Thermography Case Studies

Thermal imaging cameras are being used to monitor the stress levels in zoo animals and to keep those stress levels to a minimum. It has been reported that many animals are prone to emotional stress and the physical side effects of anaesthetics, and in some cases treatment does more harm than good.

At the Fiat Car factory in Italy they are using thermal imaging cameras for predictive maintenance purposes, in order to predict electrical and mechanical faults. The factory produces 250,000 cars per year, meaning that it is important for the system of car production to work efficiently without any possible faults.

Infrared cameras can detect elevated body temperature which may indicate the presence of fever. Due to factors such as, economic migration and the growth of international travel means that it is much easier for infections and disease to spread quickly. This calls for a stringent global prevention policy.

Electricity is usually taken for granted in our society. However, the electrical grid has to have regular inspections of the network’s components to ensure a continuous supply of electricity. Thermal imaging cameras are increasingly being used to see the components state of operation. E.ON Bayern, a German power and gas utility company are the main power supplier in central Europe and have started to use thermal imaging cameras as part of their preventative maintenance programme.

The magnificent power and danger of volcanoes intrigue and fascinate Geological Researchers. They are a window into the centre of the Earth and allow researchers to better understand the Earth itself. Through the use of a thermal imaging camera, a researcher can measure volcanic heat without the need for contact with the lava. A thermal camera is capable of recording radiated heat and displaying the thermal image and temperature reading on the display.

Flir thermal imaging cameras have been used to help determine how well anti-allergy medicine is functioning. Using a thermal imaging camera to study the skin and temperature differences is an extremely accurate, non-invasive, non-contact technique that can easily be used to visually show changes that could indicate further problems and unknown issues.

Recently we reported on the application of thermal imaging in equestrian sports and for Olympic horses. However, horses are not the only animals that can benefit from thermal imaging. Infrared cameras have recently been used to diagnose heath problems in small animals too. This makes the possibilities for thermal imaging much wider and also allows the use of thermal cameras to become a much more mainstream way of diagnosing problems.

Thermal imaging cameras have been used in court cases where, in the case of building problems, the infrared camera has been used to establish the facts of the case. One such case was an Italian dispute concerning moisture ingress and mould formation in a brand new apartment building. The inhabitants of the apartments felt that the building construction was flawed but the building contractor blamed the inhabitants for not ventilating the apartments.

Thermal cameras help spot clinical problems in horses to help prevent serious injury. A trained thermographer or a vet can check the horse for injury or any weak/hot spots that are not otherwise visible to the naked eye. As this is a non intrusive method, any problems can be quickly and easily spotted without causing any distress to the animal.

Wolfgang Böttcher owns a thermography consultancy agency that specialises in thermal imaging building diagnostics. Using his thermal camera he performs energy audits. A Display Energy Certificate (DEC) in the UK is an essential requirement for all public buildings with a floor area over 1,000m2 and is a printed report that shows the actual energy usage of a building/office/structure.