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How does a fire prevention plan benefit your workplace?

A fire prevention plan can benefit your workplace by reducing the risks of fires and putting the safety of all employees first.

What is a fire prevention plan?

A fire prevention plan is a written document that outlines the procedures and actions that a business or organization should take to prevent fires from occurring and to protect employees, customers, and other stakeholders in the event that a fire does occur. A fire prevention plan typically includes information on the types of fires that may occur in the workplace, the steps that should be taken to prevent those fires from occurring, and the procedures that should be followed in the event of a fire.

What are the benefits?

Here are some specific benefits of having a fire prevention plan in place:

Reduced risk of fire

By taking steps to prevent fires from occurring, a fire prevention plan can help to reduce the risk of fires in the workplace. This can help to protect employees, customers, and other stakeholders, as well as the business itself.

Enhanced safety

A fire prevention plan can help to ensure that employees are aware of the risks of fire and the steps they should take to prevent fires from occurring. This can help to create a safer work environment for all employees.

Protects property and assets

A fire can cause significant damage to a business’s property and assets, including equipment, inventory, and documents. By having a fire prevention plan in place, a business can take steps to protect its property and assets from damage in the event of a fire.

Minimizes disruption to business operations

If a fire does occur, it can disrupt business operations and cause significant losses. A fire prevention plan can help to minimize the disruption to business operations and help the business to recover more quickly in the event of a fire.

Protects reputation

A fire can also damage a business’s reputation, particularly if it is not adequately prepared to prevent fires or respond to them. Having a fire prevention plan in place can help to protect a business’s reputation by demonstrating that the business is taking steps to ensure the safety of its employees and stakeholders.

What are some common components of a fire prevention plan?

Fire safety policies and procedures

A fire prevention plan should outline the policies and procedures that are in place to prevent fires from occurring in the workplace. This may include information on the use of open flames, electrical equipment, and other potential fire hazards.

Evacuation procedures

A fire prevention plan should include information on how to evacuate the workplace in the event of a fire, including the location of exits, the use of emergency alarms, and the designated assembly areas.

Emergency response plan

A fire prevention plan should outline the procedures that should be followed in the event of a fire, including who is responsible for calling the fire department, activating the alarm system, and evacuating the building.

Employee training

A fire prevention plan should include information on the training that employees should receive to help them understand the risks of fire and how to prevent fires from occurring. This may include training on how to use fire extinguishers, evacuation procedures, and other safety measures.

Maintenance and inspection

A fire prevention plan should outline the procedures for maintaining and inspecting the workplace to identify and address any potential fire hazards. This may include regular inspections of electrical equipment, heating and ventilation systems, and other potential fire hazards.

Early Fire Detection Systems Make Fire Prevention Planning Easy

Early fire detection systems can play a crucial role in fire prevention planning by helping to identify potential fires before they become a major threat. These systems can detect the presence of smoke or other indicators of a fire and trigger an alarm, alerting employees and emergency responders to the potential danger.

By providing early warning of a potential fire, early fire detection systems can help to prevent the spread of fire and minimize the potential damage and disruption caused by a fire. This can make fire prevention planning much easier, as it allows businesses and organizations to take proactive measures to prevent fires from occurring and to respond quickly in the event of a fire.

Learn more about early fire detection systems.

20+ Page Guide to Fire Detection Systems

Find All Your Answers in Our Guide

Find a reliable fire detection system.
Save money in the long run.
Know the must-have features.
Find a system that adapts to your business needs.
Understand the importance of safety and security.

Download Now

MoviTHERM2024-08-16T17:21:27-07:00Thursday, March 21, 2024|Blog|

What is the Difference Between Induction Seal vs Heat Seal?

The main difference between an induction seal and a heat seal is the way in which the seal is created. Induction sealing uses electromagnetic induction to generate heat and create a tamper-evident seal, while heat sealing uses heat to bond two materials together. In this article, we break things down to compare the benefits and challenges of an induction seal vs a heat seal.

Induction Seals

An induction seal is a type of closure that is applied to the top of a container. It is made of a layer of material that is bonded to the top of the container and creates a tamper-evident seal when it is heated by induction.

Induction sealing is a non-contact sealing process that uses electromagnetic induction to generate heat in a conductive material. This heat is used to seal the top of a container, such as a bottle or jar, in order to preserve the freshness and quality of the product inside.

Benefits of Using an Induction Seal Machine

There are several benefits to using an induction seal machine:

Tamper-evident: Induction sealing creates a tamper-evident seal that is difficult to remove or break without leaving evidence of tampering. This helps to ensure the integrity of the product inside the container and can provide peace of mind for consumers.
Preservation: Induction sealing helps to preserve the freshness and quality of the product inside the container. The seal helps to prevent contamination and can extend the shelf life of the product.
Customization: Induction sealing equipment can be customized to work with a wide range of container sizes and shapes, making it suitable for a variety of applications.
Efficiency: Induction sealing is a fast and efficient sealing process that can be easily integrated into a production line. It can seal containers at a high speed, which can help to increase productivity.
Versatility: Induction sealing can be used with a variety of container materials, including plastic, glass, and metal. It can also be used with a wide range of products, including food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products.

Challenges in Induction Seals

There are a few challenges that can arise when using induction sealing:

Conductive material: Induction sealing requires the use of a conductive material, such as aluminum foil, in order to create the seal. If the material is not properly applied or is not of sufficient quality, it may not create a proper seal.
Container size and shape: Induction sealing equipment is typically designed to work with a specific range of container sizes and shapes. If the container is outside of this range, it may not be compatible with the sealing equipment.
Container material: The material of the container can also affect the effectiveness of the induction seal. Some materials, such as glass or certain types of plastic, may not be suitable for induction sealing.

Heat Seals

A heat seal, on the other hand, is a type of sealing process that uses heat to bond two materials together. Heat sealing is often used in packaging to seal bags or pouches, or to seal the edges of plastic sheets or films. This type of sealing process can be done using a variety of methods, including hot bar sealing, impulse sealing, and continuous sealing.

