Why Thermographic Scanning Is Essential for Preventive Maintenance
Preventive maintenance is one of the best strategies for homeowners and businesses alike to reduce expensive repairs, enhance safety, and maximize the lifespan of valuable resources. Thermographic scanning is one of the best and most efficient technologies used to discover problems before they escalate.
Thermographic inspections are ideal to spot irregularities in electrical systems, industrial equipment, plumbing, and even the infrastructure of a building because these anomalies are often hidden from the naked eye. This technology is useful in commercial, industrial, and even residential operations. In fact, the diagnostics it provides is accurate and non-invasive, which saves both time and money.
In this blog, we will show how the use of thermographic scanning in preventive maintenance is a key technology to enhance and maximize the efficiency and safety of operations.
What is Thermographic Scanning?
Thermographic scanning involves the use of thermal imaging to identify the patterns and variations of heat in the systems or structures of equipment. Because all objects emit some form of infrared energy, thermographic cameras can capture this energy as images, which are referred to as thermograms.
From these images, inspectors are able to identify and diagnose a host of potential problems like:
Overloaded circuits
Stray Voltage
Water Leaks
Mechanical Wear
Poor Insulation
Overheating
One of the many advantages of thermographic inspections is that because they are non-invasive and non-contact, the maintained systems can be kept fully operational during the inspection. This provides an invaluable service to preventive maintenance as well.
Early Detection, Reduced Expenses
A major benefit of thermographic scanning is the ability to detect problems before major failures occur. Equipment issues often begin with a small, undetectable temperature change.
For example, an electrical circuit can become overloaded, creating excessive heat long before a complete failure is reached. Early identification of the circuit issue allows the repair to be done before the failure of the circuit, the downtime of the equipment, and the creation of a fire and costly damage.
Similarly, plumbing systems may have hidden leaks that lead to the development of structural damage and the wasting of water. An underground leak detection system, combined with thermographic technology, can provide advanced detection of hidden leaks.
By detecting problems early, costly, unplanned repairs and operational downtime are avoided.
Safety in the Workplace
Safety is the number one concern in all industries, and thermographic inspections contribute to safety by identifying problems before they become serious.
Electrical failures can lead to fires in industrial settings. Loose and overloaded electrical circuits generate excessive heat and can fail. Thermographic scanning allows early detection of these issues to decrease the likelihood of an electrical fire and promote a safer environment.
In manufacturing plants, overheating machinery can pose safety issues to workers. Thermographic scanning is used to identify thermally abnormal bearings, motors, and conveyor systems.
Thermographic inspections decrease the need to contact dangerous equipment. Scanning can be done from a safe distance, allowing for less exposure to high-voltage and hazardous systems.
Less Equipment Downtime
Unplanned downtime is likely to cost your business money. Day-to-day operations suffer, productivity decreases, and spending on maintenance increases.
With the use of thermographic scanning, maintenance teams can identify the weak spots within a system, preventing complete system failures. This helps maintenance teams schedule repairs during normal maintenance stop periods as opposed to putting the system at risk and having to do an emergency maintenance stop.
For large industrial operations, the dependability and efficiency of the operation is greatly improved with the use of thermographic technology in predictive maintenance. Potential issues are resolved before the system fails and is brought to a halt.
This same logic can be applied to residential or commercial buildings. Regular thermal inspections on an HVAC system, an electrical system and plumbing systems can aid in preventing system failures.
Detection of Water Leaks
The cost of water damage can be significant and is often the result of hidden leaks that can go undetected for long periods.
The use of thermographic technology is very helpful in the the detection of water leaks. Since water changes the temperature of surfaces, in thermal imaging, water leaks can be seen as areas that are warmer or cooler than the the surrounding areas.
When a water leak detector is used in conjunction with thermographic scanning, it is very helpful in the detection of leaks in subterranean plumbing systems. This coupled technology can save a property owner from incurring the unnecessary expense of large digging projects.
Subterranean water leaks that are left undetected can result in additional costs and loss of a property's value.
Increases Energy Efficiency
Another benefit of thermographic inspections that greatly aid preventive maintenance is energy efficiency.
