By detecting infrared radiation and converting it into a visible image, thermal imaging cameras facilitate the non-invasive inspection of industrial equipment and machinery. This helps identify temperature anomalies that often indicate underlying issues caused by overheating, poor insulation, friction or electrical faults.
Due to its advanced capabilities, thermal imaging camera technology is rapidly becoming an indispensable tool. Highly versatile and applicable across a wide range of industries, it is particularly useful in predictive maintenance programs, where regular thermal scans are conducted to monitor the condition of critical assets over time.
One of the primary advantages of thermal imaging is its ability to detect problems before they lead to equipment failure. For instance, overheating in bearings, motors or electrical circuits and connections can be spotted early, allowing for preventive maintenance rather than costly, unplanned shutdowns. Early detection allows for prompt, targeted, maintenance, ensuring continuous operation that extends equipment lifespan, while providing a safer working environment.
Companies are under increasing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint and thermal imaging can help reduce energy consumption. Equipment operating outside its optimal temperature range often consumes more energy, so by pinpointing these inefficiencies thermal imaging encourages prompt corrective action. Not only does this optimise energy usage, but it also contributes to overall cost savings, while its non-invasive nature allows for quick inspections without halting operations, thereby saving valuable time.
Several UK industry associations focus on industrial equipment maintenance. These bodies play a crucial role in advancing best practices, providing training and ensuring high standards in the maintenance of industrial equipment and include:
- Engineering Employers' Federation (EEF)
EEF is an industry group that works on behalf of the manufacturing and engineering sector.
- Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA)
ECA advocates for electrical contractors involved in the design, installation, inspection, testing and maintenance of electrical and electronic equipment and services.
NICEIC is a certification body serving the electrical contracting industry and the broader building services sector.
- Association of Electrical & Mechanical Trades (AEMT)
AEMT is an international industry group representing companies in the service and repair sector.
- The Engineering Industries Association (EIA)
The EIA assists manufacturing and engineering companies in the effective running of their businesses.
BEAMA represents a diverse range of stakeholders within the electrotechnical supply chain.
- Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA)
MTA is an industry group representing companies in the engineering-based manufacturing sector.
- Engineering Industries Association (EIA)
The EIA represents the interests of the UK's engineering manufacturing sector.
Regulations, guidelines and standards
Within the UK the use of thermal imaging equipment for industrial equipment maintenance is governed by several guidelines, regulations and standards to ensure safety and effectiveness. They include:
This provides guidelines on the use of thermography for condition-based monitoring of machines. It details how to apply thermal imaging for maintenance, ensuring that equipment is effectively and safely used.
- BS EN 60529:1992/IEC 60529:1989
These standards define the ingress protection (IP) ratings for equipment. For thermal imaging equipment, common IP ratings are IP54 or IP65, indicating protection against dust and water.
This specifies the requirements for drop testing, ensuring that thermal imaging devices can withstand specific drops and shocks. This is critical for maintaining accuracy and longevity.
- The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008
This aligns with the EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, ensuring that thermal imaging equipment used in machinery maintenance meets essential health and safety requirements.
- The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992
This mandates the provision and use of PPE, ensuring that workers using thermal imaging equipment are adequately protected. Thermal cameras often require the operator to wear PPE such as gloves, safety goggles and even flame-resistant clothing, depending on the environment.
- Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
PUWER mandates that equipment provided for use at work, including thermal imaging devices, is suitable, maintained in a safe condition and inspected regularly. It ensures that thermal imaging equipment used for maintenance is reliable and safe.
- The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
This requires employers to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees, which includes the proper maintenance and safe use of thermal imaging equipment.
HIKMICRO is an expert in temperature measurement and detection. It is committed to introducing thermal imaging technology into all walks of life so that more people can use it and benefit from it.
With unrivalled thermal sensitivity, HIKMICRO’s imaging cameras provide ultra-clear images and superior detail recognition – bringing hidden details to the forefront. HIKMICRO’s pioneering Super IR image enhancement technology takes thermal imaging camera technology to the next level, achieving up to four times more pixels through the company’s proprietary neural network technology.
HIKMICRO has thermal imaging cameras that are designed to suit as many applications and use requirements as possible. It also provides a range of FREE software for recording, documentation and image manipulation including:
A powerful and intuitive mobile app designed for industrial thermal imaging cameras. It is designed to help users wirelessly stream video, analyse thermal images and video, and quickly create reports to share with customers and co-workers.
A professional grade tool that allows users to view, edit and analyse images, and quickly create professional reports. It provides features to simplify workflows and increase productivity.
Just as importantly, HIKMICRO offers an industry leading FREE warranty, with three years of components and labour coverage for the full product and 10 years of coverage for the detector. This maximises return on investment and offers valuable peace of mind.
