Application Note

Popular
applications
Even considering the limitations
of infrared temperature moni-
toring, there are still so many
possible uses for this technology
that trying to list them all would
be fruitless. Here are some of the
most common and particularly
successful applications.
Predictive maintenance
Regular maintenance in industrial
and institutional locations keeps
motors, pumps and gearboxes
from experiencing catastrophic
failures that can halt production
or pose safety problems. In an
infrared maintenance program,
technicians set up an inspection
route and measurement param-
eters for each piece of key equip-
ment and/or component. Then,
they take an infrared temperature
measurement on a regular basis,
record the measurement, and
compare against previous read-
ings for any changes.
As an example, a technician
can use a Fluke 62 Mini to check
the operation of an induction
motor on a critical piece of equip-
ment. She or he would start by
reading the unit’s specifications
on the plate attached to it. The
plate will reveal either a Temper-
ature Rise Rating or a Motor Class
Rating for the motor. The rise rat-
ing gives the maximum allowable
operating temperature above am-
bient. The motor class rating, e.g.
“Class A,” will reveal an absolute
maximum operating temperature.
Both pertain to internal-winding
temperatures. Of course, a contact
thermometer cannot measure
these temperatures while the
motor is running. However, an
operator or technician can use a
non-contact IR thermometer to
measure the temperature of the
motor case. She or he should add
10 °C (18 °F) to surface scans to
determine the internal operating
temperature. For each 10 °C (18
°F) above the maximum operating
temperature, the life of the motor
is likely to decrease by 50 %.
If the motor is extremely hot it
could be a fire hazard.
Using infrared thermometry
for plant maintenance reduces
repair costs and avoids equip-
ment stoppages. Industrial
maintenance personnel, building
managers, HVAC technicians and
even homeowners can reduce
costs by repairing only what
needs to be fixed. They can avoid
unplanned equipment stoppages
by making specific, necessary
repairs before equipment fails.
Then, after repairs, they can per-
form new temperature measure-
ments on the same equipment to
determine whether the repairs
were successful.
Electrical inspections
Electrical systems supply essen-
tial power to every industrial,
commercial and residential set-
ting. With degradation over time
and the general vulnerability of
electrical connections, it’s impor-
tant to monitor electrical sys-
tems for loose, dirty or corroded
connections, flaws in transformer
windings, hot spots in panel
boxes and other telltale signs of
trouble.
The Fluke 62 Mini can be
invaluable for finding developing
hotspots in electrical equipment
that may indicate a short circuit,
a fused switch or an overload. In
general, higher operating temper-
atures reduce the life of electrical
components by damaging insula-
tion and raising the resistance of
conductor materials. Pinpointed
by a non-contact IR thermometer,
these situations signal that action
is required.
3 Fluke Corporation Frontline test tools for predictive maintenance
Measure moving targets easily.
Use unit in close range for
near-distance targets.