White Papers

The structures we live and work in are susceptible to quality and performance problems during construction and maintenance that can impact performance and may, in some cases, render them dangerous. Infrared thermography can provide remarkable, nondestructive information about construction details and building performance. This paper discusses the numerous applications for the technology currently being used to inspect building envelopes. These include validation of structural details, verification of energy performance (conduction and air leakage), location of moisture intrusion, and the identification of structural and system degradation of roofs and facades.

You Have a Motor Tester...Now What?

Assume your company has seen the value and decided to invest in electric motor testing (EMT) as part of their predictive maintenance program. They have selected you to introduce this new technology into its process. This paper will address how one can effectively establish EMT as an integral part of their reliability maintenance program.

A Unique Thermal Problem Found in Certain Double-Glazed Windows

In this paper learn the findings of an investigation about a very different—and unusual—thermal pattern discovered on windows in the home of one of the authors. The cause is related to the loss of some of the insulating argon gas installed in the window during manufacturing. The authors also discovered the problem was not uncommon for certain types of windows and as they age the issues usually become more pronounced and, in some cases, result in a total failure (implosion) of the window.

Buying a Thermal Imager for Condition Monitoring

This white paper features an overview of thermal imaging equipment for condition monitoring applications including electrical systems and mechanical equipment. Learn which features and specifications are important to consider when purchasing a camera. Readers will also find information and tips on how to buy a system including performing a needs analysis, handling the sales process and budgeting for the appropriate equipment and accessories. As you read this, know that The Snell Group is vendor-neutral and we do not sell equipment nor are we a subsidiary of any infrared camera manufacturer. As such, this paper is not going to recommend a specific brand or model of thermal imager. It will instead summarize which equipment specifications are important for you to consider and which ones maybe are not.

Electric Motor Testing – The New Kid on the PdM Block

While vibration analysis and infrared thermography have been widely used for years as part of predictive maintenance programs, Electric Motor Testing(EMT) is a relative new-comer to condition monitoring. In reality though, the tests utilized by modern EMT systems have been around for years. Learn more about this technology in this white paper.

Thermography in the Coal Industry

In the past, maintenance in the coal industry was using the “run-to-failure” philosophy. This mindset is not only costly; it can also be dangerous. Today, some of the more progressive coal companies are trying to find ways to be more cost effective in their maintenance practices including adding infrared thermography for to their maintenance process.

Understanding Motor Starter Circuits

Whether it’s your first infrared inspection or you’re a veteran with hundreds of surveys under your belt, understanding the equipment under inspection is crucial to the successful identification and analysis of thermal anomalies. This paper will identify and discuss the components and potential problem areas involved with motor starter circuits. It will also look at methods of infrared inspection and illustrate some common and some not-so-common thermal anomalies.

Hágase una “Lobotomía Térmica”

Cuando se inspeccionan superficies con baja emisividad térmica es difícil tratar de “eliminar las reflexiones”. Aunque remover la fuente obvia de reflejo es el apropiado primer paso, muchos termógrafos creen que esto resolvió el problema de emisividad. Este artículo discute él porque necesitamos considerar la reflectancia y emitancia como dos cosas diferentes para trabajar con ellas según sea necesario.

Inspección Termográfica de Acoplamientos Mecánicos

Lea un resumen acerca del uso del infrarrojo para inspeccionar acoplamientos mecánicos. Además se enumeran los tipos más comunes de acoples, razones por las que fallan, patrones térmicos detectados y dificultades encontradas al realizar las inspecciones

Locating Levels in Tanks, Vessels and Silos

This white paper discusses the parameters and limitations that must be addressed when inspecting tanks, shows techniques that can be employed to help locate levels, and provides a number of example images from IR tank inspections.

