Increase Accuracy and Speed of IR Surveys

IRID labels provide thermographers with measurement points with a known emissivity. These easily identifiable targets aid in focusing and provide a reference point for electrical engineers that are responsible for correcting the faults found during an infrared Survey. Elimination of guess-work and improved identification will improve efficiency and speed of surveys.

Thermographers, regardless of experience and skill level will improve the accuracy of measurements with high emissivity targets since the accuracy of a fault diagnosis is only as accurate of the data it is based on. IRID Labels eliminate the reflection and emissivity issues which are the most common causes of false-positive and false-negative diagnosis in electrical thermography.

These patented labels were developed by a Level III thermographer to solve identifications problems which are typical in electrical thermography. The Large labels were developed to identify bus bar joints in covered runs. They include a white box to record the joint number for easy communication with the electrician and to aid in trending data. Try using a glitter (or reflective) pen to make the notation stand out against the emissive background of the label. The shapes were developed to identify phase or to identify position of a breaker or connection among many similar ones.

These digital images show the placement of high emissivity stickers on a low emissivity/ highly reflective surface. The infrared image demonstrates that the metal surfaces are reflecting a cool ambient background temperature, while the high emissivity labels show a true indication of the surface’s temperature.

If the temperature of the reflective metal was the same as the temperature of the ambient background that is reflecting, then the image of the labels would not be detectable. The camera would not be able to detect a difference between the reflected and emitted temperatures, and would therefore display the same colors and temperatures regardless of whether the source was the reflective surface or the label. However, in the event that the metalic surface was a different temperature than what it was reflecting, the labels become visible against the reflective background, allowing the thermographer to consistently gather accurate data with regard to the surface’s true temperature.