Automation Storybook
Automation Storybook
1. Introduction....................................... page 4
2. The thermal imaging camera and
how it works...................................... page 6
3. Why use thermal imaging?.................. page 8
4. Our customers testify......................... page 9
5. Thermal imaging:
a wide variety of applications................ page 28
6. Selecting the correct thermal imaging
camera manufacturer......................... page 32
7. Send us your application...................... page 34
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1 Introduction
4
Manufacturing capabilities
FLIR currently operates 6 manufacturing plants: three in the USA (Portland, Boston
and Santa Barbara, California) one in Stockholm, Sweden, one in Estonia and one
near Paris, France.
FLIR Systems is active in all markets where thermal imaging cameras are being
used: electrical / mechanical, building, automation / process control, maritime and
security are just a few markets in which FLIR Systems thermal imaging cameras
have proven their worth.
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2
The thermal imaging camera
and how it works
A thermal imaging camera records the intensity of radiation in the infrared part of
the electromagnetic spectrum and converts it to a visible image.
What is infrared?
Our eyes are detectors that are designed to detect electromagnetic radiation in
the visible light spectrum. All other forms of electromagnetic radiation, such as
infrared, are invisible to the human eye.
After noticing this pattern Herschel decided to measure the temperature just
beyond the red portion of the spectrum in a region where no sunlight was visible.
To his surprise, he found that this region had the highest temperature of all.
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Infrared radiation lies between the visible and microwave portions of the
electromagnetic spectrum. The primary source of infrared radiation is heat or
thermal radiation. Any object that has a temperature above absolute zero (-273.15
degrees Celsius or 0 Kelvin) emits radiation in the infrared region. Even objects
that we think of as being very cold, such as ice cubes, emit infrared radiation.
Microwaves
Visible
Gamma X-Rays Ultra- Infrared Radio
Rays Violet UHF VHF
Visible Infrared
SW LW
2 5 8 12 micrometers
We experience infrared radiation every day. The heat that we feel from sunlight, a
fire or a radiator is all infrared. Although our eyes cannot see it, the nerves in our
skin can feel it as heat. The warmer the object, the more infrared radiation it emits.
E
B C D
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3
Why use thermal imaging?
Production engineers and technicians are faced by the demand for higher production
output at a constant quality and at lower cost. The FLIR thermal imaging cameras
are the most effective tool available for infrared machine vision, closed loop process
control and quality assurance imaging, helping you to validate and increase product
quality and throughput and thereby give your products a competitive edge and
increased profitability.
FLIR Systems offers a wide range of thermal imaging cameras. Whatever your
automation / process control application, FLIR will have just the right thermal
imaging camera for you.
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4
Our customers testify
FLIR Systems has many customers that are active in a wide variety of markets. FLIR
Systems thermal imaging cameras are being used by a wide variety of people.
All of them have discovered the benefits that thermal imaging has to offer. They
know that thermal imaging cameras are helping them to save time and money on
a daily basis.
Many have chosen for a FLIR Systems thermal imaging cameras. They have
acknowledged that FLIR Systems produces the most advanced, the most
ergonomic and the most user friendly systems.
On the following pages you will find a couple of short testimonies of users of
FLIR thermal imaging cameras. It are these users that are the best promotion for
thermal imaging technology and for FLIR Systems.
Do not take it from us. Read what the users of FLIR thermal imaging cameras
have to say.
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Thermal alarm system ensures children's
safety at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport
Check in areas at airports might not seem like a dangerous place, but they are
more dangerous than one might think. Each year there are several accidents
worldwide where children escape the attention of their parents and sneak
through the rubber flaps into the baggage belt conveyor system.
"We have performed a lot of tests and this system works really well.", explains
Kaan Türkmen. "Several of our employees have climbed into the system and as
it turns out the conveyor belt stops running every time we try it."
If a Region Of Interest (ROI) reaches the threshold Suitcases do not trigger the alarm, even if the treshold
temperature, the alarm goes off. temperature is reached. The percentage of the ROI that
reaches that temperature is too small.
This screenshot from the FLIR software shows footage If a person enters the conveyor belt area the automatic
from the four FLIR thermal imaging cameras that cover temperature alarm will stop the conveyor belt system.
all eight conveyor belts.
10
Thermal imaging cameras prevent fires at
Korean coal power plant
To avoid the risk of spontaneous combustion in the coal conveyor system at the
Dangjin Coal Fired Power Complex (DCFPC) in South Korea the owner of the plant,
the Korea East-West Power Company (EWP), has installed a Hotspot detection
system based on thermal imaging cameras.
“When the bituminous coal ignites the fire would not only be dangerous for
the plant’s personnel and likely destroy part of the conveyor system, it would
also cause power generation to come to a complete stop. This scenario is not
acceptable.”, says Kim Young Min manager at DCFPC. “That is why we installed a
number of FLIR thermal imaging cameras.”
