Frequently Asked Questions

Specified accuracy on remote infrared temperature instruments typically vary from 1% (of target temperature) or 1° C for pyrometers to 2% or 2 C for infrared cameras. Specially equipped IR camera systems with an available black body temperature reference source can achieve 1% accuracy. It is important to note that accuracy with remote infrared temperature measurement is more heavily influenced by the emissivity of the target material and the ability to quantify this emissivity than by the calibration accuracy of the instrument. Other factors such as dust or other attenuating elements in the line of site to the target can also have significant impacts on measurement accuracy. Also important for measurement accuracy is properly matching the spot size measurement requirement with the infrared instrument and optics so that the target to be measured has a spot size within the instruments Measurement Field of View (MFOV).

In general, it is best practice to keep the sensor (or infrared camera) perpendicular with respect to the target to be measured, but this is not a rigid requirement, particularly when the target has a high emissivity. The emissivity of the target will begin to decrease, and measurement accuracy will be compromised when the measurement angle exceeds 60 degrees off angle from perpendicular. A first surface mirror can be used when mounting dynamics will not support access to the target.

Both infrared cameras and infrared temperature sensors (pyrometers) are used to monitor temperatures in thin-film vapor deposition processes. Infrared cameras are best for monitoring the temperature and thermal uniformity of the substrate due to their ability to cover the entire substrate with thousands of pixels, each with the ability to deliver temperature information. Optics can be optimized to deliver the best resolution of the substrate from a given distance.

Some users will complement the deployment of infrared cameras with pyrometers that monitor a spot temperature of the cathode sputtering target, which assures adhesion to the substrate when optimized.

Often, a sensor is chosen because it has the optimal spot size to accurately measure the target of interest. If a pyrometer perfectly addresses the spot size requirement but is in an environment that exceeds the operating ambient specification, an alternate sensor should be considered when water cooling is not practical. In the pyrometer product line, the Optris CT Hot often addresses the ambient temperature challenge with its ability to operate in temperatures up to 250°C. The CT Ratio pyrometer sensor head can operate in an ambient environment of 315°C without cooling and is often the best solution for temperature measurements in high ambient conditions. If neither of these sensors meets the spot size measurement requirement, a small infrared camera mounted further from the target with the optimized optics is often the best choice. With thousands of pixels, the IR camera can resolve a smaller spot size from further distances than a pyrometer. Costs for small, fixed-mount industrial infrared cameras are now in the price range of some industrial pyrometers, making them a suitable replacement for many applications traditionally supported with pyrometer temperature measurements.

Wavelength choice in a pyrometer or an infrared camera is very much driven by the material to be measured. In general, high emissivity materials (most non-metals) especially those at temperatures below 200 °C are best measured with a long wavelength infrared sensor. Metal targets, especially those at temperatures above ambient temperature are most accurately measured with short wavelength sensors set to the appropriate emissivity. Special materials like thin film plastics, glass or special applications such as measurements in a combustion chamber are best measured with sensors tuned specifically to wavelengths optimized for these applications. For recommendations on optimized wavelengths for various applications review the “recommended products” in the applications tab on the Optris website.

Both infrared cameras and infrared sensors are calibrated using government standard reference sources set at a specific distance from the sensor. Measurements are taken when the sensor or camera is optimized for focus on these reference sources. Measurements will not be within published specification accuracy if instruments are not properly focused.

The difference between “calibrated” and “validated for specification accuracy” is often misunderstood. When a sensor is “calibrated”, it is taken through the same procedure applied during the manufacturing process which involves exposing the sensor to a variety of temperatures emitted from black body reference sources that are traceable to government reference sources. “Validating for specification accuracy” involves checking the pyrometer or infrared camera to see if readings are within specified accuracies. This can be done on site comparing a measurement made with an accurate contact measurement probe with the measurement made with the infrared sensor on the same high emissivity surface. Alternately, it can be returned to the manufacturer for a calibration check against traceable reference sources. In general, it is important to check measurement accuracy at least once a year particularly when the pyrometer or infrared camera is in an environment where dust or dirt can coat the sensor optics attenuating the infrared signal.

Think of distance measurement with an IR sensor as if you are aiming a flashlight at a wall. In general, if you are close to the target, the flashlight beam concentrates on a small area. As you stand back from the wall, the beam covers a much larger area. Refer to the spot size measurement specification described above (How far can we measure?) and/or the Optris Calculator App to make sure the spot size of your target can be measured by the infrared sensor selected. Also note that a wide variety of close-up optics are available for many Optris sensors to optimize spot size measurement performance from a variety of distances.

This question frequently surfaces from customers interested in measurements of microelectronics. Because infrared cameras produce measurements leveraging infrared detector arrays with thousands of pixels, they are most capable of making temperature measurements of very small targets. Unfortunately, many manufacturers of infrared cameras will communicate only the spot size of the infrared pixels, which may report temperature changes, but these pixels may be too small to meet the camera’s accuracy specifications. To distinguish pixel size and the smallest accurate temperature measurement, Optris specifies both pixel size and instantaneous field of view (IFOV) and measurement field of view (MFOV). The MFOV is based on testing that determines the number of pixels necessary with any given camera to report a temperature measurement that conforms to the camera’s accuracy specification. For example, the Optris PI640i with MO2X optics delivers a spot size (IFOV) of 8 µm but can accurately measure (MFOV) a target of 32 µm.

