘chapter deals with camera operation in gener’ purpose iso make your life easier when performing thermog-aphy, but also to prevent you fiom making potentially disastrous ‘mistakes. Infrared thermography isnot just a mater of switching the eamera on and pointing it This chapter may help you in the future and result in beter quality int rared thermographic Inspections Infrared systems and camera vary, and developments fast, which is why the actual buttons and controls are omitted fom this chapter. Instead, we will concentrate on the common features of cameras. It would prove invaluable as individuals to digest the operations manvat for your specific cameras. ‘The following subjet willbe considered + Adjusting the viewtnder focus + Optical age focus + Atosadjstnent of th image + Menu system operation, in general + Manually adjstng the image (evelspan) + Contoiting neasuement fanetions + Freezing and saving the image(s)Aerospace Inspection Training | THERMOGRAPAY (CHAPTER 2 The Infrared Camera 2 au 241 ‘Controlling the Image ‘The image is controlled by selecting a Temperature Range and setting Level and Span, Tempo ange sponte 20 407 ‘Temperature range i the most basic setting. Most instruments have 2 to 5 temperature ranges. Range isthe setting above which and below which temperature cannot be measured, “The fewer and the wider the ranges, the easier te instrument isto operate and us. The {temperature range can technically be achieved ina few different ways, sometimes combination. The ned for having temperature ranges i the same as For noxmnaldaylight cameras and thie apertures, The reiation reaching the detector must be limited ort wil be saturated (overloaded with energy). Apertures are used in many elder eameras and they are ‘usually controled wih a knob or button. Another method of limiting radiation tothe etecior is by placing a filter in the radiation path, which limits the radiation reaching the detector, analogous fo sunglasses protecting the eyes from the Sun, The thir, snd most ‘common method today, is by electronically limiting the sensitivity ofthe detector “Spen'is the part within the temperature range tat sin use. Another way to think of span {s thermal contrast. The span ean be made narrower or wider. Most cameras wll display 256 colours. This has technical reasons, as well as practical. Human eyes ae unable to see the dfferesee hetwean more colours i the same invge and daplays ate usally unable to splay more. Soi for example, or eye span were set to S0°C, the colours would be spread out over that temperature wih. But wll tbe 0 ~ 0°C, 25 78°C er 50 100°C? IFit is $0 ~ 100°C and wwe ae looking ata som temperature view, no image wil be show. The whole image will instead have a colou that corresponds to “below SO°C" in our seal, which is usualy black! Page Fd Dated: March 2011Aerospace Inspection Training | THERMOGRAPHY CHAPTER 2 The Infered Camera 2.14 Levels the middle point ofthe span. Another way to think of level is thermal brightness. The solution tothe problem presented above isto move the SO-degree span downward in the sale in order to make the colours cover the room temperature scene that is being viewed, ‘When ve do that, itmay be found that we are still not using al ofthe colours in the scale, ‘Therefore, it canbe fine-tuned using a eatvelyreeent additional function called autoadjust. When bis function is applied, a rough setting of level and span is employed ‘Though further mansal level and span adjustments shouldbe made to ensure conect use of the image. PRACTICAL (© Pickup your infrared camera and practice adjusting the temperature ranges. (i) Locate a heat source and determine how the adjustment of level an span affect the image Tee Page 079 Dated Mh 2011Aerospace Inspection Training — | THERMOGRAPHY CHAPTER 2 The Infrared Camera 3. Measurement Functions 3.1 Modem cameras offer many fonctions to use for temperature measurement The oldest one isthe isotherm, ar reer) Note that inthe image above, the isotherm i set to a level of 710°C 3.11 The isotherm would not have made it through the years if t had not been so good. Is still very vesatle and useful funtion. PRACTICAL Experiment withthe isotherm function on your IR camer,Aerospace Inspection Training _ | THERMOGRAPHY CHAPTER 2 The Iniared Camera 32. Thesecond invention, historically isthe spot meter (se the image below). Itis avery popular feature due its simplicity in use "The temperature atthe spt locaton inthe thermogram above i 68.0°C PRACTICAL Use the spot meter tol on your IR camera to assess the surface temperature of some objects in your sunoundings. Teas