ITC InfraMation - = September 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 http://www.itcnews= letter.com/2003/2003-09.htm

September=20 2003

Volume 4, Issue=20 9

In This=20 Issue:=20

Welcome

IR in the News

InfraMation Conference Coming Up = Soon

Exporting Data from ThermaCAM = Researcher

Letters to the Editor

Brainteaser of the Month

Last Month's Brainteaser

Past Issues

Upcoming Classes

About the ITC

View the=20
Conference Video

Paper=20 Titles and abstracts for 2003

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

It's back to=20 school time again, and that means thermographers too! We have a = bevy of=20 courses coming up and of course the InfraMation conference, a = continuing=20 education experience for even the most seasoned thermographer. = Check out=20 the latest paper=20 titles and abstracts that are to be presented.

This month we=20 have an article by Jason Gagnon for all of you Researcher software = users=20 out there on how to move your thermal data out of the program so = it can be=20 read by other software.

And=20 take a guess at solving our 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 File....Save As or save this email = page as html in=20 your email software.

Happy=20 September,

Gary=20 Orlove,
Editor and = Publisher

IR in the=20 News [top]

Local Police Fearful They're Not = Ready For=20 Another Terrorist ...
Boston Channel.com, MA - Aug = 21,=20 2003
... The futuristic gear has thermal=20 imaging, infrared night vision and even = cameras
that=20 can broadcast live battlefield pictures via a wireless network = to remote=20 ...
Blair County airport to become home = for state=20 police helicopter ...
Pittsburgh Post = Gazette, PA - Aug 17,=20 2003
... The infrared camera in the new copters = has a=20 laser that will help the ... search for a
missing = child who=20 had mental disabilities ended when a helicopter's thermal = ...
Search for Gehring children goes=20 on
Boston=20 Globe, MA - Aug 14, 2003
fter more than = a month=20 of fruitless searching, including the aerial use of=20 infrared
thermal imaging, officials are = scouring=20 ground near each exit of the entire ...
MiniMax Announces Addition of FLIR's Thermographic = Technology to=20 ...
Yahoo News=20 (press release) - Aug 13, 2003
... = the=20 addition of FLIR Systems thermal imaging = ... J.=20 Scanlon, FLIR Vice President of Americas
Thermography=20 ... with FLIR's advanced, intelligent ThermoVision=AE=20 infrared ...
Silent spy plane could become the = eyes of kiwi=20 soldiers
Stuff.co.nz, New = Zealand - Aug 8,=20 2003
... Many extras could be fitted to the UAV, = including=20 thermal imaging, infrared
detectors, and = cameras=20 to send pictures back to the controller. ...
Airport Tests Thermal=20 Imaging
CIO=20 Asia, Singapore - Aug 8, 2003
The=20 thermal imaging camera and the software that runs = it are=20 part of a new ... The system
couples a physical = security=20 integration software, with infrared cameras. = ...=20

InfraMation = Conference Coming=20 Up Soon [top]

The=20 InfraMation = Thermographer's = Conference is less=20 than six weeks away! If you haven't already done so, please register = and reserve your = room at the=20 $50 dollar a night rate before our block of rooms runs=20 out.

We have almost 50 papers and presentations for you at = this year's=20 conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, October 13-16. Take a look at the = paper=20 titles and=20 abstracts. We are sure you will find a lot of content of=20 interest.

We also still have openings at the IR Clinic = mini-courses.=20 Subjects this year include selling your IR services, IR Software, = and=20 Roof, Electrical, and Mechanical=20 = applications.

Exporting=20 Data from ThermaCAM Researcher [top]

by = Jason=20 Gagnon
ITC Technical Support Manager

Questions often = arise about how=20 to export data from ThermaCAM Researcher into other, more standard = formats. This article will discuss some of the most common export=20 techniques. Note that all instructions are based on ThermaCAM = Researcher=20 2.7 Professional. All options may not be available in older = versions of=20 the program.

Part 1: Open = the images=20

1. Researcher can analyze two types of IR files. A = sequence file=20 (*.SEQ) is an IR movie file that can be recorded directly to the = PC=92s hard=20 drive with a live connection to the camera or to the internal = memory of an=20 S60 camera using the burst recording mode. An image file (file = extension=20 varies depending on what type of camera is used) is a single IR = file that=20 can be stored in the camera and then transferred to the PC. = Researcher can=20 also store a single IR file or a series of IR files to the PC=92s = hard disk=20 when you have a live connection to the camera.

2. Select Image > Open in Researcher to select the = sequence file=20 or image files that you want to analyze. Highlight the images of = interest=20 and click the Add button to add them to the session. You can add = several=20 sequences and image files to a session. Click OK once all the = images have=20 been added.

Part 2: Set=20 selection to export

1. By default all of the images currently open in the = session are=20 selected. You can, however, reduce the selection to only a = specific set of=20 images. To set a new selection, drag the Image slider to the = starting=20 point of the new selection. Click Set selection start to set the = starting=20 point.

2. Now drag the Image slider to the end of the new = selection and=20 click the Set selection end button. The blue highlighted area = represents=20 the selection that will be exported.

