Infrared Thermography
Test Procedures
Infrared instrument utilizing infrared detectors and optics gather the infrared energy, and produce an output in the form of a thermal map also known as thermogram
The thermal image can be videotaped or stored on a floppy disk to be analyzed later. Costly heat related problems caused by a component or material failure, poor design in building components and mechanical and electrical systems can be pinpointed.
- Most modern thermal imaging instruments employ high-speed optics to scan the target point by point.
- They collect infrared radiation emanating from a target and direct it into a super cooled photo detector
- The detector converts this incoming energy into a proportionate electric signal, which is then amplified. This amplified signal is then sent to a video processor and cathode ray tube (CRT) where it can be manipulated in a variety of ways for interpretive purposes.
- The image displayed on the face of the CRT is a temperature map in which variations in image density correspond to radiant energy differences in the original subject.