Practical Examination for Level 2

Please Note: If you passed the written examinations, you are eligible to receive a Certificate of Completion. If you choose to perform this infrared fieldwork—and submit high-quality work—you are eligible to receive a Certificate of Achievement, which is the highest level of certificate we issue. Therefore, this work is optional.

If you plan on doing the field work, please state that fact in an email to [email protected] and also include the brand and model of your thermal imager.

Approximate Module Length: 2-3 hours

Now that you know how to use your imager better than when a Level 1 and have learned more about radiometric measurements and equipment limitations, it is time to conduct some fieldwork with your thermal imager for the Practical Examination. Your score will be based on 100 points. Here is the general breakdown of what we will grade you on:

Functionality:

• Focus
• Level/Span
• Two palettes
• Emissivity and Background
• Composition

Reflections:

• Samples Selected
• Four images

IFOV_meas:

• Value
• Calculations Explained
• Procedure Explained
• Testing Setup

Emissivity:

• Numbers/Values
• Setup and Procedure Explained

Part 1: Image Capture and Camera Functionality Test

Conduct a Camera Functionality Check

To start off, please do a tear duct/functionality check with your thermal imager and save the two required images. You will need someone to look at for a target. Remember to set-up your camera parameters properly including emissivity and background temperature values. You will be graded on your camera settings, and image quality. If your image does not show the settings that are important to have set correctly for this test, you must state them in the report. Not doing so will result in a loss of points. Need a quick refresher? Click this link to review the functionality check reading assignment from earlier in the course. Lastly, you will save and present TWO images using different color palettes for the functionality test. It can be the exact same image but must be shown in the report with two different palettes or it will result in a loss of points.

Part 2: Reflection

Conduct Inspections on a Thermally Reflective Material

First, find a material that appears visually shiny and is also thermally reflective. Take two images: one showing a major reflection and one showing “no” reflection. State what you had to do differently in the two images.

Second, find a material that appears not to be visually shiny, but has high thermal reflectivity. Again, take two images: one showing a major thermal reflection and one show “no” reflection. State what you had to do differently in the two images.

Part 3:  IFOV_meas Procedure and Reporting Results

Conduct an IFOV_measurement on Your Thermal Camera and Write a Procedure on How You Performed the Test

This section will utilize the two shiny discs we included with your manual. There are two deliverables for this part of the field work. One will be the numeric value for the IFOV_m for your specific infrared camera. The second part will be to write and/or illustrate—in detail—the procedure you used to obtain this information. This was all previously discussed in a previous module titled “IFOV & IFOV_meas” and is also discussed in the manual provided. Please go back and read it again if you need a refresher.

Points for this section will be awarded if you calculate (showing your calculations) an appropriate field value for your imager’s IFOV_m as well as a detailed report on the exact procedure you used. You MUST let us know the exact manufacturer and model of your imager or you will lose points. Also, the procedure must be detailed enough for us to know you followed proper steps in determining the correct IFOV_meas. You will lose points if you do not give us thorough information. Your work can be in metric or imperial units (centimeters/meters or inches/feet), whatever you are most comfortable with.

Part 4: Emissivity Evaluation

This final section of fieldwork will test you on the proper way to measure emissivity on a material.

Select two thermally opaque materials.  One of reasonably high emissivity (>0.75) and of relatively low emissivity (<0.5). Utilizing the procedure found in Section 4 of the manual and techniques demonstrated during class demonstrating ASTM E 1933-xx determine the emissivity of both samples.  Techniques shown during class demonstrating ASTM E 1862-xx may be used instead to determine reflectivity and therefore emissivity, if preferred.

Provide full documentation including:

• Materials used
• Emissivity from a table for both samples
• Background temperature and how it was obtained and controlled
• Heat source used and any transient temperatures
• Visual image of setup used for emissivity or reflectivity measurement
• Infrared images 14-bit
• Measured emissivity for both samples
• Description of procedure used

Due to our high security, we are unable to access linked files or google docs, this report needs to be attached in either Word or Adobe PDF format. This report should have a description of each image, and any explanation that need to be done.

Once complete, please submit it to the following email address [email protected] with a subject line of “Infrared Field Work for Online Training Course—your name”. After we have reviewed and graded the report, we will let you know of the results.