The footage and thermal data from the seven FLIR The PLC immediately stops the conveyor belt and acti-
thermal imaging cameras is sent to the PLC and to the vates the sprinkler system when the temperature alarm
control room. is triggered.
The thermal imaging early fire warning system is very FLIR thermal imaging cameras, mounted in protective
effective in preventing coal fires. housings, above the coal transport belts.
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Thermal imaging warning system helps
ensure the safety at Transpole
Natural gas storage can be dangerous, for if a fire breaks out there is a very small
but definite risk it might cause a devastating gas explosion. An early warning
system using thermal imaging cameras from FLIR Systems provides the solution.
The live thermal video produced by the FLIR thermal imaging is shown on two touch screens, one at the depot’s
entrance and another in the main office.
The touch screen interface shows the floor plan and live FLIR thermal imaging cameras continuously monitor
thermal video footage of all thermal imaging cameras.. the entire premises.
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Thermal imaging increases productivity and
improves safety in the plywood industry
When manufacturing plywood and veneer, it is critical that logs be softened
before they are transported into plants for peeling and further processing. If
not sufficiently softened, logs can split in the peeling process, resulting in lost
productivity and waste.
Thermal imaging cameras detect heat energy and, as such, see through fog,
steam, smoke and other obscurants. By using thermal imaging cameras, several
major North American plywood manufacturers have implemented systems that
allow crane and out feed cab operators to see through steam and maintain
optimal productivity.
Visual and thermal image of the assembly line; the thermal imaging camera helps the operator see through the steam
to safely complete his tasks.
Visual and thermal image; the steam obscures the view of the log, while the log vats are clearley visible in the thermal
image.
13
FLIR thermal imaging cameras help to ensure
consistent quality of FIAT cars
Modern car panels are made of a combination of a metal layer on top and a struc-
tural adhesive layer underneath glued together. The temperature has to be exactly
right for the adhesion to work properly. FIAT has started to use FLIR thermal imag-
ing cameras to provide automatic feedback during the process.
Each green square in this thermal image stands for one of the measurement spots, 19 in this case. The user can define
as many measurement spots as needed.
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100% quality control of resistors with FLIR
thermal imaging camera
Cutting down failure rates of electronic components is essential for companies that
want to supply a perfect product to their customers. The only way to ensure this is by
checking each individual component to provide 100% quality control.
Fully automated quality control thanks to the FLIR A flawed resistor controlled with a thermal imaging
Systems thermal imaging camera. camera
The FLIR Systems thermal imaging camera detects even 100% perfect resistors produced by Isabellenhütte-
the smallest defect in a resistor. Heusler.
"Thermal imaging proved to be the perfect way to ensure that our quality
standards are even higher than before.", says Mr. Eichman, Production
Manager at Isabellenhütte.
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Automatic health check in dairy farms using
FLIR thermal imaging cameras
A big problem in present day dairy farming is a disease called Mastitis. It is a
persistent inflammation in the cow’s udders. This potentially fatal mammary gland
infection is the most common disease in dairy cattle. Thermal imaging can help to
detect the disease in an early stage.
"I was shocked to find that the average dairy farmer is currently losing 20,000
to 60,000 Euros each year due to Mastitis. That is a large sum of money. We
therefore set out to find a solution for this problem: an automatic early detection
system based on thermal imaging technology."
The two FLIR thermal imaging cameras record images of the cow’s udder from both sides.
Automatic analysis software uses algorithms to detect To protect the FLIR A310 against the adverse conditions
developing Mastitis in thermal images of cow udders. in a dairy farm the cameras are mounted in a waterproof
housing with automatic window cleaning system.
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Thanks to thermal imaging "Erdinger
Weissbräu" kegs contain beer!
Erdinger is known for its strict quality policy. Its production processes, from
selection and acceptance of raw materials to filling and maturing, are strictly
monitored. Thermal imaging plays a crucial role.
As a keg containing lye has a higher temperature than a keg filled with beer. With a thermal imaging camera it was
easy to identify wrongly filled kegs by measuring their temperature.
The thermal imaging camera (top left in the image), Thermal image of a keg filled with beer.
checks each passing keg.
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Thermal imaging cameras
in the food industry
In the food industry, it’s essential to carefully control the temperature of perishable
goods throughout production, transportation, storage, and sales. Food processors
need tools that automate crucial operations in a way that helps minimize human
error while holding down costs.
An IR temperature measurement and thermal image are used to locate undercooked chicken tenders and stop the line
so undercooked ones can be removed.
Thermal image for checking hamburger doneness by Thermal image shows bottles being filled automatically.
measuring temperature Bottles that are over-or under-filled can be removed.
