Thermal Image Camera - What features to look for?

[Comcokid]

I am looking into getting a hand-held thermal imaging camera for use in design verification and prototype evaluation of circuit board power assemblies.

There are so many of these cameras types out there for maintenance use in checking circuit breakers/wiring, building insulation checking, and such. But I want to know what specific features are most useful for the electronics design engineer to locate and evaluate hot-spots on electronics for a circuit board that measures about 12" x 12".

I want to know what other electronics engineers have found most useful, or not useful in the features of these cameras. I don't want to spend a fortune. If it's too expensive, management won't go for it, and I'll be forever using thermocouples. My designs have a variety of power devices, power inductors, and surface-mount components. I need to check the thermal charcteristics of the design under a variety of conditions and don't want to miss something important. Thermocouples are only good when you know exactly where the hot components really are.

 

[IRstuff]

Just get something that has:
> Sufficient field of view and resolution to see your board at a reasonable distance
> Handheld, but tripod capable
> False color
> Emissivity adjust

That's pretty much it, for what you've described. The only issue is how cold a "hotspot" you intend to find. If it's pretty much something that would burn your pinky if touched, then it's definitely a no-brainer. Otherwise, you might need something that's very sensitive.

I don't recall the imager we bought at work, so I'll need to get back to work on Monday for the manufacturer and model number, but it was around $20K.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[itsmoked]

You know you're screwed when a product generally has no price listed on "request quote". What a scam.

Anyway you probably can't get imaging for any less than $5k.

I use a hand non-contact thermometer gun for all my board designs. I have a one that is about $300. It has a small spot size and a "peak reading" in addition to the immediate temp display so I can paint my subject board with it while observing both the temperature and the "highest so far" simultaneously.

It has proven to be very useful and entirely adequate.

If I want to see the temperature of the room I'm in all I have to do is point at some low mass surface with all sides exposed to the room's air. A cardboard box flap is a common subject. It is always within a 1/4 degree F of an accurate thermometer, which is more than you need to study any board.

This has proven to be all I ever need. If I was designing heatsinks and had to see tiny nuances between designs then I would need a thermal imager but for board designs it's likely major over kill.

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[MacGyverS2000]

I've seen a handful of thermal imagers for around the $4k mark, and Sears (of all places) has a $2k model that's good from 32-480F (give or take).

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[electricpete]

I think for your application looking at small equipment as compared to the normal power equipment surveys, spatial measurement resolution will be important. Compare the IFOV and MFOV parameters along with how close can the camera be and still be in focus.

Our Mikron 7200V camera bought 5+ has a few features I like:
1 - takes a visual image stored with every thermal image.
2 - reasonably good software for viewing/post-processing the images
3 - It has ability to record sequence of images evenly spaced im time for an easy acurrate record of a thermal transient.

I may be off-base, but I don't think there is huge difference in offerings from the big names (Mikron, Flir...). There may be a distributor or other sales person ready to show you hands on the range of products from within one of the big names. Check out the cameras and features to find one you're comfortable with. Ideally try them out on the type of stuff you'll be looking at.

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