Poniendo atención a las cosas pequeñas

Los beneficios de utilizar Termografía infrarroja como una herramienta de “Mantenimiento Predictivo” (MPd) para aplicaciones eléctricas ya son muy conocidos. Equipo en subestaciones, switchgear principales y centro de control de motores (MCCs) son inspeccionados con frecuencia, tanto como una vez al mes en algunas plantas. Aunque se inspeccionan equipos grandes de distribución con regularidad, existe un buen número de paneles de 208Y/120, paneles de control y otros dispositivos “pequeños” que se pasan por alto. Este artículo explora el beneficio de añadir en las rutas de inspección los componentes de sistemas eléctricos “pequeños”, que antes eran ocupados únicamente por las subestaciones, los switchgear y los centros de control de motores. Mostrándonos que no siempre es correcto el clasificar el grado crítico de un equipo o gabinete eléctrico únicamente por su amperaje.

RESNET & Infrared Thermography - The New IR Standard

Several existing standards for inspecting buildings with thermography have never been widely used in the home inspection market. In the past several years, as literally thousands of people took up IR building inspections, it quickly became apparent that an updated standard was in order for this growing industry. The task that RESNET took on to establish this new IR building standard was a tall order. The document—still in the final stages of reviewing by the technical and administrative committees of RESNET— may not fit all the needs of the entire building industry, but will prove useful, especially in the residential market.

Thermal Inspections of Mobile Equipment

There are thousands of machines that move around in different manners that could be considered “mobile.” A few examples are trucks (both light and heavy), dozers, front-end loaders, forklifts, cranes, excavators, locomotives, boats, ships, mobile welders, pumps, generators and even cars. This paper covers a brief overview of how infrared can be applied to inspecting heavy/mobile equipment along with safety considerations and the conditions needed.

Thermal Profiles of Electric Motors and Their Relationship to Electric Motor Testing

Read about a study that was performed on twenty-one motors. Eighteen of them were identical motors in identical service with the same model number and sequential serial numbers. This created a unique situation where motor data could be compared and analyzed.

Use of Infrared Thermal Imaging for Home Weatherization

Thermal imaging is an essential tool for anyone involved with home weatherization. This paper covers how infrared is utilized to inspect residential homes for heat loss and gain, outlining how crews can use it during the audit, while at the job site and for quality assurance. Also covered is how infrared, when used with a blower door, can provide home performance professionals with a comprehensive assessment of a building’s thermal performance, allowing them to work more efficiently and effectively. Featured too is information on what type of thermal imager one should consider for this field and the specifications to consider when purchasing a system.

Buying a Thermal Imager for Building Applications

Over the past few years there have been considerable breakthroughs in the market for thermal imagers including the fact that prices have dropped considerably. Even better, the ideal thermal imager for today’s building thermographer does not necessarily need to be “top-of-the-line” or “most expensive”. Whether you are a home performance contractor, weatherization crew member or energy auditor there are many fine choices that will certainly meet your needs. This paper will provide an overview of thermal imaging equipment for building applications. As you read this, know that The Snell Group is vendor-neutral and we do not sell equipment nor are we a subsidiary of any infrared camera manufacturer. As such, this paper is not going to recommend a specific brand or model of thermal imager. It will instead summarize which equipment specifications are important for you to consider and which ones maybe are not.

Do Sweat the Small Stuff

The benefits of utilizing Infrared Thermography as a predictive maintenance (PdM) tool for electrical applications are well known. Substation equipment, service main switchgear and MCC’s are commonly inspected with frequencies as high as monthly in some instances. Yet for every large distribution apparatus scanned with regularity, any number of 208Y/120 panels, control panels and other “small” devices are overlooked. This paper will explore the benefit of adding previously uninspected “small” electrical system components to routes that have previously been occupied by switchgear and MCC’s and puts forth the position that the amperage rating of a device or enclosure no longer correlates to criticality.

Infrared Thermography: A Versatile Nondestructive Testing Technique

Thermal imaging has long been used for discovering, understanding, and interpreting the temperature of objects within our environment. From the advent of thermal imagers in the 1950s to present day – we’ve continued to evolve and discover new applications. Infrared thermography provides a variety of different testing techniques for a wide range of components, machines, and structural materials, allowing trained thermographers to find subsurface anomalies. In this white paper from The Snell Group, learn about the use of thermal imaging for nondesctructive testing (NDT) technologies. This white paper includes an overview, basic theory, and methodologies of thermal nondescructive testing.

