Fluke PTi120 Application Note
APPLICATION NOTE
What to look for in
a professional grade
pocket-sized thermal
imager
Thermal imaging has become so broadly accepted
for troubleshooting and maintenance that, in addition
to a huge choice of features, there are several form
factors to choose from, including one that fits in your
pocket.
If you’re wondering how much
functionality and durability
could fit into an imager that’s
about the size of a smartphone,
you may be surprised. Electronics continue to shrink in size,
which makes it possible to
include an increasing amount
of functionality into a smaller
space. So now you can get a
professional grade, thermal
imager in a pocket size.
A thermal imager of this size
is ideal for first line troubleshooting. Use it to quickly scan
electrical equipment, pumps,
motors, building systems, HVAC,
and process control equipment
for hot spots and cold spots
that can indicate early signs of
trouble. Pocket-sized infrared
cameras easily fit in a shirt
or pants pocket so it’s easy to
carry. And they’re typically
affordable enough to make it
practical for each technician to
have one.
You should select a pocket
size thermal imager carefully
because, just as with full sized
imagers, there can be significant differences in resolution,
durability, and capabilities.
The following are some key
criteria to use when evaluating
pocket size thermal imagers.
1. Ruggedness
Just like your cell phone, a
pocket-sized thermal imager
needs to stand up to a lot of
abuse. It needs to survive
rugged use in harsh environments and even an accidental
drop. Ruggedness in a pocketsized thermal imager means
more than just whether the unit
works after being dropped on
the floor. In an industrial environment tools need to stand up
to dust, oil and water. The build
quality is important, down to
very small details. Does the battery door snap closed easily and
stay closed? How well does the
touchscreen display stand up to
constant use and being stored
in your pocket? Consider the
manufacturer’s reputation for
quality construction with similar products. For example, Fluke
has long been known for its
rugged and reliable handheld
test tools. It recently extended
that rugged performance to the
PTi120 Pocket Thermal Imager
that includes many professional
grade features.
2. Asset tagging and
wireless image upload
The ability to quickly upload
the images you collect and link
those files to individual assets
can save time and ensure the
images are stored with the
correct asset. The Fluke PTi120
also includes Fluke Connect®
Asset Tagging that allows you
to scan a asset's bar code or
QR code and then wirelessly
transmit images to the correct
asset file on a computer or in
the cloud. This provides one
cohesive asset history that you
can quickly and easily access,
analyze, and use for comparison
from anywhere to improve asset
management workflow and save
time.
3. Resolution
Infrared camera resolution
determines the quality of the
image and the accuracy of
the temperature information
you collect. Every pixel in an
infrared image represents a
temperature measurement.
The higher the resolution, the
easier it will be for you
to determine the criticality of problems you find
during inspections. Detector resolution is specified in detector pixels—the higher the number the
higher the resolution. Typically, the more detector
pixels focused on the target, the more accurate
your measurement. You need to look for a pocketsized thermal imager with enough resolution to
accurately identify hot and cold spots and give
you a base level of diagnostic information that
allows you to find early indications of mission
critical problems.
4. IR Fusion®
Blended visible light and infrared images. Many
of today’s infrared cameras combine visible light
and infrared images together in a single display.
You should look for that same capability in a
pocket-sized thermal imager. A blended image
helps you find thermal anomalies because when
you see a problem in the infrared image you can
view that blended with the visible light image to
quickly and precisely locate the area of concern
on the actual piece of equipment. The PTi120
includes the same patented IR Fusion® technology available in other Fluke infrared cameras.
IR Fusion automatically captures a digital visible light image simultaneously with an infrared
image and lets you view the result with varying
degrees of blending—from full infrared to full visible light.
a good rule of thumb to use them to full discharge
and then fully recharge them the first 5-10 times.
5. Sharing images with remote team
members
The ability to share thermal images from your
camera with others on a smartphone or computer
can help accelerate or escalate problem solving.
You can instantly show potential issues to clients
or co-workers in real time to expedite decisions
on what to do next. Using the Fluke Connect
mobile app you can share images from the Fluke
Pocket Thermal Imager across the internet with
remote team members. Once saved to the Fluke
Cloud, thermal images are permanently accessible
to you and other authorized users on your team.
You can also create nearly instant, professional
reports to present to managers or clients.
6. Battery life
The amount of time that you can use a pocketsized thermal imager between charges varies by
the level of features and the power management
system of your device. You should expect at least
two hours of use between charges. Rechargeable
lithium ion batteries (similar to those used in
mobile phones) provide high energy density
and are slow to self-discharge. In addition, this
lithium technology typically delivers a five-year
operating life, and often can be recycled.
To maximize the life of the lithium-ion battery it’s
7. Robust memory
As anyone with a regular digital camera knows,
images can use up memory in a hurry. That is
even more true for infrared images. So when
considering a pocket-sized imager look for
enough onboard memory for your needs. A good
starting point is about 4 gigabytes, which would
allow you to store approximately 500 images.
Saving images in the .is2 format allows you to
perform further image processing and analysis,
and export the images into many commonly
used file formats. Having enough memory will
allow you to maintain a database of thermal
images right in your pocket that can be used for
comparisons at any time.
8. Ergonomics
The small size and light weight would seem to
automatically make a pocket-size thermal imager
easier to handle but don’t forget to consider
details. Does it fit comfortably in your hand?
How accessible is the power button and the
controls? Does the device have a strap to make it
easier to carry and hang on to?
2 Fluke Corporation W hat to look for in a professional grade pocket-sized ther mal imager
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