Paso ated: Mare 2011APY Aerospace Inspection Training | THERMC | CHAPTER 2 The fared Camera 33, Area functions, which can show the hottest, coldest, or average temperature within an area ane also extremely useful measurement tool Te image shown abeve shows us that within the box the average temperature is 524°C. ‘The cirele ares too measurements are shown atthe top-left comer ofthe IR image RAC (Practice using the ara tools on your IR camera, Dated: Mareh 2011Aerospace Inspection Training | THERMOGRAPHY HAPTER 2 The Infrared Camera 33.1 These tools may be combined using FLIR software to produce comprehensive images, as show below: 33.2 FLIR cameras genenlly have FLIR Reporter software provided. The images above show ‘ee, line and spot too functions in both rainbow and grey-scale palettes, Ta Page TOTT Dated: Maret 2011Aerospace Inspection Training | THERMOGRAPHY CHAPTER 2 The Infared 4, Capturing an Image 4.1 To.caprean image, the infrared depiction must be frozen or stored, or both, Once stored, the image canbe trnsferred toa computer and used t create a report. 42 There ave three things that cannot be changed once the image has been frozen or stored and sare applicable to al infrared cameras = + Temperaturerange + Optica focusing + mage composition 42.1. On some cameras, theres also limitation on changing level and span once the image has ‘een stored 42.2 Given this itis villy important that before the image i taken, the initial setting Up procedure ofthe camera is tken seriously. I not, you will have either poor inaccurate ‘sul of you wil have to go out in the field again end captor anew image, 43° ‘Temperature Range 43.1. Temperature range bas been explained earlier and as with any kn of measuring device, a range has tobe that includes what has to be measured, Is also trac that for most devices, if ‘he range i et wider than is necessary, he instrument precision suffers. 44 Optical Focusing 44.1 Optical focusing is very important, not just beeause a poorly focused image will reflect badly on the Thermegrapher, but because the measurement precision willbe alfected by the focus. Unfocused images will give false temperature readings. 45 Image composition 45.1. Image composition deals with the way thatthe target is presented in the image. Its not ‘desirable to have the target far away inthe comer ofthe inage, Nether should the target be ‘0 close that important information is neglected. The most common mistake that amateur thermographers make isto stand to far away from the target. The general advice i to go closer, but keeping asa distance. If the camera sto faraway from your target, if the ‘target is too smal inthe image. the temperature canot be measured propery. rr Page FT Dat March 2011Aerospace Inspection Training | THERMOGRAPHY 46 46.1 47 4n4 4n2 473 416 4a7 (CHAPTER 2 The Infered Cam Storage deviees Fortunately, mes have moved on since the days of floppy dises and Polaroid photographs. “These days store images are stored electronically on SD cards, computer memory, ete. Some cameras do havea direct connection toa PC via & USB cable. Is important forthe thermographer tobe familiar with the camera asa permanent record ofthe images wil be required for later use. Practieal ips ‘These 2 guidlines ae worth noting + Keep the camera es and sereen clean + Freeze the image before analysis! Keep the camera image a clean as you can while scanning ive argc. Keep minimal measurement funtion ative, enone a all Most of the ime earying out hernography is used to find possible problems (.g, water ingress in flying contol surfaces) or anomalies. “This task doesnot aways involve temperature measurement. Froezestore the image before analysis. A frozen image is normally prefered for analysis, ‘unless ofcourse i isan event that changes with tm and this change in itself isthe subject ofthe analysis, A sill image is muci easier to analyse. The analysis functions inthe eamera can be adjusted ‘without having to worry about keeping the camera directed at the target. Analysis is ‘normally cartied out aay from the tstaea, ina workshop or laboratory. isthe frozen image that will appear inthe report, so take time to study i in the Feeze mode before storing, and decide whether thsi the one tobe kep. If not, unfreeze and take new image Ral of thumb: ~getas close to your target as safely as possible while retaining the important elements inthe image. ‘Another thing that tends to clutter up the image is menus. Keep minimal menu items ative, ‘The information canbe retrieved whenever itis needed, PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT! Page dors