Managing Motors and Reliability

Read about the basic key elements for a motor management system and discover an understanding of why a motor management system is much more than just a reliability and testing program. In fact, motor reliability and testing are two key components that make a significant contribution to a motor management system.

Myths and Truths About Wind and Load Correction Factors

There are a number of formulas and computer programs for’ correcting’ or predicting what will happen to the temperature (or temperature rise) of an electrical fault when the load or wind changes. While these formulas are somewhat useful to indicate that significant changes in temperature may take place when the load or wind changes, they are subject to much abuse and misuse and may be downright misleading when it comes to prioritizing repairs.

New Equipment Commissioning Using EMT Equipment

Since the development of electric motor testing equipment back in the 1980’s, the technology has evolved to encompass multiple uses beyond the original intended purpose. This paper address how EMT is successfully used in the commissioning of new equipment.

A Convincing Lesson on the Power of Convective Cooling

Many factors influence the temperatures of surfaces we are inspecting with infrared thermography. One of the most significant is convective cooling by wind or air currents. A simple, but convincing, example is offered here provide a valuable learning opportunity for all thermographers.

Give Yourself a Thermal Lobotomy

When inspecting low emissivity surfaces thermographers are taught to try to ‘eliminate the reflections’. While removing the obvious source of reflection is the proper first step, many thermographers then believe that this solves the emissivity problem. This paper will discuss why we need to consider reflectance and emittance as separate issues and deal with them accordingly.

Mitos y Verdades acerca de factores de corrección del Viento y Carga

• Existe un buen número de fórmulas y programas de computadora para “corregir” o “predecir” que sucederá a la temperatura o al aumento de la temperatura de una falla eléctrica, cuando la carga o las condiciones del viento cambien. Aunque las fórmulas pueden indicarnos de cierta manera que los cambios significativos en la temperatura pueden suceder cuando la carga o el viento cambian, estas fórmulas están sujetas a mucho abuso y mal uso por lo que pueden resultar engañosas cuando prioricemos reparaciones.

Thermographic Inspection of Mechanical Couplings

An overview of using infrared to inspect mechanical couplings including the types of couplings encountered, methods of failure, thermal signatures detected and the difficulties encountered

10 Reasons Why a Temperature Rise Should Be Reported As "At Least"

Diez Razones de porque la temperatura o el aumento de temperatura de un componente eléctrico anormalmente caliente, debe ser reportado como “por lo menos a la temperatura medida.”

Aprenda porque la temperatura o el aumento de temperatura de una conexión eléctricaanormalmente caliente se debe reportar “por lo menos…”. Entre las razones mencionadas: la emisividad puede ser menor a la considerada, la temperatura en el lugar de la falla será más caliente que la presente en su superficie, pues puede existir viento, convección forzada o la carga puede aumentar. Este artículo es una lectura obligada para los termógrafos a quienes se les pide informar las mediciones de temperatura en reportes infrarrojos y además explica que los valores que se reportan pueden ser inexactos aún cuando se corrija la emisividad y la temperatura reflejada.

Successful Warm-Weather Infrared Inspections

Thermal imaging is not just a cold-weather tool that is only used during the winter. Great images and valuable data can be captured year-round, especially during the summer months, and in warm-weather climates, where energy efficiency concerns are also just as prevalent. Thanks to a continuous improvement in the quality and sensitivity of infrared cameras on the market, inspections are also possible during the “off season” of spring and fall when weather conditions are less than ideal or when the recommended temperature parameters of accepted industry standards are not being met. This paper will address how to approach using IR during warm weather conditions or when temperature differences were seemingly less than adequate.

Inspecciones de Equipos Moviles

Existen miles de maquinas que se mueven en diferentes maneras y que pueden ser consideradas “móviles”. Algunos ejemplos son camiones, cargadores frontales, montacargas, grúas, tractores, excavadoras, locomotoras, botes, barcos, bombas, generadores y hasta automóviles. Este artículo cubre brevemente, como el infrarrojo puede ser aplicado a la inspección de equipo móvil pesado, así como también se indican las consideraciones de seguridad al realizar las inspecciones.

Free White Papers Available for Download

Testing Building Envelope Systems Using Infrared Thermography