Thermal imaging is first and foremost a quality assurance (QA) tool. Controlling
the quality and safety of cooked meat products is an excellent use of this
technology. A permanently mounted thermal imaging camera can record the
temperature of, for example, chicken tenders as they exit a continuous conveyor
oven.
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FLIR thermal imaging camera ensure that the
cars produced at Ford Genk work perfectly.
Three FLIR thermal imaging cameras installed at Ford Genk in Belgium test the
temperatures of front window heating elements, rear window heating elements
and the air conditioning vent outlet
“Before these automatic systems were installed at Ford Genk the cars were
checked by hand. Automatic testing systems are much quicker and more
reliable. FLIR thermal imaging cameras are the perfect tool for such tests, for they
are accurate, reliable and maintenance free.”, explains Arthur Knuysen, head of
the quality control department at Ford Genk.
This FLIR thermal imaging camera is used to check the The programmable logic controller (PLC) compares the
air conditioning system. measurement data with previously defined parameters.
Ford Genk has three FLIR thermal imaging cameras for testing the front window heating system, the rear window
heating system and the air conditioning system. The locations of the thermal imaging cameras are marked in red.
19
Thermal imaging camera keeps fire risk under
control in coal pile storage site
Coal storage in large coal piles brings with it the risk of spontaneous fires. As
always, prevention is better than cure. A thermal imaging camera from FLIR
Systems helps to ensure safety at the Nástup Mines Cooperation in Tusimice,
Czech Republic.
FLIR Systems thermal imaging cameras were selected because of the company’s
extensive experience in a wide range of continuous thermal monitoring
applications.
The FLIR Systems thermal imaging camera mounted on The overlay of a coal pile with a hot spot as possible
a mast overthe Nástup Mines Cooperation. combustion point.
This thermal image taken by a FLIR thermal imaging camera mounted on top of a mast shows two coal piles separa-
ted by a loading zone.
20
Thermal imaging cameras for fire prevention
and detection in solid waste bunkers
Waste is potentially flammable when stored: self-combustion, heat development
due to pressure, spontaneous chemical reactions between the disposals, methane
gas-building, are potential fire creators. Thermal imaging cameras can help to
prevent fires.
The waste bunker surface is divided in zones. The FLIR The control room of a waste bunker. If the thermal
thermal imaging camera checks every zone. imaging camera detects a hot spot an alarm will go off.
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Thermal imaging cameras monitor
electrical substations
With hospitals and other emergency services depending on electricity an
extended power failure might cost lives. That is why the Norwegian government
and energy companies are monitoring electrical substations with thermal imaging
cameras.
Four thermal imaging cameras monitor critical components within the substation. If any point within the camera’s
field of view reaches a temperature that is higher than the previously determined threshold temperature an alarm will
go off.
The temperature alarm system allows the control room operators to alert the Lyse Energy maintenance crew to
problems before they turn into costly breakdowns.
“The four FLIR thermal imaging cameras that are incorporated in the alarm
system continually monitor the critical parts of the substation.”, explains
Noralarm Sales Manager Mikke Ståhl. “If any part of the monitored equipment
rises above the threshold temperature an alarm will go off."
22
FLIR Thermal imaging cameras determine
road conditions in Finland
The roads in Finland comprise 78,141 kilometers of highways, paved roads and
gravel roads. Monitoring and maintaining these roads can be challenging in a
country where in the winter temperatures can drop to -40 °C and days become so
short that the sun does not clear the horizon at all in some areas.
Thermal images taken in late spring are extremely valuable for road repair teams, because they show the location of
the thawing ice in the underlying road structure.
Good quality pavement (figure on left) provides a very homogenous thermal image while the thermal image to the
right shows signs of cracks and water ingress in the asphalt.
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Thermal imaging cameras for substation
monitoring
By using FLIR thermal imaging cameras and automation software, impending
equipment failures and security breaches in electrical substations can be detected
anytime, day or night, at a remote monitoring location. The net effect is increased
reliability and reduced cost.
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Thermal imaging cameras
for flare monitoring
Flare stacks are used in many industries to burn off unwanted waste gas
byproducts. Thermal imaging cameras are an ideal monitoring tool, since they
allow automated remote monitoring on a 24/7 basis in virtually any weather.
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Mill ladle refractory monitoring
Steel mill ladles have limited lives. As their refractory linings wear or develop
breaks due to shock, the outer part of a ladle can be exposed to excessive
temperatures. If not caught in time, the result can be ladle disintegration and
a molten metal breakout, threatening the lives of workers and destroying
equipment.
Thermal imaging cameras can detect hot spots on the ladle that warn of a failure far sooner than a visual inspection.
This allows the ladle to be taken out of service before accidents occur.
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Thermal imaging cameras for warehouse
asset protection
FLIR thermal imaging cameras provide an early warning response to hot spots that
are detected. This is important for all types of warehouses. By detecting hot spots
in an early stage warehouse fires can be avoided.
