Accurate non-contact temperature measurement is critical for maintaining product quality, optimising processes and guaranteeing safety in various industrial sectors. Two notable technologies used extensively for this purpose are thermal imaging cameras and pyrometers.
As a leading provider of both, Control Metrix is often approached by clients who need to know whether a thermal imaging camera or pyrometer is the better option for a particular application. In this guide, we delve into the technology of each product range, providing a comprehensive comparison and exploring the most suitable applications.
Related Reading: Unlocking Precision with IR Technology and Non-contact Temperature Measurement — Metals Industry
What Is Thermal Imaging?
Thermal imaging devices — also known as thermal cameras, infrared (IR) cameras or thermographic cameras — capture and display images based on the infrared (IR) radiation (heat) emitted by objects. Unlike conventional cameras that capture visible light to create images, thermal cameras detect temperature differences and then translate these differences into a visual display. The resulting images, called thermograms, represent temperature variations in different colours or shades of grey, allowing users to identify areas of heat and cold.
A thermal imaging device, like a Mikron® thermal imaging camera, captures this energy and converts it into an image in which warmer areas appear brighter and cooler regions darker.
Mikron® Thermal Imaging Cameras
Available at Control Metrix
Thermal imaging has diverse applications, ranging from fire prevention (locating hotspots) to monitoring of furnaces, building inspections and many industrial thermal processes. It plays a vital role across multiple industries, making it an invaluable tool in today’s technology-driven world.
Thermal Imaging Applications in Industrial Environments
What Are the Advantages of Thermal Imaging?
1. Detailed Thermal Maps
A thermal imaging camera provides a comprehensive thermal map showing temperature distribution and variation over the entire field of view. Having this view of the relative difference in temperatures enables operators to locate temperature hotspots or coldspots.
2. Non-Contact Measurement
Thermal imaging cameras measure temperature from a safe distance allowing remote viewing and monitoring of extremely hot objects or use in hazardous environments. This benefit also extends to measuring temperature with pyrometers as these are also non-contact temperature measuring instruments.
3. Large Area Scanning
Thermal imaging cameras can efficiently scan and monitor extensive areas for temperature variations and temperature patterns, beneficial for preventive maintenance and safety checks.
4. Real-Time Monitoring
Thermal imaging systems provide immediate, real-time temperature monitoring, enabling instant assessment and decision-making.
5. Versatile Applications
Thermal imaging cameras have multiple uses across a wide range of industries, from scientific research, and manufacturing to medical diagnostics and facilities management. These tools are used for building inspections, electrical system checks, and furnace monitoring, among many others.
What Are the Disadvantages of Thermal Imaging?
1. Relative Measurement
Thermal image cameras are great for generating a visual representation of the relative differences in temperature (i.e., hot and cold spots) over an area or surface of an object. However, low-end cameras can’t measure actual absolute temperatures — only the relative temperature between different sections of an area or object.
2. Temperature Measurement Errors
A thermal image camera can produce inaccurate results if certain materials in the camera’s field of view have different emissivity levels (i.e., these surfaces emit different levels of thermal radiation).
There may also be other environmental and atmospheric factors influencing temperature that the thermal imaging camera would pick up. It is therefore recommended that a skilled operator (thermographer) is available to read and interpret the results.
3. Slower Measurement Rate
Although thermal imaging cameras can have a fast update rate, they generally have a slower response rate than a pyrometer, making them less suitable for applications where the temperature is changing rapidly.
What Is a Pyrometer (Infrared Thermometer)?
Impac IN 140/5 Series Pyrometer
Available at Control Metrix
Like thermal cameras, pyrometers or infrared thermometers are sensors that measure temperature by analysing the infrared radiation emitted by an object’s surface. However, pyrometers measure the temperature of an object through a single point instead of an entire area. Pyrometers can only convert the temperature of a hot object into a Celsius (°C) or Fahrenheit (°F) reading — they do not create an image showing an object’s hot or cold spots.
Pyrometers are often used in industrial applications to measure objects subjected to extreme temperatures — think glowing or molten metals or glass.
Related Reading: What is a Pyrometer?
What Are the Advantages of Pyrometers?
Basic Functionality of a Pyrometer
1. Single-Point Measurement
Pyrometers provide precise temperature measurements of a specific point on a surface.
Whilst they can’t provide a visual representation of the relative difference in temperatures of an object or surface, what they lack in imagery they make up for with accuracy — giving you the exact temperature at a specific point on an object.
2. High Accuracy
Pyrometers are designed to provide precise and accurate temperature measurements, they can be specified for measuring a particular material therefore optimising the measuring performance for a given application. They offer reliability in ensuring that critical temperature processes are maintained within tight tolerances.
You can also use a specific type of pyrometer to optimise the measurement performance for a specific material or application, ensuring an extremely high level of accuracy.
Related Reading: What Are the Different Types of Pyrometers?
3. Fast Response Rate
Pyrometers have a fast response rate, making them suitable for real-time process control and monitoring applications. They can accurately track an object’s temperature change without lag — critical in many glass, metal and other industrial thermal manufacturing processes.
4. Affordable
Generally speaking, pyrometers are a more cost-effective solution than thermal imaging cameras, making them a viable tool for a wider range of industrial applications. When you factor in their long-term reliability and lower maintenance costs, the affordability of pyrometers becomes even more evident.
Related Reading: What Are the Benefits of Using Pyrometers in Manufacturing?
What Are the Disadvantages of Pyrometers?
1. Limited Area Assessment
Pyrometers can only measure an object or surface’s temperature at a single point. This is great for accuracy, but not so much if your goal is to scan and visualise temperature distributions across a large area.
2. Lack of Visual Data
A pyrometer will not provide any visual images. Depending on your objectives, this lack of visual measurements could lead to you potentially missing nuanced thermal anomalies.
Thermal Imaging vs Pyrometers: Which Tool Should You Use?
When deciding between thermal imaging technology and pyrometers, the solution will depend wholly on your application and specification requirements.
Thermal imaging cameras are most suitable for applications demanding a comprehensive view of temperature distributions. They excel in preventative maintenance, safety inspections and large-scale monitoring, providing a clear visual representation of temperature variations across wide areas.
Pyrometers, on the other hand, are ideal for precisely measuring the temperature of an object at a specific point. They require little skill to operate and provide high accuracy and reliable measurement of temperature without any need to interpret the results. Their compact and rugged design makes them suitable for easy installation in all types of industrial applications.
Ultimately, understanding the strengths and limitations of each technology is paramount in selecting the most effective and efficient device for your temperature measurement needs in industrial applications.
Follow the Control Mextrix Blog to find more insights on non-contact measurement in industrial settings. We’ve advised and delivered non-contact temperature measurement solutions to a wide range of industries for over 16 years. Get in touch with our team for a consultation. For more information or to speak to one of our product specialists, contact us at hello@control-metrix.com or give us a call at 01823 761 309
