ITC InfraMation - = May 2003

If you can't see the graphic version = of this=20 message please change your profile to receive text messages at=20 {{user("unsubaddr")}}
To view this message on the web go to=20 = http://www.itcnewsletter.com/2003/2003-05.htm

May=20 2003

Volume 4, Issue=20 5

In This=20 Issue:=20 (Use=20 these links for Fast Navigation)

Welcome [top]

Hi=20 {{user("firstname")}},

It seems that it = takes an=20 epidemic to bring thermal imaging to the attention of the news = media.=20 Infrared thermography is playing a significant role in controlling = the=20 spread of SARS. Learn how in our story IR=20 Cameras Help Combat SARS.

The infrared=20 community lost a good friend and thermographer recently. See In=20 Memoriam to a Thermographer.

May signals=20 the start of our roof inspection season here in New England, and = Ron=20 Lucier brings his usual satirical wit and humor to the subject. = Read all=20 about it in our Spotlight on Roof Surveys.

And=20 last month's Brainteaser was correctly answered by so many people, = we=20 decided to give you a tough one this month. Check it out at Brainteaser of the Month.

If you want to=20 save this newsletter for viewing off line in your computer, just = go to the=20 web page using=20 your browser and select save File....Save As.

See you again in = June,

Gary=20 Orlove,
Editor and Publisher

IR Cameras Help=20 Combat SARS Outbreak=20 [top]

Thermal Imaging = Products Measure=20 Temperature, Help Detect Fever

FLIR Systems, Inc. = announced that=20 it has received orders for over 50 cameras for use at airports, = hospitals=20 and other locations in Taiwan and Korea. These cameras will be = used to=20 help detect fever, a possible precursor to severe acute = respiratory=20 syndrome (SARS). The cameras can accurately measure temperature = and can be=20 programmed to detect body temperature. Airline passengers and = visitors to=20 hospitals and other locations will be asked to look into the = infrared=20 camera for a few seconds, which allows the camera to record facial = temperature.

Infrared=20 imaging technology has growing application in all fields where=20 temperature, or heat, can be used to assist in evaluation, = diagnosis or=20 analysis. In addition to helping to contain the spread of SARS, = infrared=20 cameras are ideal for a wide range of homeland security and law=20 enforcement applications, such as protecting police officers in = the field,=20 nuclear power plants, borders, bridges and landmarks, = petrochemical=20 facilities, airports, hospitals, corporations, public areas or = wherever=20 the need for security is required.

To = learn more=20 about SARS, visit http://www.cdc.gov/= ncidod/sars/factsheet.htm

In = Memoriam to a=20 Thermographer and Friend [top]

by Bob=20 Madding

We at the ITC and = FLIR Systems=20 are deeply saddened by the sudden and unexpected passing of Travis = Roseman=20 in an automobile accident on February 27, 2003. He leaves behind = his wife,=20 Amy, who was critically injured in the accident and two children, = a son,=20 Zakary Travis (age 13) and a daughter, Clarissa Mishea (age 9). = Travis, a=20 U.S. Navy veteran, combined a passion for thermography, a = brilliant mind=20 and great communication skills with a gentle spirit making him a = real=20 asset to our infrared community.

Travis could take = a complex=20 concept and break it down to basics, so we could all understand = it. His=20 fuse lab is one example of the effort he would put in to = understanding=20 what was going on and creating a working demonstration to = illustrate to=20 all thermographers. We miss him not only for his contributions to = our=20 technology, but for his presence as a human being. We miss him not = only as=20 a skilled thermographer and teacher, but also as a friend. = Farewell,=20 Travis. We=92ll see you on the other=20 side.

Spotlight on Roofs -=20 It's That Season Again!=20 [top]

by Ron Lucier
ITC Regional Thermography = Course=20 Manager

Yes, sports fans. It is time for = the Boston Red=20 Sox to begin another season which, as in the past 87 years will = lead us to=20 cry =93maybe next year?=94 in October. Coinciding with our annual=20 disappointment is the start of the roof inspection season in the = Northern=20 climates. As I have been getting many calls about this topic I = feel that=20 it is necessary to address journalism=92s 5 W=92s and H regarding = infrared=20 roof inspections.

Who? You. = There are=20 certain skills that the average infrared thermographer needs to = acquire=20 prior to becoming successful at roof inspection. Roof knowledge is = essential. I highly recommend the courses that the Roof = Consultants=20 Institute periodically offers (http://www.rci-online.org/). RCI = is=20 also a source for certified roof consultants =96 experts in = roofing. While=20 not required for every inspection, these folks have incredible = experience.=20 The biggest skill you need to require is PATIENCE. Infrared = thermographers=20 are accustomed to instant results =96 look at a bearing or piece = of=20 electrical switchgear and as long as either are in operation, = analytical=20 data is probably present. Unfortunately that is not the case with = a roof.=20 The Physics of radiation and heat transfer teach us that there are = only=20 certain times of the day and night that are appropriate for an = inspection.=20 More on this topic later.

What? The typical = infrared inspection=20 is on =93low-slope=94 commercial roofs. Please do not refer to = these as flat=20 roofs =96 your credibility will be in question. A roof must be = pitched=20 (sloped) so that water can drain off. If it was truly flat it = would not=20 technically be a roof but a very shallow swimming pool when it = rained.=20 There are some infrared applications for residential roofs but I = will=20 address those in a future article.

Why? A roof = seems like=20 a very simple concept but in fact roofs are integrated systems = that=20 provide structural integrity, prevent water intrusion and provide = building=20 insulation. When a roof fails the most common effect is the = introduction=20 of water into the roof system, primarily into the insulation. This = has=20 negative consequences =96 extra weight, loss of R-value for the = insulation=20 and potential damage to the materials and equipment inside. An = infrared=20 inspection can locate the wet areas and only those areas may need = to be=20 repaired. Repairing 5000 square feet of roof is much less = expensive than=20 replacing 100,000 square feet.

