Thermal imaging gets smarter and smaller

Dean Palmer reports on a miniature industrial thermal imaging camera that has potential use in machine vision, process monitoring, robotics and security applications A new thermal imaging camera has been developed that uses the latest vanadium oxide microbolometer detectors combined with the industry's most advanced on-focal plane signal processing to give users exceptional image quality and thermal resolution. Flir Systems' ThermoVision A10 is the latest in the company's long line of thermal imaging cameras, this particular model being the smallest so far - measuring just 34mm by 35mm by 48mm and weighing 120g, making it ideal for applications where space, weight and power are constraints but where high performance is critical. Paul Sacker, UK marketing manager at Flir Systems commented: "The A10 sets new standards for ease of integration and offers the benefits of considerable application flexibility, ultra low power consumption, low heat load and long battery life." Sacker cited numerous potential applications: "It is ideal for fire fighting, security and surveillance, search and rescue, industrial process monitoring, machine vision, building inspection, unmanned vehicles, robotics and military applications." Another unique feature of the A10 is an image optimisation system that pre-processes image data and eliminates the need for temperature stabilisation of the array. Sacker explained that the A10 can operate over a wide ambient temperature range without the complexity and power consumption of a thermoelectric cooler. "The absence of a TE cooler enables the camera to be ready for use as soon as it is switched on which can be critical in 'on demand' applications such as fire fighting." To maximise picture quality without the need for operator intervention, the A10 uses 'SmartScene' video output. This uses a dynamic, non-linear conversion to process the 14-bit digital image data into the 8-bit domain of analogue video. This conversion algorithm is automatically adjusted, frame by frame, to increase the contrast in the darker/colder areas while avoiding 'washout' of the brighter/hotter objects in the image frame. "In the industrial world," explained Sacker, "the camera provides direct support for machine vision and imaging applications. An auto-ranging function detects very hot scenes and automatically switches into an extended temperature range mode, allowing imaging up to 400°C. The internal shutter periodically recalibrates the camera automatically. This can also be overridden manually, important in process monitoring applications. And all camera functions can be optimised through an RS 232 command set." While Sacker admitted that the A10 may not be everybody's cup of tea, he told Eureka that thermal imaging cameras are often overlooked by design, quality, maintenance and production engineers. "It's an education thing I suppose," he added. "We have customers in all kinds of industries using our equipment. A steel manufacturer, for example, is using 17 thermal imaging cameras to provide it with early warning of failure of the refractory linings on production ladles, which apparently can fail at any time. "Other clients in the steel industry are using cameras to detect if too much slag is getting into their production processes and also to monitor shredding. Chunks of steel are fed into and shredded by heavy rollers, the IR camera offers another pair of eyes if you like, to see through the steam into the feeder section to detect possible jams," he explained. Flir also has customers in the electrical power distribution industry. As Sacker said: "The cameras are ideal for remote transformer station monitoring. One client is using a camera positioned 300m away from the actual transformer." Other applications mentioned included: the inspection of rubber bellows; white goods manufacturing; commissioning of textile machines; sprinkler bulbs for fire detection; controlling the temperature of laser welding; automatic detection of micro leakages in fluid power systems; the inspection of automotive parts such as plastic welded components, dashboards and leather car seats; the quality control of cooling glass parts; fire detection; server room monitoring; pipeline monitoring and PCB inspection. But the most state-of the-art application for the A10 has to be Sacker's example from the automotive industry: "Next year, a major German car manufacturer will be using the camera on one of its prestige models for driver night vision enhancements." Pointers * Thermal imaging cameras are often overlooked by design, production, quality and maintenance engineers but the potential applications are numerous * The A10 uses the latest vanadium oxide microbolometer detectors combined with advanced on-focal plane signal processing to give users exceptional image quality and thermal resolution * in 2005, a major German car manufacturer will use the A10 to enhance night vision for drivers of one of its prestige models