Benefits of Using a Heat Seal Machine

There are several benefits to using a heat seal machine:

Speed: Heat sealing is a fast and efficient sealing process that can be easily integrated into a production line. It can seal bags or pouches at a high speed, which can help to increase productivity.
Customization: Heat sealing equipment can be customized to work with a wide range of materials and seal configurations, making it suitable for a variety of applications.
Versatility: Heat sealing can be used with a variety of materials, including plastic films and bags, paper products, and foil-lined materials. It can also be used to seal a wide range of products, including food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products.
Reliability: Heat sealing is generally considered a reliable sealing method that can create strong, consistent seals that are resistant to tampering and can withstand exposure to a variety of environmental conditions.
Ease of use: Heat sealing equipment is typically easy to operate and maintain, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes. Overall, the benefits of using a heat seal machine depend on the specific application and the materials being sealed.

Challenges in Heat Seals

There are a few challenges that can arise when using heat sealing:

Material compatibility: Heat sealing requires the use of materials that are compatible with the sealing process. If the materials being sealed are not compatible, the seal may be weak or may not hold up over time.
Temperature: Heat sealing requires a specific temperature in order to create a strong, reliable seal. If the temperature is too low, the seal may not be strong enough. If the temperature is too high, the materials being sealed may be damaged or may become too weak to hold up over time.
Speed: Some heat sealing processes, such as continuous sealing, require a high level of speed and precision in order to be effective. If the sealing process is not fast enough, it may result in weak or inconsistent seals.
Pressure: Heat sealing often requires the application of pressure in order to create a strong seal. If the pressure is not sufficient, the seal may be weak or may fail.

Add Quality Assurance to Your Sealing Method

Thermal seal inspection can be used for quality assurance in heat seals and induction seals by identifying any defects or inconsistencies in the sealing process. This can help to ensure that the seals are strong, consistent, and reliable, which is important for preserving the quality and integrity of the product inside the container.

In the case of heat seals, thermal seal inspection can be used to identify any defects or inconsistencies in the sealing process that may result in weak or broken seals. This can be particularly important for products that are sensitive to contamination or require a long shelf life.

In the case of induction seals, thermal seal inspection can be used to ensure that the seals are properly applied and are of sufficient quality to preserve the product inside the container. This can help to ensure that the product remains fresh and of high quality until it is opened by the consumer.

Overall, thermal seal inspection is an important quality assurance tool for both heat seals and induction seals, as it helps to ensure that the seals are strong and reliable, and that the product inside the container is protected from contamination and other environmental factors.

Learn more about thermal seal inspections for quality assurance.

MoviTHERM2024-08-16T17:21:36-07:00Thursday, March 21, 2024|Blog|

Top 5 Benefits of Having a Fire Detection System

We have compiled the top 5 benefits to having a fire detection system installed in your business building.

Early fire detection (EFD) systems can be a vital component to business facilities and places of employment. These systems are responsible for protecting lives and property while reducing the effects of a fire. By detecting the presence of a fire in its early stages, these smart EFD systems can alert building occupants and emergency responders with ample time to take appropriate action and extinguish the fire or evacuate the building.

The images provided below were taken from our very own MoviTHERM’s iEFD system to help better explain the benefits of having a fire detection system installed in your facility.

1) Early Warning

Early fire detection systems can detect the presence of a fire in its early stages. With the help of infrared cameras, early detection systems are able to see the warming up of materials before the appearance of smoke particles or flames. Infrared cameras are the only fire detection device that are able to distinguish signs of fire before becoming visible to the human eye.

End-users can monitor and access all connected cameras and sensors by logging into the iEFD application. However, the system does not require human monitoring. iEFD is an intelligent early fire detection system that works on its own.

Views of connected infrared cameras through the iEFD dashboard.

2) Property Protection

An EFD system can help to protect the building and its contents from damage by detecting a fire early and alerting the authorities so that they can respond quickly. It is an important safety measure that can help to protect assets and minimize the impact of a fire on a business or organization.

During an incident, MoviTHERM’s iEFD automatically sends out a map of the hazard to all building occupants and first responders. The map is able to detect the location of the fire in real time and help understand how quickly the fire is evolving. This helps optimize the quick response time and protect building assets while keeping others out of harm’s way.

Benefits of a Fire Detection System, Map Views

Map Views from MoviTHERM’s iEFD System

3) Life Safety

An early fire detection system can save lives by alerting building occupants to the presence of a fire and allowing them to evacuate safely. Early warning alerts can notify a select group of people of a potential issue in the making. This buys valuable time to act on safety protocols and extinguish the hot spot before turning into a threatening hazard.

MoviTHERM’s iEFD system allows for alerts to be sent via email, text messaging or voice call. Each message is fully customizable based on the location and severity of the issue. This eliminates surprise and prevents employees from being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

4) Legal and Insurance Requirements

In many cases, building codes and insurance policies require the installation of a fire detection and alarm system to help protect against the risk of fire. By requiring a fire detection system as a condition of coverage, insurance companies can reduce the risk of losses due to fire and, in turn, reduce the cost of insurance premiums for policyholders.

In addition, some building codes and regulations may require the installation of a fire detection system, and insurance companies may require this as a condition of coverage in order to ensure compliance with these regulations.

5) Cost Savings

A fire detection system can help to minimize the cost of damages caused by a fire by detecting it early and alerting the authorities so that they can respond quickly. The NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) found that the average property damage cost of a fire for industrial properties is $128,099. By warning earlier on the pathway to ignition, facility managers can avert costly and potentially life threatening fires before they are permitted to start and spread.

Conclusion

Modern technology has enabled the development of many newer and more efficient ways of detecting fires in buildings. It is important to note that early fire detection systems do not replace existing detection and response protocols. Instead, the system functions as an early warning system, detecting areas in the facility where ignition may occur.

Overall, a fire detection system is an important safety measure that can help protect lives, property, and financial assets. Industries including coal, biomass, industrial laundry, wood processing, trash bunkers, and metal recycling can benefit from a fire detection system.

20+ Page Guide to Fire Detection Systems

Find All Your Answers in Our Guide

Find a reliable fire detection system.
Save money in the long run.
Know the must-have features.
Find a system that adapts to your business needs.
Understand the importance of safety and security.

Download Now

MoviTHERM2024-08-16T17:21:45-07:00Thursday, March 21, 2024|Blog|

The Risk of Battery Thermal Runaway and How to Prevent It

Battery thermal runaway is becoming a huge liability to companies that store and handle battery products. In recent years, battery storage, charging, and recycling centers have experienced increased fire activity caused by lithium ion battery thermal runaway.

