Quebec City, Quebec, CANADA — The Quantitative Infrared Thermography (QIRT) conference is an international forum which brings together specialists from industry and academia, who share an active interest in the latest developments of science, experimental practices and instrumentation, related to infrared thermography.

The conference will take place in Quebec City from Tuesday to Friday, July 27-30, 2010 with a one day course offered on Monday July 26, 2010. The deadline for sending a 2-page abstract is December 15, 2009.

The conference will include technical sessions with oral and poster presentations concurrent with an exhibit. You are invited to present your latest research, development or application at this meeting. The subject matter may cover any aspects of Quantitative Infrared Thermography.

The full registration fee includes the proceedings as well as lunches, coffee breaks, the reception and the dinner.

The venue is the Université Laval’s campus, in Pavillon Desjardins.

Université Laval is located in Quebec City, Quebec, CANADA. The town is an important tourist destination since it is the oldest city in North America (it celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2008). The Old Town known as Vieux Québec is part of UNESCO World Heritage and is particularly famous with the “Château Frontenac” (Frontenac Castle) and the Saint Lawrence River.

The city is easily reached from the major North American hubs and daily direct flights to Europe are offered. Daily trains and buses connect also the city.

A minimum of one full registration per paper is required. A reduced student registration fee has been set in order to allow as many students as possible to attend this meeting.

An exhibition will take place during the workshop. Booth space is available for companies and institutions wishing to display their products and services and to develop new contacts and partnerships.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available.

The web site qirt2010.gel.ulaval.ca provide all the details.

Mark the above dates on your calendar and pass this information to colleagues who might be interested, please.

About QIRT

Following conferences in Paris (1992), Sorrento (1994), Stuttgart (1996), Lodz (1998), Reims (2000), Dubrovnik (2002), Brussels (2004), Padova (2006) and Krakow (2008), the 10th Quantitative Infrared Thermography Conference, QIRT 2010, will take place on July 27-30th, 2010 at Université Laval, Québec City, Canada.

QIRT Steering Committee

* D. Balageas, ONERA, France (Chairman)
* J.-C. Batsale, ENSAM, Bordeaux, France
* J.-M. Buchlin, Von Karman Institute, Belgium
* G. Busse, University of Stuttgart, Germany
* G. Carlomagno, University of Napoli, Italy
* E. Grinzato, CNR-ITC, Padova, Italy
* X. Maldague, Université Laval, Canada
* A. Nowakowski, Gdansk Univ. Technology, Poland
* S. Svaic, University of Zagreb, Croatia
* V. Vavilov, Tomsk Polytechnic, Russia
* B. Wiecek, Technical University of Lodz, Poland
* Th. Zweschper, Edevis GmbH, Stuttgart, Germany

QIRT 10 Contact:

Xavier Maldague
Email: quebec [at] gel.ulaval.ca
Web: qirt2010.gel.ulaval.ca

Join Infrared Window expert Martin Robinson for a 60 minute Reliability Roadmap Web Workshop – Space is limited register now*

Online — The use of Infrared windows to facilitate safer, more efficient infrared inspections of energized electrical equipment has actually outpaced the infrared industry in general. Today, switchgear manufacturers are installing infrared windows at point of manufacture on a regular basis.

This has generated further inquiries into – and installation of – infrared windows for retrofit into existing plant equipment.

As the use and application of infrared windows continues to gain acceptance as an industry standard method of performing infrared electrical inspections, the diversity of applications will continue to prompt an even wider range of questions with regard to the suitability and use of IR windows in a wide range of environments and applications. However, most of these questions come back to just a few core concepts.

There is NO FEE for participating in the Reliability Roadmap Web Workshops and our new Voice over IP (VoIP) system allows you to listen through your computer speakers of headphones.

*To register go to: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/784651814
(Standard Telephone dial-in options are also available in the USA/Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.)

This web workshop is recommended for either group training or individual training.

Why not reserve the conference room, buy your Maintenance team lunch and settle in for 10 super learning sessions to enhance electrical safety and reliability?

Title: Electrical Safety Web Workshop Session 4: 10 things you need to know about infrared windows
Date: Friday, May 22, 2009
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EDT

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer

ISO 18436-3:2008 defines the requirements for bodies operating training programmes for personnel who perform machinery condition monitoring, identify machine faults, and recommend corrective action.

Procedures for training of condition monitoring and diagnostic personnel are specified.

Number of Pages: 11

Edition: 1 (Monolingual)

Version & Pricing in Swiss Francs:
English PDF (86 kB) CHF 74,00
English Paper CHF 74,00

Link to ISO Store Web page for purchasing: CLICK HERE.

