Blog Archives - Infratherm

A Guide to Buying a Thermal Camera

29/8/2016

Nowadays, there are many people who are interested in acquiring their own thermal camera, but have no idea where to begin looking or what to look for in the first place. Many (if not all) of these people are interested in doing so because they want to start their own infrared or thermal camera inspection business, or are somehow engaged in research and development projects that requires the use of such an equipment, whether in the field of medical, electrical, process control or even perimeter security. Whatever your reason for wanting to buy a thermal camera, you should be aware that there are certain factors that must be considered before you put down any money for such a gadget.

Infratherm – The Place Australians Flock to for Purchasing the Best Thermal Image Cameras

23/8/2016

The security of your property is not something that you can take lightly. Business establishments all over the country face a number of risks. Given the volume of money and the reputation of the business is at stake, business owners need to invest in the best security systems. Similarly, residential properties also face the risk of burglary and break-ins. At stake, are not only the belongings of the occupant. On occasions, even the lives of the people within the house could be at risk. Many people think that by hiring the best security agencies, they have done their best towards keeping their properties safe. But, this is not really true.

Human beings are prone to making mistakes. In addition, they remain at the mercy of the external conditions. So, if the visibility in your area happens to be poor on a specific day, it is hardly surprising that the ability of your security staff to counter or resist any unauthorised entry will be compromised as well. In this scenario, it is best to harness the myriad benefits offered by technology. And, when you require the best security devices for safeguarding your property, don’t look beyond the products offered by Infratherm.

Infratherm is Australia’s top provider or Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) cameras, infrared thermal cameras, HD thermal imagers and radiometric systems. We provide analytical software tools and thermal imaging services as well. We offer comprehensive security solutions to all our clients. This is regardless of whether they require these devices for their personal security or for large-scale infrastructural needs. Besides providing security solutions and devices, we tailor our solutions to meet the requirements of our clients. In addition, we obtain all our supplies from a global network of suppliers. Thus, unlike single source suppliers, we will never offer you products offered by one or two manufacturers. Rather, we will select the best products from the leading suppliers in the world and let you choose the ones that best meet your needs. To know more, call us at +612 8850 5110.

Who Are the Leading Manufacturers of the Best Infrared Thermal Imaging Cameras?

16/8/2016

Thermal imaging cameras came into being sometime during the 1950s for military application. Also known as thermographic cameras or infrared imagers, these cameras used to be bulky devices at one time. This was because the technology of the time required liquid nitrogen for cooling the detector system. The classified nature of the technology and the exorbitant rates meant that these cameras hardly available for use in various civil and commercial applications. This changed in the following decade. The development of uncooled detectors and advances in infrared viewing technology made these cameras more affordable. Today, numerous manufacturers provide a diverse range of thermal cameras across the world. Some of the major manufacturers comprise:

Jenoptik: Founded in 1991 in Germany, Jenoptik has a presence in around 80 countries across the globe. An integrated photonics group, it operates in domains such as lasers & material processing, optical systems, industrial metrology, traffic solutions and defence & civil systems. Its clients include businesses in the semiconductor equipment manufacturing, automotive supplying and medical technology industries. The IR-TCM 640 High Resolution IR Module and the VarioCAM High Resolution thermography cameras are among their most popular thermal IP cameras.
Nippon Avionics: A Japanese company with over 50 years of operational experience, Nippon Avionics specialises in developing and designing data processing systems. In addition, it manufactures aviation equipment, communication equipment, image processing equipment, medical equipment etc. Among its several thermal imaging cameras, the InfReC R500 series and the Thermo Tracer H2640 are very popular.
Infrared Cameras Inc. (ICI): A US-based company, this manufactures complete infrared systems and software. ICI also specialises in providing comprehensive engineering and OEM solutions. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, ICI provides a wide range of infrared cameras admirably suited to the thermography market. Their IR-PAD series of products incorporate a 320 or 640 Resolution Thermal Core into a Windows-based tablet PC.
IRCameras: This company is a leading service provider of high performance, customisable infrared imaging systems. In addition, it also specialises in offering Integrated Dewar Cooler Assemblies (IDCAs). IRCameras offers a diverse range of cameras suited for meeting scientific, industrial and military needs. They offer an assortment of standard and custom Short Wave Infra-Red (SWIR), Medium Wave Infra-Red (MWIR) and Long Wave Infra-Red cameras. Some of their most popular products include the QuazIR HD+, the Niatros Optical Gas Imagers, the Short Wave 900 series and the Mid Wave 900 series.
DALI Technology: Established in 1984, DALI Technology is among the top manufacturers and suppliers of thermal image cameras and digital video recorders. With over 20 years of operational experience, this company is based in Hangzhou, China. The DL700E+, the DL700C+, the T6-P, the TE and the TEi are among its most popular products.
Therm-App (by Opgal Optronic Industries): Since it began operating in 1983, Opgal has specialised in developing high performance, versatile visualisation hardware and software products for a variety of markets. Opgal’s focus on research, development and innovation led to the emergence of Therm-App. Therm-App refers to a compact thermal imaging camera that blends easily with the benefits offered by Android devices. These high resolution night vision and thermography Android thermal cameras have revolutionised the way thermal imaging technology works. Not surprisingly, these are the best thermal cameras you can use on your smartphones.