One solution to reducing the risk of a battery fire are infrared cameras. Infrared fire detection systems monitor large areas and are able to detect heat releasing from battery packs or single batteries. Infrared cameras are the only device that are able to detect early signs of fire formation.

Risk of Thermal Runaway

Thermal runaway occurs in lithium ion batteries. Manufacturing defects or external misuse like overcharging, overheating, puncturing, or being crushed can lead to thermal runaway in lithium ion batteries. Thermal runaway occurs when the temperature of the li-ion battery reaches a critical state.

Battery Thermal Runaway Cycle Initiation Events

Lithium-Ion Battery Thermal Runaway Initiation Events

Internal causes of spontaneous ignition include coating defects at the electrode surface, contamination particles, and poor welds. Typically, these defects cause electrical shorts during operation that generate heat.

External causes include:

Electrical abuse from overcharging.
Mechanical abuse via crushing or puncture.
Thermal abuse from exposure to high temperature environments.

External initiating events are related to each other. For example, mechanical abuse from a puncture of the battery cell causes a short circuit, which is electrical abuse. The electrical abuse creates heating, which increases the lithium ion cell temperature, causing thermal abuse, which can trigger thermal runaway.

Preventing Thermal Runaway With Infrared Cameras

Various fire detection sensors are available today that alert of fire formation. The following chart shows the relative detectability of fire detection devices at different stages of fire development with corresponding damage levels.

Infrared camera systems are the first to alert before a fire develops. They are able to “see” heat generated by batteries early in the fire development process. Thermal cameras detect “fire” before forming smoke particles or flames.

Correct sensor selection and placement for battery monitoring are critical to ensure optimum detection performance. For outdoor or high airflow installations, infrared sensors are best for detection.

Fire Detector Response Time and Fire Progression vs. Damage Severity

Leveraging the Advantages of IoT

Fire safety for battery storage, charging, and handling is an area that realizes the benefits of IoT. With smart fire detection systems, potential fires can more readily be detected and prevented.

With IoT, facility managers can connect multiple facilities into a central monitoring and alarming dashboard. Understanding the situation at all facilities improves the oversight and management of multiple systems from a single control point.

Smart fire detection systems can improve emergency planning by using algorithms and analytics. For example, analytics can consider factors such as:

The number of people in the facility
Facility maps
Location of the fire
The rate at which the fire is spreading

Sample Map View display from a cloud-based IoT Early Fire Detection Program

Conclusion

It is important to note that infrared fire detection systems do not replace existing detection and response protocols. Instead, the system functions as an early warning system – detecting areas in the facility where ignition may occur. New detection methods for heat, smoke, and fire are frequently developing.

Many new detection devices include wireless capabilities that make integrating IoT to infrared cameras a straightforward exercise. Beyond alarms and notifications, IoT infrared fire detection systems can provide automation controls like initiating and directing an extinguishing system.

Fire detection systems that leverage cloud computing require less hardware with a reduced installation burden. Available communication technology can be added to existing detectors, making IoT retrofitting existing systems easy. By warning earlier on the pathway to ignition, managers of the battery chain avert costly and potentially life threatening fires. First responders can react before the fire is permitted to start and spread.

Learn more about infrared fire detection systems.

MoviTHERM2024-08-16T17:21:53-07:00Thursday, March 21, 2024|Blog|

Ensuring Packaging Seal Integrity with Infrared Inspection

Package seal integrity is critical for today’s manufacturers. For example, in the food and beverage space, faulty packaging limits the shelf life of a product. This increases waste, especially for perishable items where package leaks accelerate the decomposition process. For the pharma and health industries, package sterility ensures product efficacy and safeguards end users.

As part of a quality control program, companies randomly sample packages and conduct leak tests on package seals. A typical test method involves placing the package in a vacuum chamber and submerging in water. As internal pressure builds in the package, leaks become visibly detectable by the presence of escaping air as bubbles. While effective at detecting leaks on a single test sample, this approach is laborious and only addresses some packages produced.

Over the past twenty years, infrared (IR) camera technology developments have made IR cameras more rugged, smaller in size, and less expensive. New applications for infrared cameras and non-contact temperature measurement are continually developing as the technology becomes more assessable.

Automating infrared inspection for package seal integrity testing is one application that continues gaining traction. Using infrared inspection as part of a quality control program allows for inspecting all package seals in the production line. Companies can ensure package seal integrity, promote product quality, and elevate customer satisfaction by implementing complete package line inspection.

Infrared image of a pouch seal. The image on the left is a good seal. The one on the right is bad. The area plot below the IR images shows the numerical results.

Infrared images of a pouch seal.

The example on the left is a good seal. The example on the right is a bad seal. The area plot below the IR images shows the numerical results.

MoviTHERM TSI for Package Seal Integrity Inspection

MoviTHERM TSI is a package seal integrity inspection system that leverages infrared imaging to assess the quality of heat-based package seals. Infrared cameras “see” the residual heat from joining, gluing, and sealing processes. The automated inspection system compares unknown package seals to known good seal profiles and reliably detects good and bad seals. MoviTHERM TSI has an integrated recipe manager that allows the system to store hundreds of inspection scenarios. The system also allows for system adaptation to various packaging seal inspection applications.

Core features of MoviTHERM TSI include:

Infrared Cameras that view and measure thermal variations of good and bad seals without contact.
Hardware and software that easily integrates with existing production equipment
Advanced and reliable inspection logic pre-programmed for multiple packaging scenarios.
Image and data logging for traceability of performance.
Optional cloud-based connectivity that keeps key production personnel always in the know.
And most importantly, peace of mind, knowing that your products and being appropriately packaged and customers are happy.

Infrared Inspection is Key

The critical component of the TSI solution is infrared imaging which allows the system to see the heat from the package sealing process. Some important points regarding infrared light/infrared radiation:

All objects above absolute zero emit infrared light/radiation (that’s -273 degrees C or -460 degrees F).
The only difference between visible light (the light we see) and infrared light is the wavelength size. (shown in the chart below)
As such, infrared light behaves similarly to visible light in that it can be reflected, absorbed, and transmitted through an object.
The human eye is tuned to see a tiny sliver of all the light forms in the universe.

