Non-contact Temperature Measurements
Temperature is a critical factor in many processes and must often be measured accurately. Non-contact infrared measurement is often the better alternative for this as compared to physical thermocouple measurements. Temperature measurement without this method can no longer be imagined for machine maintenance, process control and quality control. Stationary IR sensors are the best option if the temperature has to be permanently measured at one position.
Thermocouple Measurements
Measuring metals using thermocouples is probably the most-often-used and least-understood of the temperature measuring devices. Essentially, a thermocouple consists of two alloys joined together at one end and open at the other. As the temperature measurement rises, the energy sensed by the thermocouple goes up. Thermocouples are not the best method for measuring hot metal. They get damaged over time and often need to be manually applied to the surface, resulting in wasting production time and potentially even damaging the metal.
Benefits of Using Infrared over Thermocouple
Time: Using an infrared pyrometer will save valuable time for plant workers. Rather than stopping the production cycle to get a thermocouple measurement, with IR you are able to make real-time measurements and collect data that would be impossible to collect when using only thermocouples
Measuring in dangerous/hazardous areas: Infrared pyrometers are able to measure accurately in hazardous and hard to reach areas that would present a danger for a worker.
Measuring high temperatures: Infrared pyrometers are able to measure temperatures over 2500°C, while most thermocouples have limits to how high they can go.
Source: The Best Way to Measure the Surface Temperature of a Metal - Williamson IR
