PART THREE

of a predictive
maintenance series

Applying infrared thermography

to predictive maintenance

Application Note

Is your facility running

too hot?

only captures temperature at a

single point, a thermal imager
can capture temperature from
Heat is often an early symptom of both critical components and the
equipment damage or malfuncentire integrated unit. Thermal
tion, making it a key performance imagers can also store previous
parameter monitored in predictive and current images for comparimaintenance (PdM) programs.
son and upload images to a
Technicians who practice
central database.
infrared predictive maintenance
This document discusses the
regularly check the temperature
cost savings of thermal imaging
of critical equipment, allowing
(thermography) PdM, provides
them to track operating condiguidelines for successfully capturtions over time and quickly iden- ing and analyzing thermographic
tify unusual readings for further
data and describes how to
inspection.
integrate thermography into a
By monitoring equipment per- predictive maintenance program.
formance and scheduling mainFluke thermal imagers now
tenance when needed, these
include IR-Fusion*, a technolfacilities reduce the likelihood
ogy that fuses a visual, or visible
of unplanned downtime due to
light, image with an infrared
equipment failure, spend less on
image for better identification,
reactive maintenance fees and
analysis and image management.
equipment repair costs, extend
The dual images are accurately
the lifespan of machine assets,
aligned at any distance heightenand further maximize mainteing details, making it much easier
nance and production.
to spot where further investigaHeres the trick: to actually
tion is needed.
save money, predictive mainte*The Fluke Ti20 comes with InSideIR
analysis and reporting software with free
nance should not create excesupdates for the life of the product.
sive additional maintenance
efforts. The goal is to transition
Cost savings
maintenance resources away
from emergency repairs and into
Studies by the Federal Energy
scheduled inspections of key
Management Program (FEMP),
equipment. Inspections take less
estimate that a properly functiontime than repairs, especially if
ing predictive maintenance prodone with a thermal imager.
gram can provide a savings of
A thermal imager takes non30 % to 40 % over reactive
contact, infrared temperature
maintenance. Other independent
measurements that capture an
surveys indicate that, on average,
objects temperature profile as a
starting an industrial predictive
two-dimensional picture. Unlike
an infrared thermometer that

For more information on Fluke Predictive

Maintenance Products and Services go to
www.fluke.com/pdm

maintenance program results in

the following savings:
Return on investment:
10 times
Reduction in maintenance
costs: 25 % to 30 %
Elimination of breakdowns:
70 % to 75 %
Reduction in downtime:
35 % to 45 %
Increase in production:
20 % to 25 %
To calculate the savings at
your facility, start by estimating
the costs of unplanned equipment failures. Factor in human
resources, costs for parts, and
the lost revenue from specific
production lines.
Then, once your thermal
maintenance program is up and
running, start tracking the savings. Keep a record of machine
asset availability, production
output, and the distribution of
maintenance dollars and total
maintenance costs over time.
Those numbers will help you
calculate the return on your thermal imaging and maintenance
investment.

IR Inspection Process
Schedule for
Re-Scan

Investigate
and Repair

Added to
Thermographers
Watch List
(IR parking lot)

PM Planner
Writes
Corrective Work
Order, Attaches
IR Report and
Schedules

Perform Equipment
Scan

Under Adequate
Conditions?
(Load, Weather, etc.)

No

Yes
Abnormality Found?

Yes
No

No
Follow Normal
Scan Schedule

Problem
Identified?

Immediate
Attention
Warranted?

Yes

Yes

Thermographer
Writes IR Report
and Submits to
PM Planner

No

No

Inspect with Other

Technologies?

Yes

Schedule Vibration, Ultrasonic,

Oil Testing, MCE, etc.

This flowchart demonstrates how thermography fits into an overall maintenance program that
includes other PdM technologies. (photo courtesy Greg McIntosh, Snell Infrared Canada)

from other technologies, the

actual operating condition of
all assets can be reported in an
integrated format.

3. Review maintenance and production records. Prioritize key

equipment that is prone to
failure or often causes production bottlenecks.
Applications
4. Use a database or spreadsheet
Monitor and measure bearing
to group the critical equipment
temperatures in large motors
Integrating thermography
together, either by area or
or other rotating equipment.
into PdM
function, into roughly 2-3 hour
Identify hot spots in elecinspection blocks.
Infrared thermography cameras
tronic equipment.
5. Use your thermal imager to
are the first line of defense in a
Identify leaks in sealed vessels.
capture baseline images of
predictive maintenance program. Find faulty insulation in pro
each piece of critical equipTechnicians can quickly measure
cess pipes or other insulated
ment. Note: on some pieces
and compare heat signatures for
processes.
of equipment, you may want
each piece of equipment on the
Find faulty terminations in
to regularly capture multiple
inspection route, without dishigh power electrical circuits.
thermal images of key comporupting operations.
Locate overloaded circuit
nents or subsystems.
If the temperature is markedly breakers in a power panel.
6. Download the baseline images
different from previous read Identify fuses at or near their
into software and document
ings, facilities can then use other current rated capacity.
your route with location
maintenance technologies
Identify problems in electrical
descriptions, inspection notes,
vibration, motor circuit analysis,
switch gear.
emissivity and RTC levels and
airborne ultrasound, and lube
Capture process temperature
alarm levels if appropriate.
analysisto investigate the
readings.
7. When the next inspection is
source of the problem and deterdue, if your imager supports
Inspection process
mine the next course of action.
uploading, simply load the
1. Begin by using existing lists
For best results, integrate all
previous inspection images
of equipment from a computer
of your maintenance technoloonto the camera and follow
managed maintenance system
gies into the same computer systhe onscreen prompts.
(CMMS) or other inventory tool.
tem, so that they share the same
equipment lists, histories, reports 2. Eliminate items that arent
well suited for infrared meaand work orders. Once the infrasurement
red data is correlated with data

