In this post, Adam Hamilton, Senior Field Service Engineer, shares how thermal drone inspections increase efficiency in systems and the utilization of resources.
I’m a Certified Thermographer responsible for performing thermal drone inspections, which have become an integral part of our Industrial Efficiency Program (IEP).
Earning the Certified Thermographer designation is expensive and time-consuming, and doing thermal inspections the right way takes expertise and experience. It seems like these challenges have limited our competitor’s ability to deploy thermal drone inspection programs. This is one way ProcessBarron sets itself apart in providing unmatched expertise to meet our clients growing needs.
What Industrial Drones Enable
Our industrial drones use thermal imaging technology for smart, safe, and cost-efficient inspections. These state-of-the-art drones inspect equipment while it operates to identify hotspots that indicate leaks and inefficiencies.
Drone inspections help us locate problem areas in your equipment that are difficult to detect during a traditional inspection. These aerial inspections are faster and reduce the need for expensive equipment and scaffolding.
Inspecting difficult-to-access areas using traditional methods can be dangerous. Using drone technology to perform these inspections significantly improves safety in your facility.
When To Conduct An Industrial Drone Inspection
Thermal drone inspections are most valuable when performed several months before a planned outage. With the information you’ll gain through a drone inspection, you’ll be ready to line up projects, equipment, and people to conduct an efficient and effective planned outage. You’ll have the information you need to focus efforts on high-priority projects and avoid delays that arise when problems are discovered during an outage.
Our outage experts are equipped to handle any maintenance projects discovered through this inspection. Learn more about partnering with ProcessBarron for your next outage.
We recommend repeating the drone inspection process yearly because understanding how your equipment changes over time can take your capital expenditure and maintenance planning to the next level. If a hotspot disappears from one year to the next, it could indicate a temporary issue like water trapped in your equipment. But a hotspot that gets larger could indicate a problem that is getting worse and needs immediate attention.
Custom Reports with Our Industrial Efficiency Program
Our Industrial Efficiency Program includes these thermal drone inspections and airflow testing done by our Air Handling Sales Engineer Glen Corley. He tests for pressure, flow, and power measurements at several points throughout your system to pinpoint inefficiencies you may be experiencing.
Read more about how fan testing can help plants hit their KPIs.
Performing these inspections together allows us to collaborate on our findings in real time and provide you with custom, comprehensive reports to identify areas for increased efficiency and cost savings throughout your entire system.
Learn more about how Industrial Efficiency Programs can benefit your plant, or reach out to us today to reserve an IEP appointment.