Buildings can lose energy through their walls, windows, roofs, HVAC systems, and more due to poor insulation. With thermal imaging, property owners can identify where heat loss occurs and helps property owners stop wasting energy by improving insulation.
In industrial plants, overheating electrical systems and inefficient machinery tend to use the most energy. Thermographic scanning can help identify systems that drain energy and need to be replaced.
Improving the efficiency of systems helps the drain of financial resources and decreases the impact on the environment.
Supports Predictive Maintenance Programs
Predictive maintenance has essentially replaced routine maintenance that is performed on a time schedule or maintenance that is performed after equipment is broken. Predictive maintenance relies on real-time measurements of equipment to monitor the health of equipment and prevent failure of equipment.
Thermographic scanning is a great tool for predictive maintenance, because it shows the health of a system in real-time.
The analysis of the temperature of a system is done over a period of time and selects the opportune moment to repair the system and helps organizations achieve their goals of:
Improving the reliability of systems
Improving the efficiency of operations and maintenance
Reducing the costs of repairs
Extending the lifespan of the systems.
Predictive maintenance strategies powered by thermographic technology are a huge asset to the following industries: manufacturing, power generation, healthcare, transportation, construction, and more.
Non-Invasive and Time Efficient
With traditional techniques, an inspection can involve tearing apart equipment or walls; however, with thermographic scanning, this is not the case.
Thermographic scanning can be used to see the insides of many large systems and can greatly speed up the time and reduce the costs associated with inspections.
For property owners with plumbing issues, using thermographic scanning with underground water leak detectors minimizes the need for extensive excavation or unnecessary demolition.
One of the main benefits of thermographic inspections is that they allow plumbing systems and other infrastructures to be quickly and easily viewed without being disturbed. Because of these benefits, thermographic inspections are very common in many modern maintenance programs.
Many of the same benefits are true for thermographic scanning in the following areas:
Electrical Systems
Thermographic scanning can identify overloaded circuits and detect loose connections before they result in an electrical fire. Scanning is also used to monitor the condition of transformers and switchgear.
Mechanical Equipment
Thermographic scanning can detect overheating and be used to monitor the condition of conveyors and other machines.
Building Inspections
Insulation gaps as well as roof and moisture intrusions can all be located during a thermographic scan.
Plumbing Systems
Thermographic scanning can locate pipe leaks and water leaks that are undetectable using traditional methods.
Thermographic scanning can also be used to improve the diagnostic capability of plumbing systems.
HVAC Systems
Thermal scanning can be used to evaluate the efficiency of air flow; locate blocked ducts, and determine failing components.
Thermographic scanning has many applications and is a mainstay of preventive maintenance for both commercial and residential properties.
Long Term Savings
Even with the specialized equipment and skills needed to perform thermographic inspections, there is a significant savings in costs over the longer term. The cost of doing preventive maintenance is always less than doing emergency maintenance or having to completely replace an item of equipment.
Keeping a thermographic scanner on the property is a great way to reduce the cost of maintenance. Thermographic scanning improves the reliability of systems and the value of the property.
Professional Thermographic Services
Thermographic scanning can be very difficult and has little value if the person performing the scan is inexperienced. Certified, skilled, and professional thermographers are able to discern a great deal of complexity in a thermographic image.
Professional inspectors have the most advanced infrared cameras to offer highly detailed diagnostics of residential, commercial, and industrial systems. Some tools that a professional water leak detection service may have include a water leak detector underground.
To choose a good thermographics service, you must consider:
- Certified infrared thermographers
- Advanced thermal imaging technology
- Preventive maintenance experience
- Comprehensive reports and recommendations
- Good reviews
Professional services ensure that the results of the inspections are correct and facilitate the decisions of the maintenance of the property.
Conclusion
Thermographic scanning is now a significant aspect of preventive maintenance. It is the best way to show problems that are hidden that may come to be expensive problems in the future. Preventive maintenance can be done on electrical systems, machinery, plumbing, and even building structures.
Thermographic inspection services, together with advanced technologies such as a water leak detector underground, are an excellent way to protect residential, commercial, and industrial properties.
Thermographic scanning will continue to be one of the best preventive maintenance and long-term protection tools as system reliability and efficiency are priorities for both residential and commercial property owners.