Asset integrity guide
Infrared Thermography
Surface-temperature patterns for mechanical and electrical condition screening.
Safety boundary: this page explains integrity concepts only. It does not provide live electrical work, pressure-equipment repair/testing, confined-space entry, radiation-source handling, machinery operation or hazardous inspection procedures.
What this topic covers
Surface-temperature patterns for mechanical and electrical condition screening.
Core ideas
Infrared cameras estimate surface temperature from emitted radiation.
Useful interpretation considers emissivity, reflections, load and environmental conditions.
Thermography can identify abnormal heat patterns but does not by itself identify every root cause.
Program tradeoffs
Load, speed and operating state can change signals even when machine condition is unchanged.
What good evidence looks like
Diagnosis should combine vibration, temperature, lubrication, process and maintenance history where appropriate.
Lifecycle perspective
Monitoring should produce actionable work or engineering review rather than accumulating alarms without response.