Appendix B

Basics of Infrared Measurement

Q. Why use non-contact infrared thermometers?

Non-contact infrared (IR) thermometers use infrared technology to quickly and conveniently measure the surface temperature of objects. They provide fast temperature readings without physically touching the object. The temperature is shown on the LCD display.

Lightweight, compact, and easy-to-use, IR thermometers and thermal imagers can safely measure hot, hazardous, or hard-to-reach surfaces without contaminating or damaging the object. Also, infrared thermometers can provide several readings per second, as compared to contact methods where each measurement can take several minutes.

Q. How does IR work?

A. IR thermometers capture the invisible infrared energy naturally emitted from all objects. Infrared radiation is part of the electromagnetic spectrum, which includes radio waves, microwaves, visible light, ultraviolet, gamma, and X-rays.

Infrared falls between the visible light of the spectrum and radio waves. Infrared wavelengths are usually expressed in microns with the infrared spectrum extending from

0.7microns to 1000 microns. In practice, the 0.7 to 14 micron band is used for IR temperature measurement. Figure B-1 illustrates the infrared measurement region.

B-1

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Fluke Ti20 user manual Basics of Infrared Measurement, Why use non-contact infrared thermometers?, How does IR work?