Electromagnetic Spectrum Chart

Infrared (IR) cameras operate on the heat transfer principle of radiation. The IR camera has a focal plane array of detector elements that sense infrared light from object surfaces. The radiation captured by the IR camera detector is digitized, converted to data, and displayed as a viewable image.

Calibrated IR cameras can report temperature measurements from specific spots, lines, and areas on live or recorded images. IR cameras are available in different wavebands, pixel resolutions, lens configurations, and communication protocols to meet various installation requirements.

Infrared Camera Viewing a Heated Bottle Cap Seal

MoviTHERM TSI Inspection Software

The following is a sample view of the TSI user interface. All buttons and features are touch screen accessible. In this example, we are inspecting bottle caps. The bright yellow ring in the thermal image indicates a good seal, as indicated by the green “PASS” in the indication window.

TSI Software Display

Package Seal Integrity Applications

TSI is an effective inspection solution for inspecting bags sealed with heat. Bags leaving the heated press or sealed with hot glue retain a residual heat that can be detected and inspected with TSI.

MoviTHERM TSI for Bag Seal Integrity Inspection

Already discussed is TSI for Bottle Cap inspection. In this example, an induction sealer creates heat in the foil section of the sealing packet. The residual heat from the heating process can be evaluated for seal condition and fault type if one is present.

MoviTHERM TSI for Bottle Cap Seal Integrity Inspection

TSI can be used to evaluate the seams formed by heat and pressure in pouch-forming processes. TSI detects leaks in pouches by comparing the thermal profiles of test samples to the seam profiles of known non-leakers.

MoviTHERM TSI for Pouch Seal Integrity Inspection

Thin film plastic covered packages are commonplace in the food industry. TSI quickly and reliably identifies the seal area to detect seal integrity, ensuring that food products are safe for consumers.

MoviTHERM TSI for Package Seal Integrity Inspection

What’s Included with MoviTHERM TSI for Package Seal Integrity Inspection?

MoviTHERM TSI solution for automated seal integrity inspection provides 100% in-line, high-speed integrity inspection for heat-related production lines. Each product and packaging is inspected using infrared imaging and advanced machine vision analysis. The system includes:

High performance infrared camera
Standard powder-coated Industrial Electrical Enclosure (Optional Stainless-Steel enclosure for food & beverage or pharmaceutical environments)
Touch-Screen PC and application specific software GUI interface
Interactive inspection Recipe Programmer to accommodate multiple products – or to try different “what-if” scenarios
Robust bi-directional PLC interface to transfer status messages and PASS/FAIL results to a plant PLC (Ethernet/IP or Modbus)
Image FTP to transfer fault images to a remote server for off-line review

MoviTHERM2024-08-16T17:22:05-07:00Thursday, March 21, 2024|Blog|

What is the difference between Passive vs Active Thermography?

If you ask someone what infrared is, they’d probably say “it’s the technology used in night vision goggles and gun sights”. While this might be true, there is more to it. IR produces temperature differences that are readable by cameras. In this article, we explain the basics of infrared thermography and break down the difference between passive and active thermography and its different use cases and methods.

Infrared Light, Detectors, & Cameras

Infrared light, or infrared radiation, is always around us. We just can’t see it. In fact, all objects above absolute 0 (- 273 degrees C or – 460 degrees F) emit infrared light. So not only do hot and warm objects emit infrared light, but also cold objects like a bucket of ice cubes. The amount of infrared light emitted from an object is proportional to the temperature of that object. For example, a campfire emits more IR light than a lantern and significantly more IR light than a bucket of ice.

Electromagnetic Spectrum

The electromagnetic spectrum is a term scientists use to describe the entire range of light. The following chart graphically represents the electromagnetic spectrum and shows the various forms of light, from radio waves to microwaves and x-Rays to gamma rays. What’s interesting to note is that most of the electromagnetic spectrum is invisible to us, including infrared light. From the chart, we see that only a tiny sliver of the light available in the universe is visible to us.

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

Also, from the electromagnetic spectrum chart, we see infrared light has a larger wavelength than visible light. Because it is only different in size, infrared light behaves similarly to visible light. For example, infrared light can be absorbed, passed through, and reflected like visible light.

While our human eye is not tuned to see infrared light, there are semiconductor materials that can sense it. By organizing these materials into a matrix of rows and columns and combining them with microelectronics, engineers have developed focal plane array (FPA) infrared detectors.

Infrared Detectors

Infrared detectors are made with materials like Amorphous Silicon, Vanadium Oxide, Indium antimonide, Indium Gallium Arsenide, and Mercury Cadmium Telluride. They come with various pixel sizes, numbers of pixels, and infrared sensing wavebands. For example, there are shortwave infrared (SWIR), midwave infrared (MWIR), and longwave infrared (LWIR) detectors that “see” infrared light in those infrared regions. Infrared FPA detectors can range in pixel resolutions from 60 x 80 (4,800 pixels) up to 1280 x 1024 (1.3 megapixels).

When integrated into a camera with an infrared lens, IR FPA detectors capture the focused infrared light that is converted into an electronic signal and presented as grayscale or colorized images. Each pixel of the infrared image represents a digitized level of infrared light. You can visually identify the image’s cold, warm, and hot areas with a corresponding grayscale or color scale palette. One can easily pick out the white-hot engine cylinders and exhaust outlets in the following infrared image of a motorcycle.

Example IR Image Motorcycle with Regions of Interest

Regions of Interest (ROI’s)

If the infrared camera is calibrated for temperature measurement, tools called regions of interest (ROI), can be applied to the live or recorded image. Images present average, minimum, and maximum temperature values. ROI’s typically include spots, lines, and areas. Because the thermal image is made up of several thousand spot measurements, temperature values can be presented from any one of the image pixels.

What is Thermography?

Thermography is the practice of using an infrared camera to see and/or measure the thermal characteristics of an object or process to assess its condition as related to temperature.

For example, during the recent Corona Virus pandemic, thermography was conducted on people to detect elevated body temperatures. Thermography was used as a pre-screening tool to identify individuals who may have a fever, a potential indicator of infection.

