Infrared cameras have revolutionized various industries, offering insights beyond human perception by detecting and visualizing the infrared radiation emitted by objects.
From basic cameras for monitoring electrical panels to high-speed cameras for brake disc testing, we will reveal how these technologies are revolutionizing multiple industries and providing innovative solutions for a wide range of challenges. We will discuss two types of classifications: by sensor type and by wavelength.
SENSOR TYPE CLASSIFICATION
COOLED INFRARED CAMERAS
Cooled infrared cameras use a cooling system to improve their sensitivity and detect weak infrared signals more effectively, making them ideal for applications requiring high image quality and precise long-distance detection.
Although they are more complex and expensive than uncooled cameras, they excel in fields such as long-range surveillance, scientific research and analysis, as well as high-end industrial inspections. However, their need for cryogenic cooling systems and their higher cost and size make them less suitable for more general applications.
UNCOOLED INFRARED CAMERAS
Uncooled infrared cameras operate without the need for a cooling system, making them more compact, economical, and versatile options for a variety of general applications. Although they do not offer the same sensitivity and image quality as cooled cameras, their portable design and energy efficiency make them ideal for process inspections, maintenance, and fire inspection.
WAVELENGTH CLASSIFICATION
SHORT WAVE INFRARED CAMERAS (SWIR)
These cameras utilize shorter wavelengths, providing them with unique capabilities and applications. Among their advantages, they excel in excellent measurement due to better emissivity of materials at high temperatures, their ability to penetrate certain materials like glass and plastics, thus allowing them to be used in more robust housings such as those installed for viewing inside furnaces. However, they are often challenging to adapt for measurements below 400°C due to the effects of light on the materials being measured, resulting in limited availability of applications at ambient temperature. Common uses include metallurgical processes, solar panel inspections, high-speed rotating equipment inspections, and food sorting and quality assessment.
MEDIUM WAVE INFRARED CAMERAS (MWIR)
Operating between 3 to 5 µm, this spectral range is considered to have the best g. These cameras offer good resolution in both temperature and space, making them suitable for applications
They also have the best energy gain balance (considering low, medium, and high temperatures against SWIR and LWIR), and there are more optical and detector materials available to equip them. On the downside, they are more susceptible to atmospheric interferences and tend to be more expensive compared to long wave cameras (LWIR). Common applications include the electronics and semiconductor industry, high-speed equipment inspection, long-range surveillance and measurement, and the oil and gas industry.
LONG WAVE INFRARED CAMERAS (LWIR)
These cameras capture thermal radiation between 7 and 14 microns, which is the range where the best energy gain for low-temperature measurement occurs. As a result, they are the most commonly used type of detector, and their manufacturing has been optimized to represent the lowest-cost detector type on the market. While they stand out for their ability to penetrate adverse atmospheric conditions and their versatility for general purposes, they have limitations in spatial resolution and suitability for high-temperature applications. Common uses range from electrical and mechanical inspections to applications in the fields of medicine and biology.
