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Thermal Imaging:
Mechanical:
Failed ride
motors mean unscheduled and unwanted downtime
which is not desirable in any situation. With
Thermal Imaging we can easily see hot spots on
bearings, slew rings , braking systems and other
components in amusement devices allowing
engineers to carry out repairs on what could
potentially be a failed part. Used to monitor
frictional forces, this is predictive
maintenance at it’s best.
This image above shows a
warm bearing (or seal) on the pump. Clearly the
access
is tight but we can still compare the bearing to
the housing around it.
 
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This image shows
another bearing problem with heat also
transferring into the coupling on the
right side. |
This image shows
the motor itself heating up, due to
reduced airflow or, more probably, to
misalignment. |
Electrical:
Infrared images are proving
to be a very useful tool in detecting electrical
faults before components fail; saving rides from
potentially disastrous and very expensive
situations. In these thermal images you can
clearly see how things like, loose cable
connections and overloaded circuits can be
easily found and rectified. Many preventable
breakdowns occur due to poorly maintained
electrical installations
 
Electrical unbalance can be
caused by several different sources: a power
delivery problem, low voltage on one leg, or an
insulation resistance breakdown inside the motor
windings.
Even a small voltage unbalance can cause
connections to deteriorate, reducing the amount
of voltage supplied, while motors and other
loads will draw excessive current, deliver lower
torque
(with associated mechanical stress), and fail
sooner. A severe unbalance can blow a fuse,
reducing operations down to a single phase.
Meanwhile, the unbalanced current will return on
the neutral, causing the utility to fine the
facility for peak power usage.
 
The thermal image above
image shows a drive cabinet with hot connections
on both A and B phases. The exact cause can’t be
determined solely from the image,
although it may be a load or balance issue.
 
This thermal image shows a
cool motor on the left and a hot gearbox on the
right, with an especially white-hot anomaly.
For additional information go to:
http://www.fluke.com
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