ISO 18434-1:2008 provides an introduction to the application of infrared thermography (IRT) to machinery condition monitoring and diagnostics, where “machinery” includes machine auxiliaries such as valves, fluid and electrically powered machines, and machinery-related heat exchanger equipment.

In addition, IR applications pertaining to machinery performance assessment are addressed.

ISO 18434-1:2008: introduces the terminology of IRT as it pertains to condition monitoring and diagnostics of machines; describes the types of IRT procedures and their merits; provides guidance on establishing severity assessment criteria for anomalies identified by IRT; outlines methods and requirements for carrying out IRT of machines, including safety recommendations; provides information on data interpretation, and assessment criteria and reporting requirements; provides procedures for determining and compensating for reflected apparent temperature, emissivity, and attenuating media.

ISO 18434-1:2008 also encompasses testing procedures for determining and compensating for reflected apparent temperature, emissivity, and attenuating media when measuring the surface temperature of a target with a quantitative IRT camera.

Number of Pages: 24

Edition: 1 (Monolingual) ICS: 17.160

Versions & Languages
English PDF (2 050 kB) CHF 112,00
English PDF on CD CHF 112,00
French PDF (2 062 kB) CHF 112,00
French PDF on CD CHF 112,00

Go to the ISO Online Store to buy the Standard, CLICK HERE.

Publication date 2008-10-21

IEC 80601-2-59:2008 applies to the basic safety and essential performance of screening thermographs intended to be used for the individual non-invasive febrile temperature screening of humans under indoor environmental conditions. IEC 80601-2-59:2008 sets laboratory characterization test limits for the screening thermograph.
The contents of the corrigendum of April 2009 have been included in this copy.

NOTE: Here is a quotation of one paragraph of the Introduction to this standard, available in the the downloadable, free preview from the IEC Website. In our view it goes a long way towards dispelling the mis-information that has appeared in the public and technical literature suggesting that there is little to no value in this technology.

“A body core temperature of 38 °C or above was used as the criterion to restrict traveling during the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) epidemic (April 2003). [73] The US Center for Disease Control advises that SARS typically begins with a temperature above 38 °C, which is 1 °C higher than normal human body core temperature which averages around 37 °C. [29] It is hard to give an accurate assessment of how many people were checked by infrared temperature measurements in China during the SARS epidemic. There is official Chinese government data indicating that during a two-month period in the spring of 2003, 30 million travelers were screened in China. From this cohort, 9 292 travelers with elevated temperature were detected and 38 were suspected of being SARS carriers. SARS was diagnosed in 21 of these cases. All elevated temperatures were confirmed using traditional clinical temperature measurements of body temperature. Although it is hard to determine the human body’s core temperature accurately by infrared measurement of SKIN TEMPERATURE, it is a potential method for screening for elevated temperature values. [36] [73] [75]”

Technical Committee 62D – Electromedical Equipment RSS
ICS codes 11.040.55 – Diagnostic equipment
Maintenance result date 2013

Preview (PDF Download from the IEC Website) – CLICK HERE.

Copies may be purchased online from the IEC Webstore in Switzerland:
Format, price (Swiss francs) and language (English & French) PDF Version: 140.; CD ROM Version: 154
Accepted credit cards: Visa, Amex & MasterCard: Prices in Swiss francs (CHF)

(Request a pro forma to pay by bank transfer or cheque)

The standard is also available for purchase at the ANSI website: webstore.ansi.org RecordDetail.aspx?sku=IEC+80601-2-59+Ed.+1.0+b%3a2008.

Abstract

ISO/TR 13154:2009 provides general guidelines for the deployment, implementation and operation of a screening thermograph intended to be used for individual non-invasive febrile temperature screening of humans under indoor environmental conditions to prevent the spread of infection.

Number of Pages: 18

Edition: 1 (Monolingual) ICS: 11.040.55
Status: Published Stage: 60.60 (2009-03-18)
Language: English; Format: PDF (581 kB); Price (On ISO Store Website in CHF {Swiss Francs}): 92,00

Language: English Format: PDF on CD Price (On ISO Store Website in CHF {Swiss Francs}): 92,00

The standard may be purchased and downloaded online at: www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/catalogue_tc/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=51236

Since these basic concepts apply equally to many other diseases, this appears to be a rapidly growing application of Infrared Thermography. It is backed up by two recent International standards:

In late 2008, IEC published the standard: IEC 80601-2-59 Ed. 1.0 “Medical electrical equipment – Part 2-59: Particular requirements for the basic safety and essential performance of screening thermographs for human febrile temperature screening” . It provides many performance and calibration requirements for devices used in this application.

