What is the difference between an infrared thermometer and an infrared thermal imager?
Both infrared thermometers and thermal imaging cameras can detect infrared radiation and convert it into temperature readings. So what's the difference between them? Today we will find out.
Infrared thermal imager: measure the surface temperature of the entire measured object at one time, and convert the energy distribution map of infrared radiation into a thermal image, which is clear and intuitive;
Infrared thermometer: Can only measure one point at a time, can be seen as a thermal imager with only one pixel, showing the temperature measurement of a single point on the target.
Infrared thermometers are excellent and affordable tools when it comes to close inspection of exact locations. In the following cases, it is recommended to give priority to thermal imaging cameras.
Small target measurement
The spot size of an infrared thermometer can be too large, which limits its ability to measure the temperature of small objects at close range. If you need to measure extremely small components, an infrared camera equipped with a close-up optical element (macro lens) can focus to a spot size of less than 5μm per pixel, which is more conducive to accurate measurement of the object to be measured.
remote measurement
A distance factor ratio (D:S ratio) that determines how far (measurement distance) you are from a target of a certain size (spot size) and still accurately measure the target temperature. The distance factor ratio of most thermal imaging cameras is much greater than that of infrared thermometers. A typical infrared thermometer may be able to measure a 1 cm diameter target at a distance between 10 and 50 cm. But most thermal imaging cameras can accurately measure the temperature of a target 1 cm in diameter from a few meters away.
Thermal imaging cameras have four core advantages of being safe, intuitive, efficient, and preventing missed inspections. They are very suitable for small components, long distances, or tests that require fast scanning of large areas. FLIR thermal imaging cameras can scan an entire motor, component or panel at once without missing any risk of overheating
