Case Study

Battery test results provide critical signals about battery health and performance, but only when they are correctly interpreted across multiple testing methods.

From storm damage to every- day plumbing and roof leaks, moisture damage in residential and commercial buildings can be very expensive. The key is identifying and locating moisture problems before secondary damages escalate. Within the last few years, infrared cameras (thermal imagers) have become powerful tools for locating moisture problems in buildings. Instead of searching for moisture inch- by-inch with a moisture meter, an infrared camera provides the ability to scan an entire room in a matter of minutes. By locating the thermal changes from evaporative moisture cool- ing (EMC) in drywall, carpet, ceiling tiles, etc., inspectors can moisture map the entire building and isolate problems before providing an estimate for remediation. This article discusses the parameters and limitations when using infrared cameras to detect moisture inside buildings and homes.

"I have my thermal imaging camera. Now what do I do?"

In the past, establishing a preventive maintenance program has required a lot of tedious work and often just doesn’t work the way we think it should. The goal of a successful preventive maintenance program is to have easy access to historical data for each piece of critical equipment, so measurement trends can be monitored and maintenance downtime planned – preventing equipment down situations.

When a motor bearing fails, the motor heats up and lubrication begins to break down. The windings overheat and then the temperature sensor cuts out and stops the motor. Worst case, the shaft binds up, the rotor locks up and the motor fails completely.

Electric motors are the backbone of industry. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that in the U.S. alone there are 40 million motors operating in industry, and the fact that those motors use 70 % of the electricity consumed by industry indicates their importance.

Many industrial machines use gearboxes to alter and/or vary the standard speeds of electric motors. The lifeblood of any gearbox is the oil within it that lubricates the gears. If the oil level in a gearbox gets too low or loses its ability to lubricate, the gearbox will eventually fail, preceded by overheating. That’s where thermal imaging comes in.

Using a Fluke Ti20 Thermal Imager and a Fluke 975V AirMeter™ test tool, customers protect their servers by monitoring environments in rented data centers.

Contractors who restore buildings following water intrusion say that a thermal imager can be a time saver and a moneymaker, giving them a competitive edge and adding elements of professionalism and thoroughness to their offerings. “With a thermal imager, you can quickly pan through and find the five percent that’s wet. 

Today’s thermal imagers are rugged, easy to use, and much more affordable than even just a few years ago. They have become a realistic solution for everyday electrical maintenance. To use, a qualified technician or electrician points the thermal imager at the equipment in question and scans the immediate area, looking for unexpected hot spots.

Electronic test instruments are essential tools for ensuring the quality and reliability of products, processes and equipment. However, over time, these instruments can drift, leading to inaccurate and unreliable measurements.

In the realm of instrument calibration, understanding the concept of UUT (Unit Under Test) is essential, as it refers to the specific device being evaluated for accuracy and performance against established reference standards.