Saving time, maximising productivity and reducing liability
HIKMICRO’s thermal imaging cameras can be used for predictive maintenance, even in hazardous areas. This proactive approach facilitates rapid diagnosis, allows repairs to be made before complete failure occurs, reducing downtime and maintenance costs. This enhances customer confidence and satisfaction by demonstrating a commitment to high standards.
Including visual evidence such as images, video footage and measurements in reports proves a problem has been resolved. After completing an equipment installation or repair, a contractor can conduct a thorough walkthrough, capturing thermal images that showcase the system in a fully operational state.
This process can significantly reduce liabilities for electrical contractors by providing verifiable evidence of the quality and safety of an installation. In the event of a dispute or claim, these images provide indisputable proof of the installation's condition when work was completed. This type of documentation can be crucial when dealing with insurance companies or legal inquiries, as it substantiates the contractor's workmanship. By minimising the risk of future liability claims, thermal imaging cameras can help contractors maintain a strong reputation and secure favourable insurance terms.
Put into practice: applications
HIKMICRO's thermal imaging cameras are indispensable for ensuring optimal equipment performance and safety across all kinds of industrial environments. Let’s look at some specific applications in more detail:
- Machinery and motor overheating detection
An overheating motor in machinery can cause unplanned downtime, disrupt production and damage other connected components. Frequent overheating incidents can also shorten a motor’s lifespan, as well as posing a fire hazard that can endanger worker safety and potentially lead to extensive property damage.
By monitoring the thermal patterns of motors, thermal imaging cameras can detect early signs of overheating. This enables electrical contractors to identify potential issues such as inadequate ventilation, overloading or failing components such as bearings before they lead to more serious problems.
Pharmaceutical, food and beverage, textiles, pulp and paper, and oil and petrochemicals are just a few of the industries that use steam in their manufacturing processes. Specific issues include premature equipment failures and poor steam system efficiency, as well as boiler shutdowns due to low water levels, damaged steam pipes and valves.
Using a thermal imaging camera enhances steam system efficiency by identifying issues like leaks, blockages and insulation failures. It detects hotspots and irregular temperature distributions, indicating problems such as water hammer, corrosion and steam trap malfunctions.
- Conveyor system monitoring
Conveyor systems transport materials swiftly and efficiently and can be found in most assembly lines. They enhance safety by reducing the need for workers to lift and carry heavy items, thereby minimising the risk of injuries, as well as improving overall productivity and operational efficiency.
A thermal imaging camera can identify issues with conveyor systems by detecting overheating in motor bearings, rollers and drive belts, indicating potential mechanical failures or lubrication problems. They can also identify electrical issues in control panels and circuitry. Additionally, thermal imaging can detect misalignment or friction in conveyor components, which may cause excessive wear and energy loss.
- Electrical control panel inspections
An electrical control panel houses the critical electrical components responsible for controlling and monitoring various mechanical processes. These systems require regular maintenance to ensure optimal performance. This not only enhances the reliability and efficiency of control panels but also ensures the safety and longevity of the equipment.
A thermal imaging camera can identify issues with suitably modified electrical control panels by detecting abnormal temperature patterns. Hotspots on components such as circuit breakers, fuses, terminals and connections indicate potential problems such as loose connections, overloading or faulty components.
Shuttle, continuous, top hat, up draught, down draught, rotary and fixed hearth furnaces are just some of the types of kilns used in the ceramic, brick, tile, glass, metal, cement, wood and timber industries. They serve the critical function of heating materials to high temperatures, often for processes such as drying, firing or heat treatment.
A thermal imaging camera can detect hotspots on kiln walls, heating elements and refractory linings. It can also detect blockages in burner assemblies or malfunctioning heating zones, which can affect temperature uniformity and product quality.
- Electrical installations and equipment connections
Poorly maintained electrical equipment can lead to costly downtime and pose serious safety hazards, especially with larger and more powerful machinery. Workplace safety regulations mandate regular, comprehensive inspections of all circuits and wiring. By doing this, manufacturers not only comply with safety standards but also mitigate risks associated with equipment malfunction or electrical failures.
A thermal imaging camera can identify issues with electrical installations and equipment connections in manufacturing environments by detecting abnormal temperature patterns. Hotspots on electrical components such as circuit breakers, switches, terminals and connections indicate potential problems such as loose connections, overloaded circuits or faulty components.
If you need to detect compressed air leaks, then consider an acoustic imaging camera. Perfect for detailed auditing or “find it and fix it” applications, the AI56 quickly identifies gas leaks as small as .0003cfm and displays the leak rate, estimated cost, and graphical leak severity even in noisy industrial environments.