What Are Some of the Most Significant Aspects to be Aware of About Thermal IP Cameras?

9/8/2016

Thermal imaging cameras capture objects based on the amount of infrared heat or energy they emit. Thereafter, they present these images in different shades of grey, highlighting various temperature ranges. Unlike regular cameras, thermal imaging cameras function by using infrared light. In contrast, regular cameras operate on the basis of reflected light. This difference enables thermal imaging cameras to provide images even in low or poor visibility conditions.

However, it’s essential to be aware of certain facts when you’re thinking of using them to boost your security levels. Thermal imaging cameras:

Do Not Measure Temperature Directly: Thermal cameras do not measure temperature levels of objects directly. Instead, they provide estimates based on:
oThe infrared radiation of the object
oThe emissivity of the object and,
oVarious other factors
Provide Surface Temperatures Only: Thermal cameras cannot see into the object. As such, they can only provide details of the surface temperature of the object. Similarly, in visible light, window glazing appears transparent. But, when viewed in infrared light, window glazing would typically be opaque. So, if you happen to take an infrared image through a window, you will not get an image of objects lying on the other side of the window. Instead, all that you will get will be the surface temperature of the window glazing.
Must Provide the Temperature Scales While Viewing the Object: As mentioned earlier, thermal cameras produce images in various shades of grey. These different shades denote specific ranges of temperature. Now, the average user will not be able to understand what these shades represent. Therefore, it is imperative that these cameras provide temperature scales as well. The users would be able to use these scales for mapping each shade to its respective temperature range.
Reflect Infrared Radiation as Well as Visible Radiation: Shiny surfaces reflect infrared rays quite well. As a result, the reflections in the thermal image will reflect the temperature of the object being reflected and not the temperature of the shiny surface itself

How Do Thermal Image Cameras Work?

3/8/2016

To understand how thermal imaging cameras work, it is essential to understand how the human eye works. The human eye operates by virtue of seeing all the objects illuminated by the sun or any other source of light. The contrast between objects illuminated by the sources of light enables the human eye to distinguish between two objects. In contrast, thermal imaging cameras work by seeing the heat energy that the objects in the frame emit. As mentioned earlier, all objects (whether living or not) have heat energy. Thermal imaging cameras detect this energy and provide an image accordingly. The ability to detect infrared energy makes these cameras highly accurate. This is so even in conditions of complete darkness.

Unlike digital cameras that work by using reflected light, thermal cameras work by seeing heat. As such, the images these cameras produce will be very different from those produced by regular cameras. It is evident that each object will emit varying levels of infrared energy or heat. Thus, thermal imaging cameras have the ability to convert the temperature of objects into shades of grey. These shades will typically be lighter or darker than the background. For instance, the picture of a person will be lighter than the background on a cold day. This is because the person is hotter than the background. Similarly, on a hot day, a person will appear to be darker than the background. This is because the person is cooler than the background