In March 2009, the ISO standard, ISO/TR 13154:2009 “Medical electrical equipment — Deployment, implementation and operational guidelines for identifying febrile humans using a screening thermograph”, was published. It bears directly on this use, and while not perfect, does represent a major milestone completed since SPRING Singapore began their effort to create workable standards in 2003.

The standards may be purchased and downloaded online at: www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/catalogue_tc/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=51236 and webstore.ansi.org RecordDetail.aspx?sku=IEC+80601-2-59+Ed.+1.0+b%3a2008 respectively.
(Kudos to John Snell of Snell Infrared for advising about the links for the online availability of these standards)

The FLIR story abstract reads: (CLICK HERE to download a PDF copy of the entire story).

Growing international exchange, travel, and economic migration require a consistent, prompt, effective and international viral disease prevention policy.

Elevated human body temperature, or fever, is a convincing and reliable indicator of most human viral infections. Since the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), public health authorities around the world have been looking for a fast,
easy, contactless, non-invasive and reliable method to detect elevated human body temperature di?erences.

Thermography is such a method. It has become vital to control body temperature of risk groups such as travellers and proven itself as a monitoring tool that has substantially contributed to reduce the spreading of SARS virus in many countries and regions.

Credit for this application story goes to:

FLIR SYSTEMS AB
Uitbreidingsstraat 60 – 62
B-2600 Berchem
België

Tel.: +32 (0)3 287 87 10
Fax: +32 (0)3 287 87 29
e-mail: info [at] flir.be
web: www.flir.be

Abstract

ISO 18436-1:2004 defines the requirements for bodies operating certification systems for personnel who perform machinery condition monitoring, identify machine faults, and recommend corrective action. Procedures for the certification of condition monitoring and diagnostic personnel are specified.

Language – Version & Price in Swiss Francs
English PDF (213 kB) CHF 74,00
English Paper CHF 74,00

Link to ISO Website for purchase by CLICKING HERE.

Primarily, Infrared Thermal Imagers are used in screening people for elevated body temperature. While not the most precise method to measure human body temperature, infrared thermal imagers or scanners are good at determining if someone appears hotter or colder than another person, or the average for a group of people under the same viewing conditions.

By having a very stable and drift free measurement and system software that enables averaging, selecting the hottest spot in a viewed scene and then recording and alarming capability, a Thermal Imaging System is an excellent tool for screening large numbers of people such as passengers exiting an airplane.

See the table on the page for information about equipment and software from various vendors aimed specifically at uses in detecting people that may have SARS ( or Swine Flu or Bird Flu or Dengue).

One must be very careful in using infrared measurement devices because large errors are possible sometimes even under the best circumstances.

It starts, logically, with a definition of the subject, to quote:

Definition of Infrared Thermography
Infrared thermography is equipment or method, which detects infrared energy emitted from object, converts it to temperature, and displays image of temperature distribution. To be accurate, the equipment and the method should be called differently, the equipment to be called as infrared thermograph and the method to be called as infrared thermography.

The additional sub-sections on the page are titled:
Characteristics of Infrared Thermography equipment
Merits of Infrared Thermography equipment
Infrared Thermography equipment, Things often misunderstood
Discovery of infrared
Characteristics of infrared
How the heat transfers
Emission, reflection and transmission of infrared
Principle of measurement by Infrared Thermography equipment
Image Format of Infrared Thermography

To read the entire we story, CLICK HERE to visit the page: www.nec-avio.co.jp/en/products/ir-thermo/what-thermo.html

Burlington NJ, USA— Infraspection Institute has launched SuccessIRies™ – a new series of web-based short courses for thermographers and maintenance professionals.

SuccessIRies™ courses are available 24/7 via an internet connection and cover a wide variety of topics of interest to thermographers, maintenance personnel, and inspection professionals.

According to Jim Seffrin, Director of Infraspection Institute, “Our new SuccessIRies™ courses enable thermographers the opportunity to advance their training and skill sets quickly and easily. Available topics include, but are not limited to, advanced infrared applications, test equipment, safety, business, and best practices.”

Typically 30 – 60 minutes in length, SuccessIRies™ are narrated short courses that are the perfect way to keep abreast of the latest developments in the rapidly evolving field of thermography. SuccessIRies™ also meet continuing education requirements for NDT personnel, consultants, and professional inspectors.

Six courses are presently available with more courses to be added on a monthly basis. Normally priced at $79 each, two introductory courses, SuccessIRies™101 and 102, are currently being offered for free.

