By Darrell Taylor • Director of Global Acoustics Business Development, Teledyne FLIR
The Exx-Series cameras help professionals detect early issues, identify hot spots, troubleshoot systems, and prevent expensive problems. Image: Teledyne FLIR
We live in a society that wants things quicker, builds bigger, and travels faster. The machines that put this world together work longer and harder than ever. At the core of these machines, one type of power transfer is commonplace — namely, hydraulic systems, with pumps serving as the heart. Although they vary in type and size, hydraulic pumps are vital components, moving fluid around the system and enabling rams to move within the cylinders.
The most common units used in industrial applications are piston pumps or vane pumps. Both types are very susceptible to debris and impurities. In the case of a piston pump, a small hole allows lubrication of the piston shoe as it rotates around the swash plate. If the hole gets blocked, the shoes quickly wear, and a tell-tale sign is the heat generation as friction increases. Vane pumps are equally susceptible to deposits as the individual vanes fail to move freely within the barrel, increasing friction and associated heat. Pump failure can result relatively quickly when oil starvation occurs, causing the whole system to fail. For this reason, changes in pump temperature must be taken seriously and acted upon as soon as they are identified.
Most maintenance engineers struggle to detect when a pump is running abnormally hot. Many hydraulic pumps are in difficult-to-access areas and are, therefore, not regularly checked. In most pump failures, problems manifest only when the whole system goes down, bringing production to a standstill until a replacement pump is identified and fitted.
This is where thermal imaging becomes useful. FLIR is a global company that researches and produces thermal imaging cameras. Its latest Exx-Series cameras can detect heat abnormalities in components, such as hydraulic pumps, from several meters away (or tens of meters away with the right lens). Those hard-to-reach areas can be analyzed, allowing remedial action to be taken, thus avoiding costly pump failure and the associated production downtime.
Whether it’s hydraulic pumps, industrial gearboxes, compressors, turbines, or other units that can emit heat during abnormalities, thermal imaging cameras can be invaluable analytical tools. Through regular analysis, a temperature profile is obtained such that any temperature rise indicates wear problems and maintenance needs. Some cameras in the Exx-Series allow for interchangeable lenses, bringing into focus those more distant components.
The instruments are supported by FLIR-patented MSX (Multi-Spectral Dynamic Imaging) enhancement. The cameras provide the ability to organize images and add detailed notes directly from the large touchscreen incorporated into the camera. Images can then be directly uploaded to the FLIR Ignite cloud storage space, providing easy access from any device.
Less experienced operators can make the most of the thermal imaging cameras by following a prescribed inspection route pre-loaded into the camera’s onboard software, FLIR Inspection Route. This allows engineers with less experience to conduct a large survey in a logical sequence, providing management with a detailed report of the manufacturing process.
Teledyne FLIR
flir.com
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