Another example of infrared thermography includes inspecting connections in a substation to ensure electricity flows freely. Typically, with an increase in resistance to the flow of electricity, there is a corresponding increase in heat. The increased electrical resistance could result from a loose connection, corrosion, or component failure. Regardless of the cause, increases in resistance produce rise of heat that can be seen and measured with an infrared camera.

The relationship between heat and electrical resistance can also apply to microelectronics, like looking for shorts on a printed circuit board that could shorten the life of a laptop. Other examples of thermography include:

Looking for cold spots in buildings to identify areas of missing insulation.
Looking for increased temperature in rotating equipment caused by the friction of a possible bearing failure.
Observing how heat flows through the wing of an aircraft to reveal the presence of water.

What is Passive Thermography?

Passive thermography relies upon the naturally occurring thermal light emitted from an object or process for condition evaluation. With passive thermography, thermal contrast is only observed with an infrared camera if the target’s temperature differs from the ambient temperature or surrounding objects. The resulting thermal image will show little variation in color or greyscale if there is no thermal contrast.

Any temperature distribution of the object or scene is evaluated without imposing external energy on the object. The observed temperature patterns are due solely to the inherent temperature differences.

Examples of passive thermography include the electrical substation, and microelectronics inspection discussed previously. Other examples include the inspection of a motor to be sure it is cooling properly or inspecting electrical relays to ensure they are working correctly. Each of these inspection examples relies upon the presence of a variation in temperature or variation of emitted infrared light resulting from the normal operation of the process.

What is Active Thermography?

Active thermography is applying external energy sources to an object or process to induce a variation in temperature for analysis with an infrared camera. Active thermography can be a viable nondestructive test method for objects or scenes with no naturally occurring thermal variation. In other words, no naturally occurring temperature differences exist in the object or scene.

Inspecting the wing of an aircraft with a thermal camera

Passive Thermography: Inspecting the wing of an aircraft with a handheld thermal camera.

Suppose we want to evaluate an aircraft wing for the presence of defects. If observing the wing at a steady state with an infrared camera, we would likely see little to no thermal contrast in the resulting IR image. However, if we applied external energy to the wing, like heat from a halogen lamp, we could observe how the thermal wave from the lamp travels through the wing over time.

Active Thermography: Using an external excitation source to detect defects in the object of interest.

If a defect is present inside the wing, it interrupts the heat flow from the halogen lamp, causing a variation in the temperature distribution at the object’s surface. This variation is viewable with an infrared camera.

Detecting defects of an object using a thermal camera and an excitation source (halogen lamp).

One example of active thermography is using a halogen lamp to induce a thermal wave across a wing. Additional excitation sources for active thermography include:

Xenon Flash lamps for creating short, high-intensity heat waves.
Ultrasonic Vibration Horns induce mechanical friction at cracks and disbonds, causing heat.
Induction coils for creating eddy currents that produce localized heat when blocked by defects.
Programmable power supplies for introducing current into semiconductors and electronics that heat up when shorted or resisted.
Lasers for applying pinpoint heat to small targets like microelectronics.

Inspection systems for active thermography typically use a computer to record the object’s surface temperatures as a function of time. These infrared videos are processed using software designed to “tease out” defects and anomalies that go unnoticed with passive thermography.

Various techniques for active thermography are available to conduct the most effective testing for a specific material or device. Listed below are six different types of active thermography testing techniques that are commonly used today.

Transient

Halogen light is used to create an extended heat excitation. Thermography analyzes the change in the thermal state of the target.

Flash or Pulse Thermography

Xenon light provides a short and intense excitation that is analyzed with thermography. Is well suited for materials with high thermal conductivity and shallow defects. Read our article on flash thermography to learn more.

Lock In Thermography

A periodical excitation source is synchronized with the IR camera. The software generates an amplitude and phase image to indicate the location and nature of the defect. Read our article on lock-in thermography to learn more.

Vibro Thermography

Ultrasound is used to excite the specimen. Friction between vibrating cracks creates heat signatures measured by the infrared camera. Read our article on vibro thermography to learn more.

Failure Analysis

A test specimen is excited with a periodic electrical signal and a synchronized thermal camera captures the resultant surface temperatures. Processing algorithms produce a surface map identifying localized hotspots.

Thermal Stress Analysis (TSA)

A test sample is stressed by modulating mechanical excitation with the induced infrared imagery converted into stress units.

Applications for active thermography include finding disbonds in aluminum structures like on an aircraft fuselage or seeing corrosion behind painted surfaces. Additional applications include identifying failure points in microelectronics, evaluating laser weld penetration, and visualizing wheel cracks. These are just a few of the many applications of active infrared thermography.

Finding Disbonds in Aluminum Structures

Identifying Failure Points in Microelectronics

Evaluating Laser Weld Penetration

Inspecting Wheel Cracks with Infrared

Passive vs Active Thermography

Passive thermography is the use of infrared cameras or other devices for measuring the temperature of a surface. In passive thermography, the temperature of an object is measured without direct contact. The radiation emitted by an object is captured by a camera, and the temperature information is extracted from the image. Passive thermography does not require any active illumination (such as lights) or specialized equipment, making it extremely useful for inspections in dark or enclosed spaces.

Active thermography is the use of emitters to illuminate objects with infrared light and then take images using an infrared camera. The advantage of active thermography over passive thermography is that it can detect defects that might not be visible using other testing methods, including passive thermography.

Both active and passive thermographic inspections can be performed on a wide range of objects including turbines and generators, aircraft engines, electrical panels, motors, transformers and generators, HVAC systems and much more.

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Learn how large of an area you can inspect
Learn how this method compliments UT inspections
Learn how to save valuable inspection time

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MoviTHERM2024-08-16T17:22:16-07:00Thursday, March 21, 2024|Blog|

The Top 9 Different Types of Non Destructive Testing

What is Non-Destructive Testing?

Non-destructive tests (NDT) are methods that do not damage the parts being tested. NDT uses various inspection techniques to assess individual or group components. By employing different principles from physics, chemistry, and mathematics, NDT can test components without causing damage.

NDT can also be referred to as non-destructive evaluation/examination (NDE) or non-destructive inspection (NDI).