Seffrin adds, “With our SuccessIRies™ courses, students can take their infrared training wherever and whenever it\’s convenient. All courses are taught by Infraspection Institute Level III Certified Infrared Thermographers®, each having over 25 years of professional experience.”

Available SuccessIRies™ Courses

101 – IR Thermography – What’s Hot in PdM – FREE
102 – IR Thermography for Home & Building Inspectors – FREE
103 – Starting, Marketing & Managing an IR Consulting Company
104 – Temperature Limits for Electrical & Mechanical Equipment
105 – NFPA 70E – Are You in Compliance
106 – Nine Steps for Setting Up an Infrared Inspection Program

For more information or to register, visit www.SuccessIRies.com or call +1 609-239-4788.

Infraspection Institute
425 Ellis Street
Burlington, New Jersey 08016 USA

Tel: +1 609.239.4788
Fax: +1 609.239.4766
E-mail: support [at] infraspection.com
Web: www.infraspection.com

Description: This course will introduce you to the FLIR Systems T Series infrared camera and infrared thermography applications. This includes information on all the T series variants including T200/250, T360/400, B200/250, and B360/400.

The Infrared Training Center’s (ITC) staff will discuss the controls of the camera as well as the user interface, and show you how to operate your camera and your report and analysis software. This course also includes lessons on IR thermography, IR science, and heat transfer.

All of these subjects are necessary to allow you to properly interpret images.

You’ll also see real-world examples of electrical, mechanical, facility maintenance, overall condition monitoring applications, and building applications! For T Series users, this class can help you get the most out of your investment.

Course Highlights – you’ll learn: – Expert tips on IR camera operation and report generation – Basic science you need to understand thermography – Conditions you need for a good survey – Basics of thermal image interpretation

Who should take this course: This course is intended for users of the FLIR Systems T Series infrared camera or anyone interested in purchasing one.

Prerequisites: This course is designed for T Series users. No prior knowledge of thermography or the T Series is required.

Internet Connection: A high speed (cable, DSL, etc.) connection is required to take this course. A dialup connection is too slow.

Availability: This course is a self paced web based training course available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can begin as soon as you enroll.

Tuition: FREE (a $299 USD value) for a limited time.

ITC Certification Renewal Credits: 5 credits

Time to Complete: About 3.5 hours

Go to the course home page

About ITC’s Online Courses:

Online Courses offer students the opportunity to take high-quality professional courses and earn ITC credits, without the need to travel or even be out of the office. When you register for a 24/7 online course, you’ll receive a user name and password giving you access to course material online, as well as to the course test. For the time period detailed in each course description, the course is available to you at your convenience – you can take the exam and, upon successful completion, print your own certificate of completion. All you need to participate is access to the Internet.

Infrared Training Center (ITC)
25 Esquire Rd.
North Billerica, Massachusetts 01862 USA

Therefore to choose an optical window or lens material for a specific application is often a job of tradeoffs. Knowing the optical properties of the materials is a first step.

To see a concise list of potentially usable infrared window and lens materials plus some key properties of each, including spectral transmission, click here to visit the Lawrence Berkeley Labs web page.

“This program will calculate the emission as a function of wavelength from a black body (or grey body) source of a given size and temperature into a given solid angle.

By Wayne McKinney, Dec. 2001. Calculation of the grey body emission of tungsten using Allen’s Astrophysical Quantities, 3rd Edition.

Java graph output added Jan. 2002.

An article on a unique Infrared thermography application by Howard Penrose of Success by Design published on the Reliabilityweb.com website.

It describes rewinding of an electric motor and the internal connections of the winding.

Improper brazing, crimping or other methods of making the connections will generate a hot-spot due to resistive losses caused by high resistance electrical connections, known as I²R (In this case, I=Current in amperes and R=Resistance in ohms).

To quote the key point in the article:

Hot spots in the windings or connections can be investigated and repaired prior to varnishing, reducing potential warranty issues. The time to perform the test is negligible as the power testing is normally performed as part of a rewind quality control step.

You can view the report without any registration requirement by clicking on the link: reliabilityweb.com/index.php/articles/evaluating_winding_connections_with_infrared/

SUCCESS by DESIGN® is an award winning reliability and consulting firm.

Howard W Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP, is the President of SUCCESS by DESIGN, a reliability and maintenance services consultant and publisher, and the Founding Executive Director of the Institute of Electrical Motor Diagnostics, Inc. He has over 20 years in the energy, reliability and maintenance industries with experience from the shop floor to academia and manufacturing to military.

Reliabilityweb.com is a information and research firm publishing practical information for maintenance and reliability professionals. They also publish many special articles on Infrared Thermography on a website page labeled “Infrared Resources & Links”, just click to retrieve.