Automated temperature camera for condition monitoring and hot-spot detection

RS Components has announced availability of the new AX8 from FLIR, which is the most cost-effective and smallest thermal cameras on the market and offers an automated multi-spectral temperature sensor for condition monitoring and hot-spot detection. Combined with its affordability and ultra-compact size, the thermal camera can be mounted in a wide number of diverse applications, including the Internet of Things. RS is targeting use of the device in commercial sectors and applications only, including process and manufacturing industries, data centres, energy generation and distribution, transportation and mass transit, storage facilities and refrigeration warehouses. Ideal for the continuous thermal monitoring of critical installations and facilities, the camera has an integrated intelligent temperature sensor that senses temperature change and has built-in analysis features to ensure that the camera can determine the change and act upon it. By combining thermal and visual camera capabilities in a compact 54 x 25 x 95mm package, the device is easy to install in space-constrained areas, providing continuous temperature monitoring and alarming for uninterrupted condition monitoring of critical electrical and mechanical equipment. Providing continuous safety monitoring to detect hot spots without the need for periodic manual scans, the AX8 helps the early identification of problems, which could include a loose connection or an overloaded fuse, and can guard against unplanned outages, service interruptions or equipment failure. The streaming video output provides live video of every installation and automated alarming in the case of pre-set temperature thresholds being exceeded. In addition, more advanced alarms such as temperature trending types can be configured using PLCs. There are multiple video options available, with views of thermal imagery, visible light imagery, or the two combined into FLIR’s proprietary MSX multispectral dynamic imaging. MSX provides image detail from the visible camera embossed on the thermal image, providing sharper edge detail, the ability to read labels and greater contextual awareness. The AX8 also provides: Power over Ethernet (PoE); industry-standard interfaces including Ethernet/IP and Modbus TCP; multiple video streaming formats including MPEG, MJPEG, and H.264; FLIR’s revolutionary Lepton micro-thermal camera core; a 640 x 480-pixel built-In digital camera; and an IP67-rated housing.