Types of Non-Destructive Testing Methods

Below are 9 common types of non-destructive testing being used today:

1. Thermal/Infrared Testing

Flash Thermography for Battery Inspection

Infrared Non-Destructive Testing has been around for more than 30 years, but has recently gained more momentum. Infrared non-destructive testing is based on the principle of thermal wave imaging. It is considered an active thermography method, as opposed to a passive method.

The active part comes from using an external heat source to warm up the part. Whereas in standard thermography, the camera is usually capturing heat, inherent to the process.

Examples of Thermal/Infrared Inspections:

Finding disbonds in aluminum structures like on an aircraft fuselage or seeing corrosion behind painted surfaces. Other examples include: identifying failure points in microelectronics, evaluating laser weld penetration, and visualizing wheel cracks.

2. Radiography Testing

Radiographic Testing (Image Source)

Radiographic testing (RT) uses X-radiation or gamma radiation to find imperfections in a component or system. An X-ray generator or radioactive isotope is used to send radiation into the material being tested. The radiations are then caught by a detector. The resulting shadowgraph is then used by inspectors to look for potential issues.

Example of Radiography Inspections:

X-rays and CT scans can be used in industrial radiography to see detailed images of the tested material.

3. Visual Inspections

Visual Checks

Visual testing is a way of checking the condition of a material by looking at it. This is the most basic form of testing, and you can do it just by looking at the material. For more detailed visual inspections, you can use a Remote Visual Inspection device to get a closer look.

Example of Visual Testing:

Maintenance professionals use the visual testing method on a daily basis to check for common signs of wear and tear on industrial machinery.

4. Leak Testing

Leak Testing – Bubble Test

Leak testing is used to study leaks and identify defects in structures or vessels. Inspectors often use soap-bubble examinations, pressure gauges, and listening devices to conduct leak testing.

Example of Leak Testing:

A good example of leak testing is using it to find leaks in sealed packaging or devices that do not include an opening for filling.

5. Acoustic Emission Testing

Accoustic Emission Testing (Image Source)

Acoustic emission (AE) testing uses acoustic emissions to identify potential defects in an asset. This testing involves looking for acoustic energy bursts, as these bursts indicate defects. The arrival time, location and intensity of a burst are also examined to identify potential issues.

Example of Acoustic Emission Testing:

AE testing is commonly used to inspect structures such as pressure vessels, pipelines, storage tanks, aircraft structures and steel cables for any defects.

6. Ultrasonic Testing

Ultrasonic Testing

Ultrasonic testing uses high-frequency sound waves to detect and evaluate flaws, measure dimensions, and characterize materials. It is performed with an ultrasonic receiver and transmitter.

Example of Ultrasonic Inspections:

Ultrasonic testing can be used to identify defects and deformation in the wheels and axles of railway carriages.

7. Magnetic Particle Inspection

image example of magnetic particle inspection

Magnetic Particle Inspection (Image Source)

Magnetic particle testing is a process of detecting flaws in a material by observing disruptions in the flow of the material’s magnetic field. To carry out these tests, an inspector first induces a magnetic field in a magnetically susceptible asset. They then sprinkle iron particles over the surface of the material. These particles will reveal any disruptions, providing a visual indication of where the imperfections are located.

Examples of Magnetic Particle Testing:

A good example of magnetic particle testing is using it to inspect the internal and external surfaces of boiler and pressure vessels.

8. Liquid Penetrant Testing

Liquid Penetrant Testing Example

When conducting liquid penetrant testing, an inspector will apply a coating of liquid with a fluorescent or visible dye to an asset. They will then remove any excess solution from the surface of the asset. The remaining solution is left in any breaks or defects in the surface. These defects will be revealed by the dye, which can then be removed using ultraviolet light. With regular dyes, inspectors will study defects by the contrast between the developer and penetrant.

Example of Liquid Penetrant Inspection:

A good example for penetrant testing can be used for inspecting weld metal build-up on plates.

9. Eddy Current Testing

Eddy Current Testing (Image Source)

Eddy current testing is a form of electromagnetic testing where inspectors measure the strength of eddy currents (electrical currents) in a material’s magnetic field. By looking for interruptions in the current, inspectors can often spot defects in the asset or material.

Examples of Eddy Current Testing:

This type of test method can be used for surface scanning, subsurface inspection, weld inspection, fastener hole inspection, tube inspection, heat treatment verification, and metal grade sorting.

What industries use NDT?

Many different industries utilize different types of non-destructive testing to ensure their materials, systems and assets are in good condition and free from defects. For example, companies employing manufacturing and fabrication processes often use NDT to ensure products have the required reliability and integrity. Those in manufacturing also use NDT to keep their products consistent and better control their manufacturing processes.

Non-destructive testing is used for condition assessment and quality control in a wide range of industries, which include (but are not limited to):

Mining
Automotive
Oil and gas
Medical Devices
Aerospace
Maritime
Military and defense
Power generation
Manufacturing
Packaging
Waste Management

Turn to MoviTHERM for Infrared Non-Destructive Testing Solutions

MoviTHERM provides infrared NDT solutions to help engineers, researchers, and developers solve problems that cannot be resolved with traditional passive infrared test methods. MoviTHERM’s irNDT solutions use active excitation and intelligent algorithms to tease out the finest internal details of a material.

Find out more about MoviTHERM’s infrared non-destructive testing solutions today. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Download Our Starter Guide

For Infrared NDT Systems

Learn how Infrared NDT works
Learn what type of defects you can find
Learn how large of an area you can inspect
Learn how this method compliments UT inspections
Learn how to save valuable inspection time

Download Now

MoviTHERM2024-08-16T17:22:26-07:00Thursday, March 21, 2024|Blog|

The 5 Common Causes of Industrial Fires

Loss prevention is always a top priority for most businesses and industries. One of the most devastating losses is an industrial fire.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), an average of 37,000 fires occur yearly at industrial and manufacturing properties. The number of fatalities is extremely limited – just one or two deaths per year on average. However, the costs for loss of inventory and damages make up around $500 million in a year.

Below are the five main causes of industrial fires to help manage risk:

1. Combustible Dust

Combustible dust is a common cause of fire in industrial facilities. This can include dust from metal or coal processing, or even sawdust.

This type of fire occurs when combustible dust is suspended in the air instead of being allowed to settle on a surface. When this happens, the dust particles can ignite and cause an explosion. Once it has been ignited, the fire will spread quickly as it is spread by air currents in the building.

