Some of the risk engineers are trained to carry out the thermographic inspection in client's premises. This inspection is part of the non-destructive test (NDT) to inspect the "hotspot" occured at the electrical connections.
From the photo, we can see the middle cable and its connection emit extensive heat (the white region is the hottest) that eventually will fail the whole equipment. This may be due to loose connections and with preemptive actions such an infrared inspection, the condition can be repaired immediately and the equipment is spered from future damage.
For Insurers who do not have a trained risk engineer in their disposal, they will appoint a third party contractor to do the job for them. In most of the time, the cost for such inspection is borned by the Insurers as part of their value added services.
Sometimes, by agreeing to conduct such exercise will win them some busines over their competitors!
What is thermography?
Thermography is the use of an infrared imaging and measurement camera to "see" and "measure" thermal energy emitted from an object. Thermal, or infrared energy, is light that is not visible or detected by the human eye; it's the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that we perceive as heat. Unlike visible light, in the infrared world, everything with a temperature above absolute zero emits heat. The higher the object's temperature, the greater the IR radiation emitted. Infrared allows us to see what our eyes cannot. Infrared thermography cameras produce images of invisible infrared or "heat" radiation and provide precise non-contact temperature measurement capabilities. Nearly everything gets hot before it fails, making infrared cameras extremely cost-effective, valuable diagnostic tools in many diverse applications. And as industry strives to improve manufacturing efficiencies, manage energy, improve product quality, and enhance worker safety, new applications for infrared cameras continually emerge.
How the infrared camera works
An infrared camera is a non-contact device that detects infrared energy (heat) and converts it into an electronic signal, which is then processed to produce a thermal image on a video monitor and perform temperature calculations. Heat sensed by an infrared camera can be very precisely quantified, or measured, allowing you to not only monitor thermal performance, but also identify and evaluate the relative severity of heat-related problems. Recent innovations, particularly detector technology, the incorporation of built-in visual imaging, automatic functionality, and infrared software development, deliver more cost-effective thermal analysis solutions than ever before.
Previously, the infrared camera will cost you a fortune. Even a second hand camera will cost to about RM100K. This camera usually a bulky type. However, with the technology evolves as we speak, some manufacturers have produce a smaller version cameras just like a handphone.