Part 3: Copy selection to another format

1. Select Recording > Copy Selection from the = pull-down=20 menus to export your selection. The save options are as follows:=20

a. SEQ: This will copy the current selection into = a new=20 sequence file. This option will only appear if the source is a = sequence=20 file. You can=92t convert a series of individual IR image files = into a new=20 SEQ file.

b. Bmp: This will convert each frame in the = current=20 selection into a Windows BMP image file. You have the option to = include=20 the temperature scale and analysis tools or to export just the = image with=20 no tools or scale.

c. Avi: This will convert the current selection = into an AVI=20 movie file, which can be viewed using Windows Media Player. = Compression=20 options vary depending on what Codecs are installed on the = PC.

d. Matlab file: This will convert each frame in = the current=20 selection into a Matlab (*.MAT) file for use with Matlab data = analysis=20 software. Specifics on the formatting of the data file can be = found in the=20 Researcher Help file.

e. FLIR Public Format: This will convert each = frame in the=20 current selection into an FPF file. FPF is a public format that = can be=20 used by software engineers to integrate IR images stored with = Researcher=20 into custom image processing software. The image format is fully = described=20 in the Researcher manual and Help file.

2. Once the output format has been selected and you click = OK all of=20 the frames in the selection will be exported to the chosen=20 format.

Part 4:=20 Export a single image file

1. To export a single IR image, select Image > Save = As=20 from the pull-down menus. The save options are as = follows:

a. IR File: This will save the image in an IR = format so it=20 can be opened again in Researcher or used with other FLIR analysis = software such as Thermacam Reporter and Image Explorer.

b. Bitmap file. only IR: This will save the IR = image as a=20 BMP file with no temperature scale or analysis tools.

c. Bitmap file. IR, Scale and Analysis: This will = save the=20 IR image as a BMP file with the temperature scale and all analysis = tools.

d. Matlab file: This will save the IR image as a = Matlab=20 (*.MAT) file for use with Matlab data analysis software. Specifics = on the=20 formatting of the data file can be found in the Researcher Help=20 file.

e. CSV file: This will export the entire image = into a text=20 file where each pixel temperature in the image is separated by a = comma.=20 CSV is a standard format that can be read by many programs such as = Microsoft Excel.

f. FLIR Public Format: This will save the IR image = as an FPF=20 file, which is a public format that can be used by software = engineers to=20 integrate IR images stored with Researcher into custom image = processing=20 software. The image format is fully described in the Researcher = manual and=20 Help file.

g. JPEG file: This will save the IR image as a = standard JPEG=20 file without the temperature scale and analysis tools.

Part 5:=20 Save an area as a CSV text file

1. An area box, circle, or polygon tool can be exported = as a text=20 file with a user-defined delimiter. The resulting text file will = contain=20 each temperature value in the selected area separated by the = delimiter. To=20 export an area:

a. Select = Image=20 > Save Area As from the menus. Select the area of interest = from the=20 list and then type a delimiter. The Delimiter is the = character that=20 separates each temperature value in the text file. A comma is the = default=20 selection and the most commonly used delimiter, but you can change = this to=20 any character.

b. The Rotated check box will rotate the area 90 = degrees=20 when it is exported (new in Researcher 2.7 Pro).

c. The last step is to set a filename and location for = the text=20 file. Once all the settings are made, click OK to save the = new text=20 file.

Note that in=20 Researcher 2.7 Pro circles and polygons will retain their shape = when=20 exported to CSV format. Previous versions would save a rectangle=20 regardless of what shape is used on the=20 image.

Letter's=20 to the Editor [top]

RE:=20 Infrared Thermography Finds Overheating Motors

One very unusual cause of motor = overheating=20 that I've come across is called Harmonic Distortion. This refers = to the=20 presence of voltage and current harmonics in the power supply. = Simply=20 explained, power in the US is supplied at 60 Hz, but harmonic = frequencies=20 (120 Hz, 180 Hz, 240 Hz, 300 Hz, ...) are also present at some = level --=20 normally below 2% total. The fifth harmonic in particular (300 Hz) = causes=20 a counter-rotational torque which can overload an electrical motor = and=20 result in overheating and motor mortality. It's relatively easy to = find=20 with portable tools (like from Fluke), but could be costly to = repair.=20 Oddly enough, the harmonics are usually caused by nonlinear = electrical=20 equipment (heater controllers, variable frequency drives, various=20 electronics, ...) on the same circuit.

Another uncommon = cause is a=20 poor grounding circuit in the building.

Sorry, no = thermograms. This=20 one was obvious enough to use a thermocouple!

Mark=20 Morgenlaender

Brainteaser of the Month =20 [top]

<= /FONT>Here is this month's brainteaser. First = reader to=20 email me with the correct explanation of the thermogram receives a = gift=20 from ITC. Please put "Brainteaser" as the subject of the=20 message.

Click=20 here to email your guess

Do you have an interesting image that you think would = stump other=20 thermographers? If so please email=20 me your image (preferably in native .img, .jpg, .tif, .tgw, or = .tmw=20 format) with an accompanying visible photo and explanation. If = your image=20 is used, you receive a gift as=20 well.

Last Month's = Brainteaser=20 [top]

3D"August Our readers are spending a lot of = time in their=20 gardens it seems. Most of you correctly guessed this as a=20 landscape=20 lighting fixture.

Congratulations to=20 our winner Lewis Shaw of Brunswick=20 EMC = in=20 Shallotte,=20 NC, = and a=20 special thank you to Bernie Lyon at ITC for supplying the images. = Lewis=20 receives our special low emissivity traveling coffee mug for his = correct=20 guess (Bernie already has more mugs than he can=20 use)!

Past Issues =20 [top]

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

All past issues from February 2000 through October = 2002

August=20 2003

July=20 2003

June=20 2003

May=20 2003

April=20 2003

March=20 2003

February 2003

January=20 2003

December 2002

November=20 2002

Upcoming Classes =20 [top]

Click the links = below to see our=20 latest course calendars (in local language).

Americas - Level I

Americas - Level II

Americas - Application, Level III, = R&D

Eurasia

Deutschland

France

Italia

United = Kingdom

About=20 the Infrared 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 Eurasia, 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