Maintenance programmes rely on regular plant inspection to determine the presence of underlying problems. Plant personnel are required to periodically visit the systems and machines within a facility to anticipate the need for preventative or corrective maintenance.
Handheld infrared non-contact thermometers provide maintenance engineers with a quick, safe and accurate way to scan surfaces and locate hot or cold spots, which could indicate underlying problems. Defective components can often be identified by measuring the absolute temperature of the component, the temperature differential between the component and its environment, or the temperature difference relative to other components running at similar load. By analysing the results of data collected over time, changes in the temperature of objects can be used to determine if failure is likely.
Finding the hot spots
Most mechanical systems generate thermal energy during operation and temperature monitoring can aid the evaluation of operating conditions. Temperature checks should be performed regularly to locate hot spots or heat imbalances on devices such as drives, bearings, transmissions, pumps, pulleys, and conveyors. Electrical equipment has similar measurement demands. Busbars with loose or oxidised joints, for example, will rapidly exhibit higher than normal temperatures due to increased electrical resistance.
Simply finding the heat however, does not necessarily mean that a problem is present. To properly evaluate the presence of hot spots, the load and acceptable operating temperature ranges for the load, as specified by the manufacturer, must be known. Exact measurement of spot temperature values can then be used to identify abnormalities, since even temperature differences of 5 to 10° could indicate trouble in certain cases. Handheld infrared thermometers can quickly and accurately measure small variations in surface temperature and are therefore a useful aid to maintenance activity decision making.
The PhotoTemp MX6 is the latest generation handheld infrared thermometer from Raytek. Designed to provide more than a temperature reading on a display, features include datalogging, the ability to store temperature data from multiple locations along an inspection route, flexible display options such as maximum, minimum, average and differential temperature, audible alarms and Windows-based software for temperature trend analysis and report preparation.
Enhanced features include a built-in digital camera, which allows visual recording of temperature measurements. The detailed images are easily downloadable from the unit for inclusion in inspection reports.
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