2 Fluke Corporation

Applying infrared thermography to predictive maintenance

Measurement Guidelines
To capture the best thermal
images, follow these best
practices:
Verify that the target system
is operating at a minimum 40
% of load (lighter loads dont
produce much heat, making it
hard to detect problems).
Get close to your target and
dont shoot through doors,
especially not through glass.
When safety procedures allow,
electrical enclosures must be
opened or infrared windows
or viewports utilized.
Account for wind and air currents. These powerful convective forces cool the abnormal
hot spots, often below the
threshold of detection.
Account for ambient air temperatures, especially outdoors.
In hot weather the sun can
heat up equipment while cold
weather can mask the effects
of overheating components.
Not all problems are hot!
Blown fuses and restricted
flow in cooling systems are
just two examples of situations
where a problem is indicated
by a cooler than normal signature. In other cases a cold
component is abnormal due
to the current being shunted
away from the high-resistance
connection. Thermographers
must understand how a
machine works and what its
heat-related failure signatures
are.
Consider sources for reflective
infrared radiation. Items that
have shiny reflective surfaces
and are emissive will reflect
infrared energy from other
nearby objects, including the
sun. This can interfere with
target temperature measurement and image capture.
Unpainted metals are difficult to measure. To improve
measurement accuracy and
repeatability, consider affixing
targets, typically paper stickers, electrical tape or painted
spots, to such components.

3 Fluke Corporation

Accumulate both numeric temperatures and thermal images,

to facilitate long-term data
analysis. Temperature trends
will show you where to investigate more and where inspections can be less frequent.
Once you have a database of
baseline images, associate an
alarm temperature with each
one. Upload the most recent
version onto your camera
before each inspection. If the
alarm goes off when you take
the new measurement, that
indicates a significant change
in temperature that needs to
be investigated.

Example 1: Motor bearings

Start with a newly commissioned

and freshly lubricated motor and
take a snap shot of the motor
bearing housing while the motor
is running. Use this image as a
baseline.
As the motor and its lubrication ages, the bearings become
worn and heat-producing friction
develops in the motor bearing,
causing the outside of the bearing housing to heat up. Take

With proper conditions, including direct access and normal loads,

problems like this high resistance connector are often easy to locate.

additional thermal images at

regular intervals, comparing
them to the baseline to analyze
the motors condition.
When the thermal images
indicate an overheating bearing,
generate a maintenance order
to replace or lubricate the bearing housing and reduce or
eliminate the possibility of
costly engine failure.

The upper bearing on the far motor is failing, causing the entire motor to overheat.
(Photo courtesy Greg McIntosh, Snell Infrared Canada)

Applying infrared thermography to predictive maintenance

Example 2: Spotting leaky

gaskets and seals

Finding leaks in sealed vessels

is a snap when using thermal
imagers. Most leaks develop in
or around a gasket or seal. Less
often, corrosion will cause a
weakness to develop and rupture
the vessel.
Either way, an infrared imager
can diagnose the problem. To
find a leaky gasket or seal, scan
the imager along the seal looking
for thermal eccentricities. A large
change in temperature along the
seal or gasket indicates a loss of
either heat or cold the signature of a failure.

Thermal measurement safety

To keep your thermography inspections accurate, effective and safe,
establish written inspection procedures for measurement collection
and interpretation. Following the same steps each time assures you
have consistent thermal images in your database for comparison.
When creating inspection procedures, refer to the following standards.
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E requires that all
personnel be educated about the risks they face when working near
electrical equipment. Personal protective equipment (PPE) must also
be made available to minimize the risk if an accident should occur.
For thermographers, PPE generally includes flash-resistant clothing
and a face shield.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA 29
CFR, 1910 Subpart S Electrical and Subpart I Personal Protective
Equipment Safety standards cover electrical systems, safe work
practices, maintenance requirements.
ISO 6781 International Standards Organization (ISO) (American
National Standards Institute) discusses thermal insulation, qualitative
detection of thermal irregularities in building envelopes, and infrared
methodology.
ASTM International http://www.astm.org ASTM E 1934, 1213,
1311, 1316, and 1256 Standard guide for examining electrical and
mechanical equipment with infrared thermography, lists thermography practices and certifications standards. Also reference ASTM
1060 and 1153.

Fluke. Keeping your world

up and running.
Fluke Corporation
PO Box 9090, Everett, WA 98206 U.S.A.
Fluke Europe B.V.
PO Box 1186, 5602 BD
Eindhoven, The Netherlands
For more information call:
In the U.S.A. (800) 443-5853 or
Fax (425) 446-5116
In Europe/M-East/Africa +31 (0) 40 2675 200 or
Fax +31 (0) 40 2675 222
In Canada (800)-36-FLUKE or
Fax (905) 890-6866
From other countries +1 (425) 446-5500 or
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Web access: http://www.fluke.com
2005, 2007 Fluke Corporation.
Specifications subject to change without notice.
Printed in U.S.A. 1/2008 2435559 A-US-N Rev B

4 Fluke Corporation

Applying infrared thermography to predictive maintenance