Infrared Thermography
CAT-II
Advanced infrared thermography training for professionals who need to perform quantitative temperature measurements, evaluate thermal anomalies, establish temperature limits, prioritize corrective actions and produce professional thermography reports.
Advance From Thermal Imaging to Quantitative Diagnosis
ORBITLINE Infrared Thermography CAT-II training is designed for professionals who want to move beyond basic thermal imaging and develop advanced quantitative thermography skills.
The course focuses on accurate temperature measurement, understanding infrared radiation, recognizing measurement errors and applying appropriate corrections when evaluating thermal conditions.
Participants learn how emissivity, reflected temperature, atmospheric effects, distance, target size and equipment calibration influence infrared measurements.
The training also develops the ability to establish temperature limits, evaluate Delta-T, prioritize findings and convert thermal observations into professional condition-monitoring recommendations.
CAT-II Core Skills
For Thermography & Reliability Professionals
Designed for professionals who already have basic thermography knowledge and want to develop advanced measurement, analysis and reporting capability.
Thermographers
Professionals performing infrared inspections and looking to improve quantitative measurement and diagnostic accuracy.
Reliability Engineers
Engineers using thermography as part of condition monitoring and predictive maintenance programs.
Condition Monitoring Engineers
Professionals integrating thermography with vibration, ultrasound and other predictive technologies.
Electrical Maintenance Engineers
Personnel responsible for detecting abnormal heating in electrical distribution and industrial equipment.
Mechanical Maintenance Engineers
Professionals investigating bearings, motors, gearboxes, couplings and other mechanical systems.
CAT-I Thermographers
Thermographers ready to progress from basic thermal imaging toward advanced quantitative inspection and analysis.
What You Will Be Able to Do
Develop the technical capability to obtain reliable temperature measurements, evaluate thermal conditions and produce defensible thermography findings.
Perform accurate non-contact temperature measurements using an infrared camera.
Understand radiant energy, temperature relationships, Planck's law and infrared measurement principles.
Recognize sources of measurement error and apply suitable corrections to improve inspection accuracy.
Understand emissivity, reflected temperature and transmittance effects on thermal measurements.
Understand target size, distance and field-of-view effects when measuring equipment temperatures.
Use Delta-T and absolute temperature to evaluate the severity of thermal anomalies.
Develop practical temperature limits based on equipment condition, operating load and applicable standards.
Produce clear quantitative reports containing thermal images, measurements, severity and recommendations.
Key Technologies & Concepts
CAT-II develops a deeper understanding of the physical, technical and practical factors that influence infrared temperature measurement.
Infrared Radiation
Understand radiant energy and its relationship with temperature.
Emissivity
Evaluate surface emissivity and its effect on measured temperature.
Reflected Temperature
Understand reflected radiation and compensate for environmental effects.
Transmittance
Understand transmission effects when using infrared windows and filters.
Distance / Target Ratio
Evaluate measurement limitations caused by target size and camera distance.
Delta-T Analysis
Use temperature differences to evaluate thermal severity and prioritize findings.
Absolute Temperature
Evaluate equipment temperatures against appropriate limits and operating conditions.
Calibration
Understand calibration requirements and the importance of traceable temperature measurements.
Infrared Thermography CAT-II Topics
Select each module to explore the advanced thermography subjects covered during the course.
Module 01 — Thermometry Fundamentals
- Temperature scales and conversions
- Absolute and relative temperature
- Contact thermometer fundamentals
- Non-contact temperature measurement
- Infrared thermometer principles
- Benefits and limitations of different thermometry methods
- Sources of temperature measurement error
- Improving measurement accuracy
Module 02 — Advanced Infrared Theory
- Infrared radiation fundamentals
- Radiant power and measurement units
- Relationship between radiant power and temperature
- Blackbody radiation
- Planck's radiation concepts
- Infrared energy behavior
- Understanding thermal radiation
- Application of IR theory to practical inspections
Module 03 — Temperature Measurement Errors
- Calibration considerations
- Emissivity errors
- Reflected apparent temperature
- Atmospheric effects
- Distance effects
- Target size limitations
- Field-of-view considerations
- Environmental influences
- Measurement verification
- Methods for reducing measurement uncertainty
Module 04 — Emissivity, Reflectance & Transmittance
- Surface emissivity
- Reflectance principles
- Transmittance principles
- High-emissivity versus low-emissivity surfaces
- Shiny metallic surfaces
- Reflected radiation effects
- Infrared windows
- IR filters
- Correcting measurement parameters
- Practical measurement techniques
Module 05 — Distance, Target Size & Measurement Geometry
- Field of view
- Instantaneous field of view
- Measurement spot size
- Distance-to-spot considerations
- Target width requirements
- Small target measurement
- Camera positioning
- Measurement angle
- Improving measurement reliability
Module 06 — Calibration & Cross-Verification
- Camera calibration principles
- Calibration traceability
- Temperature reference sources
- Contact thermometer comparison
- Cross-verification techniques
- Understanding measurement uncertainty
- Verification of suspicious temperature readings