How to prevent combustible dust fires?

Inspect for dust regularly, especially in hidden areas.
Use a dust collection system to avoid buildup.
Use cleaning methods that won’t create dust clouds.
Control smoking, open flames, and sparks.

2. Hot Work

Hot work is a term used in the industry to describe processes that involve heating and welding materials. This type of work often produces sparks, which can ignite flammable materials nearby.

How to prevent hot work fires?

Train employees in safety procedures.
Provide employees with proper safety equipment.
Clear work area of any flammable materials, including dust, gases, and liquids.

3. Flammable Liquids and Gases

This is the most common cause of industrial fires, accounting for about 40% of all incidents. Many flammable liquids are used in manufacturing processes, including diesel fuel and gasoline. These fuels can cause fires if they leak or if they are spilled on hot machinery or equipment.

How to prevent flammable gas fires?

Be familiar with the risks of each flammable liquid and gas on-site.
Read and follow the safety information for storage, and consult the material safety data sheet that comes with the product.
Store hazardous materials properly, in accordance with OSHA standards.
Keep ignition sources away from flammable gases and liquids.
Provide employees with personal protective equipment as needed.

4. Equipment and Machinery

Equipment malfunctions are another common cause of industrial fires. Furnaces, boilers, and related heating equipment all have the potential to ignite when not maintained properly.

How to prevent equipment fires?

Train employees on how to identify possible risks and what to do if they find one.
Keep machines, equipment, and areas surrounding them, clean and clear of flammable materials.
Prevent machine overheating by following guidelines for recommended maintenance procedures.

5. Electrical Hazards

Electrical fires include wiring that is exposed or not up to code, overloaded outlets, extension cords, overloaded circuits, or static discharge.

How to prevent electrical fires?

Don’t overload electrical equipment or circuits.
Unplug temporary equipment not in use.
Avoid using extension cords.
Use antistatic equipment as advised by OSHA and NFPA.

Prevent Fires and Explosions

A fire is a dangerous situation that can be difficult to get under control and stop. Sometimes following all proper safety guidelines isn’t enough to prevent a disastrous loss. Intelligent early fire detection systems such as, MoviTHERM’s iEFD, detects fire before the appearance of smoke, giving employees time to respond quickly and put out the blaze before it causes any real damage.

20+ Page Guide to Fire Detection Systems

Find All Your Answers in Our Guide

Find a reliable fire detection system.
Save money in the long run.
Know the must-have features.
Find a system that adapts to your business needs.
Understand the importance of safety and security.

Download Now

MoviTHERM2024-08-16T17:22:34-07:00Thursday, March 21, 2024|Blog|

Using Infrared Imaging for Composite Inspection

How is thermal imaging used in composite inspection solutions?

Honeycomb material with a lock-in result image shows circular delaminations, circled in red.

In this article, we break down the four subcategories of infrared nondestructive testing for the use of composite inspection solutions.

The first documented use of composite materials was most likely in ancient Egypt during the time of the Pharaohs. Workers were using straw and mud to make building materials. When talking about composite materials today, one usually refers to advanced materials used either in aerospace, military, and racing or automotive applications. Recently, one of the biggest boosts for using composite materials has been commercial aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing with the Dreamliner B-787 and Airbus with the A350.

The Airbus A350 has been designed with more than 50% composite materials. Source: Airbus

In an attempt to make these super liners more fuel efficient, both companies have designed more than 50% of these aircrafts out of composite materials. With these large scale composite structures also comes a significant need for nondestructive material testing (NDT), both for manufacturing as well as in-service inspection.

Traditionally, this need has been fulfilled with ultrasound NDT. However, many parts for these aircraft are being manufactured with complex shapes and curvatures, making it difficult or impractical to use ultrasound sensors which need to be positioned true (orthogonal) to the surface of the material being inspected.

Thermal imaging is not as widespread as ultrasound inspection in the NDT world, although it has many advantages when it comes to large scale composite materials with complex shapes. Thermographic NDT techniques fall into the category of active thermography, due to use of an active heat excitation source. There are four subcategories of thermal or infrared (IR)-NDT that are used for composite inspection solutions: flash, transient, vibro-thermography and lock-in thermography.

Flash Thermography

Flash, sometimes also called pulse thermography, uses a very short pulse of energy, such as provided by a Xenon flash lamp, as the active excitation for the measurement. An infrared or thermal camera is then used to record an image sequence of the heat up and cool down period of the material.

The orange spots on this lock-in image result image of a turbine blade show micro-cracks, some beneath the surface.

When observing the thermal wave on the surface of the material during this period, defects such as impact damages, voids, foreign material inclusions, disbands and water inclusions manifest themselves with their varying thermo-physical properties compared to the intact or defect-free material.

These thermo-physical differences create disturbances or interferences in the surface thermal wave, which the thermal camera records. These image sequences can contain up to multiple hundreds of thermal images. The analysis software then calculates a result image that based on the applied algorithm may be displayed as a phase angle image.

Vibro-Thermography

In a vibro-thermography system, induced ultrasound waves are used to create friction and therefore heat on crack surfaces inside or on the surface of the material. This friction heat can then be seen with the help of the thermal camera. Typical applications for such a vibro-thermography system are the inspection of ceramics and metals for cracks and micro-cracks.

The principle measurement setup is shown here.

Lock-In Thermography

One of the more sophisticated thermal NDT methods available is lock-in thermography. A typical measurement setup for composite NDT using a lock-in thermography system usually involves halogen lamps for excitation.

The underlying principle is based on “locking in” the camera recordings on the known excitation frequency. The sample materials can thereby be excited continuously by using a sinusoidal waveform for modulation of the halogen lamp or lamps. This has the distinct advantage that the heat or thermal wave never decays to the point where the camera can no longer pick up the heat signature.

For instance, with flash or transient thermography a singe and finite heat pulse is used for excitation. The collection of useful thermal images ends at the latest, when the amplitude of the thermal wave approximates the noise floor of the camera detector. This in turn limits the maximum achievable penetration depth of the measurement. This is particularly critical in composite materials, which usually do not conduct heat as well.