Transforming the inspection process
Within manufacturing and other process-based environments, minimising downtime is as important as achieving high quality and maximising output. However, equipment failure is the single largest source of lost production time and, in an environment of ever tighter margins, any downtime can have serious consequences on the bottom line.
Thermal imaging cameras play a vital role in the inspection process by identifying issues before they become real problems. They pay for themselves very quickly, as they can detect faults which, left undetected, could lead to catastrophic damage and failures. For those tasked with maintaining equipment and their customers, the main advantage is their ability to identify faults that can be proactively fixed, resulting in reduced downtime and increased customer satisfaction.
Users can measure the temperature of any object in a non-contact mode, without any health and safety risk. Heat can be a symptom of a problem such as a loose connection, an overloaded circuit breaker, a corroded connection in a consumer unit, or even a failing transformer. An operator can carry out a walkthrough of a facility and set the camera to issue an alarm if, for example, at any point it identifies a temperature of over 40°C, prompting further investigation.
With an unrivalled ability to detect a heat signature, an electrical contractor essentially has an extra set of eyes for diagnosing problems that might otherwise not be visible. Ultimately, a thermal imaging camera helps a contractor to work safer, faster, smarter and more profitably, while keeping the wheels of industry turning.
Thermal imaging – a new and exciting business opportunity
For contractors who are yet to embrace the use of HIKMICRO’s thermal imaging cameras in their day-to-day activities, there has never been a better time to do so. Thermal imaging not only sets forward thinking contractors apart from their competitors but also allows them to offer more comprehensive maintenance and testing services, leading to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.
HIKMICRO’s thermal imaging camera software enables the creation of detailed reports. These provide clear visual evidence of the issues detected, making it easier for clients to understand the necessary repairs and the costs involved. An investment in thermal imaging technology can lead to increased efficiency, improved service quality and new revenue streams for electrical contractors, while detecting problems early prevents potential failures, reduces downtime and increases safety for clients.
HIKMICRO’s handheld thermal imaging cameras are intuitive and simple to use, with features such as high-resolution displays that are easy to read under any conditions. Facilitating instant familiarity when upgrading is also a major advantage, so HIKMICRO’s devices boast common features, menus and function location across its range make it easy to transition between devices.
Although the internal technology that goes into HIKMICRO’s thermal imaging cameras ensures that results are provided quickly and accurately, productivity is optimised through clearly marked buttons and ergonomic designs. Accidents happen and instruments do get dropped, hit and battered, so HIKMICRO’s products are IP67 rated, have heavy-duty moulded cases, as well as drop protection up to 2m.
HIKMICRO product overview
HIKMICRO offers a range of cost effective handheld thermal imaging solutions for industrial applications at a variety of price points, allowing you to choose the right device for specific applications.
- Mini Series. Durable thermal imaging modules for use with Android smartphones.
- Eco Series. A cost-effective device that is ideal for identifying mechanical and electrical faults, as well as highlighting air infiltration, water leaks and insulation issues.
- B Series. Compact, easy to use thermal imaging cameras for daily operation, the B Series supports capture of full-screen radiometric images and automatically pinpoints temperature anomalies.
- Pocket Series. A range of pocket-sized thermal imaging cameras with intuitive touchscreen interfaces.
- M Series. Designed for temperature measurement, the M Series camera is equipped with a high-resolution thermal detector and an 8MP resolution optical light detector. It is the perfect device for electrical, HVAC and mechanical inspection, as it allows the user to focus on specific components.
- GX1 Series. A high-end thermal imaging camera with a with a measurement range of up to 2000°C.
- SP Series. With ultra-high performance and maximum flexibility, the SP Series delivers highly detailed live and recorded radiometric images for inspection and reporting, allowing more detailed analysis on smaller or distant targets.
- AI56 Acoustic Imaging Camera. Perfect for detailed auditing or “find it and fix it” equipment maintenance applications, the AI56 quickly identifies gas leaks as small as .0003cfm and displays the leak rate, estimated cost, and graphical leak severity even in noisy industrial environments.
About HIKMICRO
HIKMICRO is an expert in temperature measurement and detection. Its products are widely used in the outdoor, industrial, security and safety industries, as well as in consumer electronics. HIKMICRO treats thermal imaging technology as its core focus, with visible light imaging and ultrasonic technology as additional interest areas.
The company has developed ranges of handheld thermal imaging cameras, acoustic imaging cameras and leak detectors, firefighting, thermal cameras and fixed thermography cameras that increase the safety, security and efficiency of infrastructure.
These devices are used in a diverse range of applications including building inspections, electrical, automotive, aerospace, predictive maintenance, utility inspection, water leakage detection, home maintenance and DIY applications, as well as heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC).
