Newsletter Archive – June 2013


Volume 2 Issue 6 June 2013

Director’s Message

Few professions are faced with more numerous and diverse safety challenges as thermographers. Electrical and mechanical hazards, roofs, confined spaces, and areas with extreme hot and cold temperatures are just some of the safety issues that thermographers are faced with on a daily basis. Because of this, safety is an integral part of Infraspection Institute’s Certified Infrared Thermographer® training courses.
June is National Safety Month. Sponsored by the National Safety Council, NSM is intended to educate and influence behaviors around leading causes of preventable injuries and deaths. The success of a safety program is directly related to each employee’s sense of ownership of that program. While leadership from the top is important, this year’s theme, ‘Safety Starts With Me’, underscores the importance of creating a culture where there is a sense of ownership of safety by all, and makes everyone in the organization a safety leader.

We at Infraspection Institute encourage our fellow thermographers to make safety their number one priority on every job and to be safety leaders throughout the year.

Using Tmax Corrected to Prioritize Electrical Exceptions

Thermographers have long used temperature differentials or Delta T measurements as a means of prioritizing electrical and mechanical exceptions. Typically Delta T values are calculated by comparing the temperature of an exception to similar components under similar load or to ambient air temperature. Although they work well in many circumstances, Delta T readings are not applicable for components that do not qualitatively manifest themselves as an exception.

An alternative to Delta T calculations is a formula known as Tmax Corrected. This formula is based upon an IEEE formula and calculates pass/fail criteria based upon several factors including equipment type, ambient air temperature, and circuit load.

Despite taking a little more time to apply than Delta T calculations, Tmax Corrected allows one to determine if a component of interest is running within specification for any load or ambient temperature. Tmax Corrected is especially useful for equipment that is not manifesting itself as an exception. Tmax Corrected can be an invaluable tool for those who perform infrared inspections as part of commissioning studies or use thermography for acceptance testing of new installations, repairs, or retrofits.
Proper use of the Tmax Corrected formula is just one of the many topics covered in Infraspection Institute’s Level II training courses. The proper application of Tmax Corrected may also be found in the Standard for Infrared Inspection of Electrical Systems and Rotating Equipment.

On Site Training Classes

If you have four or more employees that need infrared training and certification, an on-site training class might be right for you. On-site training classes eliminate employee travel expenses and can be scheduled at your convenience. Best of all, on-site training can be customized to meet your company’s specific needs!

Since we do not manufacture or sell infrared equipment, our courses are presented without marketing hype and are relevant to all brands of thermal imagers. Our training courses are taught using a combination of dynamic multi-media presentations, hands-on demonstrations, and one-on-one interaction with students, all of which are designed to maximize each student’s learning experience.
Call us today for a free quotation and let us show you how affordable on-site training can be.

Call for Papers

Infraspection Institute is pleased to announce that its annual Advanced Training Conference, Technical Symposium and Technology Expo, IR/INFO 2014, will be held January 19 – 22, 2014 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Now in its 25th year, IR/INFO features four days of networking, learning, and fun in a relaxed, yet professional, family atmosphere.
Infraspection Institute is presently seeking papers and presenters for IR/INFO 2014. Invited topics include, but are not limited to: safety, emerging applications, building sciences, related NDT, case histories, as well as tips and tricks. Presentations are typically 25 minutes with 5 minutes for Q & A time with the audience. All papers and presentations will be published in the IR/INFO Proceedings. The deadline for abstract submissions is July 31.