Motion Blur Correction for High-Speed Thermal Imaging

Motion Blur Disrupts Accurate Infrared Temperature Measurement in High-Speed Processes

Many industrial applications require temperature measurements of fast-moving objects. Motion blur poses a significant challenge as it significantly affects the accuracy of measurement results. This issue is particularly problematic for microbolometer cameras, as their sensors require a certain amount of time to detect temperature changes. During the exposure time, however, the object continues to move, causing image information to spread across multiple pixels. As a result, images appear blurred, temperature readings become inaccurate, and critical details may be lost.

A typical example is monitoring high-speed trains, where axle bearings and brakes must be checked for overheating during operation. At up to 50 m/s speeds, conventional infrared cameras produce blurred thermal images, making it challenging to identify overheated components.
Similar challenges arise in other high-speed applications. In the automotive industry, measuring brake temperatures during test drives or on test stands is essential for developing safe, high-performance braking systems. Even materials such as sheet metal or foil, processed in rolling mills, sometimes move through these systems at high speeds! Constant and reliable temperature measurement in the form of sharp thermal images is necessary here to avoid material defects.

In all these applications, motion blur can directly impact the quality of the temperature measurements and lead to blurred thermal images.

Enhanced Industrial Safety with Fast Infrared Imaging of Fast Moving Parts

The Optris PI series thermal cameras enable significantly more precise temperature measurements in high-speed processes thanks to Motion Blur Image Correction. The combination of high frame rates, sequential exposure, and digital image correction ensures that no critical image information is lost even at high speeds. This leads to improved data quality and more reliable fault detection.

Another advantage is the ease of integration into existing systems. With versatile interfaces such as USB 2.0 and Gigabit Ethernet (PoE), the optris PI cameras can be seamlessly incorporated into industrial process monitoring systems. The optional industrial process interface (PIF) allows real-time camera control, making integrating temperature measurements into existing automation systems easy. The cameras’ robust design, featuring IP67-certified housings, ensures reliable operation even in harsh environments, whether in dusty rolling mills, high-speed rail networks, or the extreme heat of forging processes.

The innovative technology of the Optris PI infrared imagers eliminates the need for expensive, cooled infrared cameras with quantum detectors. While such systems often come with high operational and maintenance costs, the uncooled microbolometer detectors in the Optris PI series offer a cost-effective alternative with high precision and long-term reliability.
Whether in railway monitoring, automotive development, metal processing, or other high-speed applications, the Optris PI series provides a powerful infrared temperature measurement solution that delivers reliable results even under extreme conditions. Companies benefit from improved process control, increased safety, and reduced maintenance costs. By implementing Motion Blur Image Correction, Optris sets new standards for high-speed infrared measurements, enabling more precise monitoring of dynamic processes than ever before.