Infrared Thermography: What is Your Tipping Point?

For the last several years, I have blogged about the benefits of using thermal infrared scans to ensure the safety and integrity of commercial buildings. We've talked about creating and implementing predictive maintenance programs, using thermography to make sure your assembly lines and mechanical equipment are functioning with adequate parameters. I've explained how what you can't see CAN hurt you, your business, and your employees. We've discussed various applications for thermal camera surveys - from colleges to homes to large corporate buildings. I've showed you how commercial insurarance companies think infrared scans are so important that they actually lower the premiums for companies that schedule annual scans of their buildings and electrical equipment.

As building maintenance personnel and supervisors become more knowledgeable about the benefits of commercial thermography, business has continued to grow. I'm thankful for that. My question to you today is - what is the tipping point? At what point does knowledge about prevention and detection using infrared thermography become the decision to pick up the phone to schedule an appointment? I know that I have alot of (mostly quiet!) readers out there - I invite you to comment. I'm curious to know what motivated you to add infrared thermography to your maintenance programs!

Interested in learning more? Call me at 803-328-2889 and let’s talk!

IR Infrared Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial users in North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit http://www.irinfraredservices.com/ or follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/infraredscans. We are proud to offer the very best thermography services in North Carolina and South Carolina!

Outright Failures Identified by Thermal Scans

This month we are talking about maintenance and how thermal imaging should be an integral part of your building maintenance program. It's easy to tie in how catastrophic equipment failure can hurt your business. It's also easy how to see if your equipment is running at peak, it can save you money.

However, infrared inspections can save you money in other ways. And in today's economy, who doesn't want to cut costs?

* Reduced inventory of maintenance parts
* Labor cost savings by avoiding serious equipment failures

(downtime for labor personnel while equipment is non-functional)
* Energy savings by sealing building leaks
* Savings from decreased downtime through increased output
* Reduced waste and scrap parts by improving equipment operation
* Safer working conditions (reduced injuries to maintenance and operating personnel)


IR Infrared Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial and residential end users in North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit www.irinfraredservices.com or follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thermalimageguy

Baseline Infrared Imagery

Although I strongly believe in scheduling semi-annual or annual infrared thermography scans as part of your maintenance plan, it is helpful to create a baseline scan for all new equipment as well.

What is a baseline scan? A baseline scan provides baseline data for comparision for subsequent infrared scans. It makes it easier and quicker to troubleshoot potential issues and helps spot problems before they become catastrophic. With baseline scan records, trend analysis of motors and bearings can provide an early warning of impending problems.

Your company invests a substantial amount of money into equipment. To get the best return on that investment, it makes sense to keep that equipment at its peak efficiency - and to have the peace of mind to know it is operating that way from the point of installation. Doesn't it make sense to have a baseline scan done of any new equipment?

IR Infrared Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial and residential end users in North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit www.irinfraredservices.com or follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thermalimageguy

What is Predictive Maintenance?

I talk alot about thermal imaging being part of a predictive maintenance plan. So what exactly is predictive maintenance? What makes it different from preventative maintenance? And lastly, which is more cost effective - predictive maintenance or preventative maintenance?

What is Predictive Maintenance?

Predictive maintenance is a way to evaluate your current equipment to determine its condition so you can predict the optimimum time to perform maintenance. The goal is to perform maintenance when maintenance activity is most cost-effective and before the equipment loses performance within a threshold. Most Predictive Maintenance inspections are done while your equipment is in service so your normal system operations aren't disrupted. Thermal imaging scans are an ideal way to do predictive maintenance on your equipment.

Predictive Maintenance is different from preventative maintenance which is usually performed on a set schedule based on usage statistics or time. Preventative maintenance is done regularly whether it is needed or not.

Preventative Maintenance is labor intensive, ineffective in identifying problems that develop between scheduled inspections, and therefore is not as cost-effective as Predictive Maintenance. On the other hand, since Predictive Maintenance inspections are performed while your equipment is in service, you minimize the disruption of normal system operations as well as labor costs, result in substantial cost savings and higher system reliability.

Infrared thermography is used for the predictive maintenance of mechanical, electrical, and building diagnostic systems. Some specific examples include:

• motors


• pumps


• bearings


• compressors


• conveyor idlers


• loose connections


• corrosion


• load imbalances

Implementing an infrared thermography program as part of your predictive maintenance is easily justified by its ROI.

IR Infrared Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial and residential end users in North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit www.irinfraredservices.com or follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thermalimageguy

Proactive or Reactive Maintenance?

Let’s talk about two different scenarios:

Your business is humming along, employees are busy and a huge order has just come in from a very important customer. With the economy what it is, you are thankful for this new order and infusion of cash. This order is going to make a huge impact on your business.

And in the middle of it, a vital piece of equipment fails.

Now you are faced with being unable to deliver for your client, a potentially enormous repair bills, employees standing idle, and no idea what is wrong with your equipment. Will it need to be repaired? Replaced?

Scenario two: You have a Process Monitoring Program in place that regularly inspects and monitors the condition of your equipment. A few weeks ago, this regularly scheduled program detected the beginnings of a minor issue with your equipment. A quick visit by a repairperson averts what could have been a major failure. Spending a few dollars on preventative maintenance has saved you many thousands in mechanical equipment failure.

Hmmm…as a business owner or manager, which scenario works better for you?

As part of our Process Monitoring Program, IR Services inspects and monitors the condition of equipment to detect mechanical and electrical problems at the earliest stages, before a failure occurs. Process Monitoring gives you the convenience of scheduling your repairs when the necessary parts and personnel are available. This proactive approach to maintenance allows recalling information on any piece of equipment from the database to evaluate equipment trends and predict possible failures.

Predictive maintenance reflects a sound management philosophy–it means you are managing the maintenance process rather than maintenance emergencies controlling your operation.

A predictive maintenance strategy makes it possible to set your own repair schedules.

• We catalogue the information into a historical database you can use to easily spot anomalies as you monitor equipment deterioration over time.
• Reduces Operational Risk – PdM provides a proactive approach to maintenance control, rather than a reactive response to equipment emergencies that cause unexpected shutdowns.
• Relies on periodic Condition Monitoring (CM)
• Ability to determine the degree of component degradation
• Identifies many problems at the earliest stages, before costly failures occur
• Perform maintenance tasks based on need, rather than an arbitrary schedule
• Increases the efficiency of your maintenance personnel - Eliminates time once wasted on jiggling wires in attempts to diagnose problems
• Pre-identifies problems before they become failures
• Prevent or Reduce Equipment Damage
• Spot small problems before they can become big problems
• Prolong the life of expensive capital equipment
• Prevent or minimize catastrophic failures