76.2 ºC 81.1 ºC
37.1 53.8
-3.1
-8.4 28.9 31.2
A hazardous waste storage area showing two safe spot A subsequent image of the same area shows that the
temperature readings (-3.1ºC and -8.4ºC), plus one abnormal reading has increased, causing an alarm to
reading 37.1ºC that is abnormally high. go off.
Schematic overview
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5
Thermal imaging:
a wide variety of applications
As more and more people are discovering the benefits that thermal imaging
cameras have to offer, volumes have gone up and prices are coming down. This
means that thermal imaging cameras are finding their way to more and more
markets. FLIR Systems has the correct camera for every application.
Electrical / Mechanical
In industrial environments thermal imaging is
used to find hot-spots that can lead to failures
in electrical and mechanical installations.
By detecting anomalies at an early stage
production breakdowns can be avoided and
money can be saved.
Security
Our security customers benefit from thermal
imaging cameras because they help them
to secure facilities like ports, airports, nuclear
facilities, warehouses, estates and many more
against intruders.
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Building diagnostics
Building professionals look for insulation losses
and other building related defects with a
thermal imaging camera. Finding insulation
losses and repairing them can mean huge
energy savings.
Border security
Border security specialists protect their
country’s border against smugglers and other
intruders. With a thermal imaging camera
they are able to see a man at a distance of 20
kilometers away in total darkness.
Science / R&D
Thermal imaging also plays a pivotal role in
both applied and fundamental R&D. It can
speed up the design cycle so that products
can go to market faster. For these demanding
applications FLIR Systems markets extremely
high performance thermal imaging cameras.
Maritime
On both yachts and commercial vessels, FLIR
thermal imaging cameras are being used for
night time navigation, shipboard security, man-
overboard situations and anti-piracy.
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Transportation
FLIR thermal imaging cameras are installed in
cars for driver vision enhancement. They help
the driver to see up to 4 times further than
headlights. They are also installed in specialty
vehicles such as fire-trucks, mining and military
vehicles.
Law enforcement
Police officers use the power of thermal
imaging to see without being seen. They can
easily find suspects in total darkness without
giving away their position.
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Personal vision systems
Outdoor enthusiasts can see clearly at night
with the help of a thermal imaging camera.
Firefighting
Firefighters are able to see through smoke.
It helps them to find victims in a smoke
filled room and also to see if fires are well
extinguished. It helps them to save lives.
Extech
Under the Extech brand, FLIR systems is
marketing a full line of test and measurement
equipment.
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6
Selecting the correct thermal imaging camera
manufacturer
Since thermal imaging cameras have become increasingly popular over the last
few years more and more manufacturers are starting to produce thermal imaging
cameras.
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Software is important
For practically all applications it is
important to have the correct software.
It will help you analyze and report your
findings. Make sure that the hardware
manufacturer is able to deliver you the
correct software as well.
Service
Once in operation a thermal imaging
camera rapidly becomes a vital piece
of equipment. Make sure that the
manufacturer can service your camera
in the shortest period of time if a
problem should occur.
Training
Using a thermal imaging camera is as
easy as using a camcorder. There are
however some things you need to take
into account. A reliable thermal imaging
camera will be able to give you initial or
extensive training so that you can get
the most out of your thermal imaging
camera.
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7
Send us your application
On the previous pages you could read how some of our users are using FLIR
thermal imaging cameras.
We are always looking for new application stories and new customer
testimonies. If you have an interesting application please contact us. We will
be happy to include you in the next edition of this booklet.
Please fill out the following form, scan it and send it to [email protected] or fax
this form to +32 3 303 56 24
Company :
Name :
Address :
Postal Code :
City :
Country :
Tel :
Application :
Short Description :
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To speak to a thermal imaging camera expert, please contact:
FLIR Systems Sweden FLIR Systems France FLIR Systems, Middle East FZE
Antennvägen 6 19, bld Bidault Dubai Airport Free Zone
187 66 Täby 77183 Croissy-Beaubourg P.O. Box 54262
Sweden France Office B-22, Street WB-21
Tel.: +46 (0)8 753 25 00 Tel.: +33 (0)1 60 37 55 02 Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Fax: +46 (0)8 753 23 64 Fax: +33 (0)1 64 11 37 55 Tel.: +971 4 299 6898
e-mail: [email protected] e-mail : [email protected] Fax: +971 4 299 6895
e-mail: [email protected]
FLIR Systems UK
2 Kings Hill Avenue - Kings Hill FLIR Systems Italy FLIR Systems Russia
West Malling Via Luciano Manara, 2 6 bld.1, 1st Kozjevnichesky lane
Kent I-20812 Limbiate (MB) 115114 Moscow
T820485{EN-EN}_A