Lock-in thermography uses Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithms for calculation of the result image. The image data is evaluated on a pixel-by-pixel basis in the frequency domain and it only allows for signals to be evaluated that are an exact frequency match to that of the excitation source, thus eliminating undesirable thermal reflections.

In fact, since the frequency of noise of the measurement system is random, this method allows for an increase of the thermal sensitivity that reaches below the noise floor of the camera itself. This significantly improves the signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio of a lock-in thermography system, allowing for detection of tough-to-find defects, compared to IR-NDT methods.

The typical thermal sensitivity of a cooled IR-camera is around 25 millikelvin (mK). A lock-in thermography system can extend that range down to the µK range, or by a factor of 100 to 1,000.

Other application examples for using lock-in thermography are thermal stress analysis for nondestructive evaluation of material strengths and shunt detection for photovoltaic (solar) cells and panels.

Download Our Starter Guide

For Infrared NDT Systems

Learn how Infrared NDT works
Learn what type of defects you can find
Learn how large of an area you can inspect
Learn how this method compliments UT inspections
Learn how to save valuable inspection time

Download Now

MoviTHERM2024-08-16T17:22:45-07:00Thursday, March 21, 2024|Blog|

Preventing Recycling Plant Fires with IR Cameras

With more lithium-ion batteries and other flammable materials ending up in consumer waste, recycling plant fires are becoming more common than they should.

In the last year alone, there were over three hundred reported fire incidents in the waste and recycling plant industries. Every other day, we’ll see a news story pop up on our feed about another recycling facility that has caught fire. It happens so often, that at this point, facility owners have a routine in place for when a fire starts.

Although recycling plants have gotten accustomed to their facility catching fire, there’s still a possibility something could go wrong. With every new fire outbreak, waste and recycling crews battle to suppress the fire before it spreads or multiplies. With no real guarantee of mitigating the fire, owners are putting their employees and community in danger.

Devices That Spot Fire Before Igniting

Infrared cameras (or thermal imaging cameras) are widely used by firefighters because they can detect heat through smoke. Figure 1 shows infrared cameras are the first to see the warming up of materials early in the fire development process, before smoke particles or flames.

Graph of fire progression, showing infrared cameras are the first to detect fire.

Figure 1: Fire progression graph shows infrared cameras are the first to detect signs of fire formation.

Fire crews not only have access to thermal imaging devices, but some stations even have access to dashboards that show the pin point location of a fire. These dashboards are a powerful tool, as it shows how fast and where a fire is spreading.

Now if this type of technology exists, what is stopping plant owners from installing a similar fire detection system in their recycling facility? The answer is, nothing! Early fire detection systems are available to any industry who has a fire mitigation problem. Unfortunately, not every plant owner is up to date with current technology and some still depend on the fire department to come and save the day.

Smart Fire Detection Systems

MoviTHERM’s intelligent fire detection system is accessed by mobile device.

With the modern age comes modern solutions. Early fire detection systems are equipped with features that remove the worry of a disastrous outcome caused by a fire.

These smart fire prevention systems can utilize a single point of contact (e.g. a mobile phone or computer interface) to bring together data from various connected fire alarm sensors, allowing the end-user to quickly view the status of fire risk in real-time.

By leveraging the advantages of IoT connectivity, fire management systems have the ability to detect the number of people in the facility, the location of the fire, and the rate at which the fire is spreading.

If a connected sensor or infrared camera detects fire formation (a hot spot), the intelligent fire detection system will send out mass notifications to alert everyone in the recycling plant to stay away from the hazard and notify the professionals to take care of the problem. The neat thing about smart detection systems is that they will alert before the fire becomes visible.

With smart fire detection systems, recycling plants can prevent fires and keep their employees and community safe.

Learn more about early fire detection systems.

20+ Page Guide to Fire Detection Systems

Find All Your Answers in Our Guide

Find a reliable fire detection system.
Save money in the long run.
Know the must-have features.
Find a system that adapts to your business needs.
Understand the importance of safety and security.

Download Now

MoviTHERM2024-08-16T17:22:56-07:00Thursday, March 21, 2024|Blog|

Previous 345 Next

Infrared Cameras

Enclosures

Pan-Tilt Units

MoviTHERM I/O Series

Black Bodies

Discover the Power of Thermography!

Articles, Videos, and More

Our Blog

The Thermal Review Podcast

Newsletters

MoviTHERM's YouTube Channel

Guidebooks, Webinars, & More

Support Articles

Our Expertise

Feasibility Studies

Problem Solving

Commissioning & Training

About MoviTHERM

visit our youtube channel

For Product & Solution Demos

Follow Us

Infrared Cameras

Enclosures

Pan-Tilt Units

MoviTHERM I/O Series

Black Bodies

Discover the Power of Thermography!

Articles, Videos, and More

Our Blog

The Thermal Review Podcast

Newsletters

MoviTHERM's YouTube Channel

Guidebooks, Webinars, & More

Support Articles

Our Expertise

Feasibility Studies

Problem Solving

Commissioning & Training

About MoviTHERM

visit our youtube channel

For Product & Solution Demos

Follow Us

About MoviTHERM

How does a fire prevention plan benefit your workplace?

What is a fire prevention plan?

What are the benefits?

Reduced risk of fire

Enhanced safety

Protects property and assets

Minimizes disruption to business operations

Protects reputation

What are some common components of a fire prevention plan?

Fire safety policies and procedures

Evacuation procedures

Emergency response plan

Employee training

Maintenance and inspection

Early Fire Detection Systems Make Fire Prevention Planning Easy

20+ Page Guide to Fire Detection Systems

Find All Your Answers in Our Guide

What is the Difference Between Induction Seal vs Heat Seal?

Induction Seals

Benefits of Using an Induction Seal Machine

Challenges in Induction Seals

Heat Seals

Benefits of Using a Heat Seal Machine

Challenges in Heat Seals

Add Quality Assurance to Your Sealing Method

Top 5 Benefits of Having a Fire Detection System

1) Early Warning

2) Property Protection

3) Life Safety

4) Legal and Insurance Requirements

5) Cost Savings

Conclusion

20+ Page Guide to Fire Detection Systems

Find All Your Answers in Our Guide

The Risk of Battery Thermal Runaway and How to Prevent It

Risk of Thermal Runaway

Preventing Thermal Runaway With Infrared Cameras