How? There is = an ASTM=20 procedure available to help you become familiar with roof = inspections=20 (ASTM C1153 available from http://www.astm.org/). This is = the=20 standard guideline that has been in use for over 15 years. It = provides a=20 good =96 but not perfect =96 approach to general roof inspections. = The two=20 methods that are covered are the walk over method and the fly over = method.=20 It does not address my favorite technique the walk under method = (done=20 during the morning so I can sleep at night=85).

When? That = is the big=20 question and is the focus of our two day roofing course. The = general=20 requirements happen only a few times a year in most locations. = Weather is=20 usually the biggest factor in affecting the quality of the survey = or even=20 if the survey can be accomplished.

Safety! = Thermographers=20 have fallen from roofs and lost their lives. The subject of roof = safety=20 could be addressed in an article this size all by itself. In = general I=20 prefer two helpers in addition to the thermographer. One helper = marks the=20 locations of the thermal indications, the other watches out for = those=20 performing the inspection. Preceding an inspection a walk on the = roof in=20 daylight is strongly recommended as well as an inspection of the = structure=20 underneath the roof. Roofs do have a history of collapse. =

Special Issue - ASTM = C1153 was=20 written when most of the cameras in operation were short-wave. = Most of the=20 infrared cameras sold today are long-wave. These work fine on most = roofs=20 but certain membranes, particularly black EPDM, under certain = conditions=20 (clear sky) the roof looks like a mirror! The emissivity of black = EPDM is=20 high in the long-wave (about 0.92). We are accustomed to think = that this=20 should help us but if the roof is cold =96 below 40 =BAF and there = is a clear=20 sky (really cold), the roof is very efficient at reflecting the = cold sky.=20 The image to the right shows reflections and the warm areas = associated=20 with a large leak. The good news is that the inspections can = be done=20 but be aware of the potential for significant = reflection.

Conclusion = =96 The use of=20 infrared for roof inspections has an extensive history of success = (I have=20 been inspecting roofs with IR since 1984). There is a wealth of=20 information presented in our roof course so if you wish to learn = more =96 or=20 come and teach us a few things =96 please register for one.

Click = here to learn more about the roofing course and see the class=20 schedules.

Last = Month=92s=20 Brainteaser [top]

Thermographers know their animal = thermal=20 imprints, at least when it comes to lying dogs. We had a record = number of=20 correct responses for last months Brainteaser. Bob Madding was the = first=20 to guess correctly, but I had to disqualify him for being part of = the ITC=20 staff! But Jeff Long at New York Power Authority sent me a correct = answer=20 only 2 minutes after Bob, so he is our winner.

Thanks to=20 Donna Harper, D.V.M. for contributing the canine thermal=20 signature.

Brainteaser of the=20 Month =20 [top]

Here is this month's brainteaser. This = is a tough=20 one, so I'll give you a clue. The thermogram is a result of = changes made=20 to a wall structure. First reader to email me with the correct = explanation=20 wins $20 in Infrabucks. Please put "Brainteaser" as the = subject of=20 the message.

Click=20 here to email your=20 guess

Past Issues =20 [top]

Click the links = below to view=20 past issues of this newsletter:

All past issues from February 2000 through = December=20 2002

April=20 2003

March 2003

February 2003

January=20 2003

December 2002

November=20 2002

Upcoming=20 Classes =20 [top]

Click the links = below to see our=20 latest course calendars.

Americas - All courses

Americas - Level I

Americas - Level II

Americas - Application, Level III, = R&D

Eurasia

Germany

France

About the = Infrared=20 Training Center =20 [top]

The Infrared Training Center offers training and = certification in=20 all aspects of infrared thermography use. Our world-class training = facilities are located near Boston, Massachusetts, USA and = Stockholm,=20 Sweden and have the world's most extensive hands on laboratories = for=20 infrared applications. Please join us in exploring the fascinating = world=20 of the infrared!

Your comments and suggestions about this newsletter are = welcomed=20 and encouraged. If you have an interesting application or case = study to=20 share, we encourage you to submit it for publication. Published = articles earn credit towards = recertification.

Please e-mail Gary = Orlove or=20 send regular mail to the Americas office.

Visit our website:

ITC Americas, BOSTON

16 Esquire Road
N. Billerica, MA 01862, = USA

Tel: +1-978-901-8405
Toll free:=20 = +1-866-TRAINIR
&= nbsp; =20 (866-872-4647)
Fax: +1.978.901-8832
E-mail: mailto:info_us@infraredtraining.com

ITC International, SWEDEN

Rinkebyv=E4gen 19
SE-182 11 Danderyd, = Sweden

Tel: +46 (0) 8 753 25 00
Fax: +46 (0) 8 753 26 = 01
E-mail:=20 mailto:itc@flir.se

THIS DOCUMENT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL = PURPOSES ONLY.=20 INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED 'AS IS' WITHOUT = WARRANTY=20 OF ANY KIND. The user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy = and the=20 use of this document. The Infrared Training Center newsletter may = be=20 copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1. All = text=20 and images must be copied without modification and all pages must = be=20 included; 2. All copies must contain the Infrared Training Center=20 copyright notice and any other notices provided therein;
3. = This=20 document may not be distributed for profit

=A92003 Infrared Training Center - All rights=20 reserved

Privacy=20 Statement: We're happy to have you on our list, and since we = want to=20 keep you all to ourselves, we never share your e-mail address with = anyone.=20 Period.

Is this still=20 your favorite email account? Click to change it here.

To unsubscribe=20 or update your user profile, click here.

New subscriber=20 signup, click here.=20