- Documentation of measurement confidence
Module 07 — Infrared Windows & Filters
- Purpose of infrared inspection windows
- Infrared window selection
- Transmission effects
- Window temperature considerations
- Filter applications
- Measurement parameter adjustments
- Inspection through barriers
- Safe electrical inspection practices
Module 08 — Thermal Severity & Delta-T
- Temperature difference analysis
- Delta-T calculation
- Absolute temperature evaluation
- Reference temperature selection
- Load effects
- Ambient temperature effects
- Thermal anomaly classification
- Severity assessment
- Repair priority development
Module 09 — Temperature Limits & Standards
- Developing equipment-specific temperature limits
- Absolute temperature limits
- Delta-T limits
- Electrical equipment temperature assessment
- NETA concepts
- Mil-Spec concepts
- Applicable industry standards
- Load correction considerations
- Ambient temperature correction
Module 10 — Electrical Thermography
- Electrical panel inspections
- MCC inspections
- Switchgear
- Circuit breakers
- Fuses
- Cable connections
- Busbars
- Loose connections
- Phase imbalance
- Overloaded circuits
- Thermal patterns associated with electrical faults
Module 11 — Mechanical Thermography
- Bearings
- Motors
- Gearboxes
- Couplings
- Pumps
- Fans
- Compressors
- Lubrication-related heating
- Misalignment-related thermal patterns
- Mechanical friction
- Abnormal thermal signatures
Module 12 — Quantitative Thermography Reporting
- Required inspection data
- Equipment identification
- Operating load information
- Ambient conditions
- Thermal image documentation
- Temperature measurement points
- Delta-T documentation
- Severity classification
- Recommended corrective actions
- Repair priority
- Report quality control
Module 13 — Thermal Image Analysis
- Thermal image optimization
- Level and span
- Temperature measurement tools
- Spot measurements
- Area measurements
- Temperature profiles
- Isotherms
- Image comparison
- Trend comparison
- Identifying thermal patterns
Module 14 — Practical Thermography Case Studies
- Electrical connection overheating
- Motor thermal anomaly
- Bearing temperature investigation
- Gearbox thermal condition
- Phase imbalance investigation
- Load-related temperature increase
- Ambient temperature correction
- Delta-T severity assessment
- Thermal anomaly verification
- Developing corrective recommendations
Module 15 — Professional Inspection & Reporting Workflow
- Inspection preparation
- Equipment identification
- Operating condition verification
- Camera parameter setup
- Thermal image acquisition
- Measurement verification
- Severity evaluation
- Recommendation development
- Report preparation
- Follow-up inspection
Develop Defensible Thermal Limits
CAT-II thermography requires more than identifying a hot spot. The thermographer must understand operating conditions, temperature differences and appropriate limits before assigning severity and repair priority.
Delta-T Classification
Evaluate temperature differences between similar components, phases or reference points to determine thermal severity.
Absolute Temperature
Evaluate measured temperature against appropriate equipment and application limits.
Load Correction
Consider equipment loading when interpreting thermal conditions and comparing measurements.
Ambient Correction
Consider ambient conditions when establishing meaningful temperature limits and comparisons.
Electrical Standards
Apply recognized industry guidance when evaluating thermal conditions in electrical systems.
Repair Priority
Convert thermal severity into practical maintenance priority and corrective-action recommendations.
From Thermal Image to Maintenance Decision
The objective of advanced thermography is not simply to find temperature differences. It is to determine whether the condition represents a developing failure and what action should be taken.
Inspection Process
- Verify equipment identification
- Confirm operating condition and load
- Check ambient conditions
- Configure camera parameters
- Acquire thermal images
- Verify suspicious temperatures
- Compare with reference equipment
- Document Delta-T and absolute temperature
Diagnostic Process
- Identify abnormal thermal pattern
- Determine probable physical cause
- Evaluate severity
- Apply appropriate temperature limits
- Assign repair priority
- Recommend corrective action
- Document finding in report
- Plan follow-up inspection
Training Details
Training Duration
Five days of instructor-led advanced infrared thermography training.
Course Level
Category II advanced thermography training for professionals with previous infrared thermography knowledge.
Training Method
Technical instruction, quantitative measurement exercises, thermal images, calculations, case studies and reporting activities.
Training Format
Public classroom courses and private customer-site training can be arranged.
Industrial Applications
Electrical systems, motors, bearings, gearboxes, pumps, fans, compressors, process equipment and industrial assets.
Corporate Training
Private programs can be customized for reliability, maintenance and condition monitoring teams.
Turn Thermal Images Into Reliability Decisions
Professional thermography becomes powerful when thermal measurements are connected with operating conditions, failure mechanisms, severity and corrective action.
Advanced Measurement
Develop stronger quantitative temperature measurement and understand the factors affecting accuracy.
Real Industrial Applications
Apply thermography concepts to electrical and mechanical industrial equipment.
Diagnostic Thinking
Move from identifying hot spots to understanding the probable cause of abnormal thermal behavior.
Professional Reporting
Develop clear findings, severity classifications and practical corrective-action recommendations.
Advance Your Thermography Capability
Contact ORBITLINE for upcoming CAT-II training dates, pricing, corporate registration or private on-site training.