For other applications with a larger spot size, a pyrometer with close focus optics may support the application requirement. Check the Optris Spot Size Calculator to find spot size and (MFOV) size specifications on both pyrometers and IR cameras

Accurate distance measurement is entirely dependent on the size of the target to be measured, which is why temperature measurement specifications relating to distance need to account for target spot size. The most common specification for communicating distance measurement capability is the Spot Size Ratio, which is defined for almost all infrared pyrometers. This specification is also often referred to as the Optical Resolution. For example, if a sensor has a spot size ratio of 15:1, this sensor can measure a target of 1 centimeter (or inches, feet, meters, etc.) from a distance of 15 centimeters. If the spot to be measured is smaller than the spot computed by the spot size measurement, the sensor will deliver a measurement that averages the hot spot and the surrounding area.

For infrared cameras, the distance for accurate measurement is a function of the infrared camera resolution, detector pitch, and the optics deployed on the camera. Infrared cameras with high-resolution detectors and telephoto optics generally deliver the most accurate measurements of distant targets. Distance measurement performance can be easily derived using the optics calculator on the Optris website, which will take into account the infrared camera resolution and optic combination.

This is a perfect application for a calibrated infrared camera that can detect temperatures over a large area, such as your paint spray booth. The IR camera makes use of thousands of pixels, all of which detect temperature. It is common in this application to set an alarm temperature threshold that will send out a signal when these temperature thresholds are exceeded in any pixel in the thermal camera field of view. The infrared camera’s resolution and the optics chosen for that camera will dictate the spot size of each pixel from a given distance, so it is important to consider the mounting location, the dimensions of the area to be monitored, and the size of a typical ignition event.

The Micro Epsilon part number you referenced is a product manufactured by Optris and resold to Micro Epsilon, which was a former Optris distribution partner. The Optris product is our CTlaser Fast LT, sold under part number OPTCTLLTFSFCB15H. It includes the diverging lasers that identify the location and size of the spot measured by the pyrometer. Unlike many long-wavelength sensors, it has a fast response time of 9 milliseconds, which enables its use for dynamic temperature measurements of fast-moving products or processes.

In the installation folder of the CompactPlus Connect software, the USB driver is located in the folder … DriversIR Adapter Driver.
Please close the software before installing the driver.

The Optris CT Hot often addresses the ambient temperature challenge with its ability to operate in temperatures up to 250°C. The CT Ratio pyrometer sensor head can operate in an ambient environment of 315°C without cooling and is often the best solution for temperature measurements in high ambient conditions. If water cooling is an option, the CT Laser product line offers a wide variety of close-up optics if the plastic part to be tested is small and requires a small spot size pyrometer. The CT Laser-cooled pyrometer housing has a diameter of 48 mm, which is small enough for some testing chambers.

Plastics can be partially transmissive in the infrared region, which will result in a temperature measurement combining thermal energy travelling through the plastic from an object on the back side of the measured surface. However, this phenomenon is not an issue when the plastic to be measured is more than 250 µm. Special wavelength sensors with spectral response matching the infrared absorption spectra of common plastics are available for thin-film plastic measurements.

There are several pyrometer options available in the Optris lineup with short wavelength response optimal for detecting infrared radiation transmitted through a quartz window, which will attenuate roughly 50% of the IR signal at 3.5 µm. The IR signal is not detectable by any infrared sensor with a wavelength response longer than 4.5 µm, so avoid the use of any sensor responsive in the longer wavelengths unless you are interested in measuring the temperature of the quartz window.
Consider Optris 1M, 2M, or 3M series pyrometers depending on the temperature range of your sample. Also, make sure the spot size measured by the sensor is smaller than the diameter of the target to be measured using the Optris Optics Calculator. Close focus optics are available on some sensors that decrease the spot size for the measurement of small targets. For very small targets like filaments, it may be necessary to use a short-wave IR camera (PI05M, PI08M, or PI1M) which leverage small pixel size to make an accurate measurement.

Optris IR cameras are ideal for early fire detection applications because they are able to monitor a large area for any temperature that exceed a preset threshold. Optris thermal cameras are often deployed for indoor applications to detect fire on wood products that can ignite from planing, cutting or chipping machinery. Thermal cameras can be optimized with the ideal optics based on the area to be monitored and the mounting location. Outdoor applications such as fire detection in utility environments can be supported in the same way with enclosure accessories that protect the cameras from the elements. Optris IR cameras have alarming capabilities that communicate the alarm condition with industry standard voltage or current outputs.

Yes, for imaging a 1mm laser spot with the PI-05M camera at a 100mm working distance, the wide-angle lens provides a 100µm IFOV. However, using a 27° lens would achieve a better spatial resolution with a 68µm IFOV and 271µm MFOV, making it a superior option for this application.

The quantity of connected PI cameras with the USB server depends on the maximum speed of the camera type. See the connection possibility at the following table “Connection variants USB server” (QuickStart guide PDF, page 1): https://optris.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/ACPIUSBSGB-QSG-E2023-05-C.pdf

Yes, it’s possible. We recommend water as the cooling capacity is much better. Using air limits the max. ambient temperature of the Cooling Jacket to ~ 100 °C. The internal device temperature should be monitored to avoid any damage due to insufficient cooling capacity.

The reason for the air purge input of the cooling jackets is to clean the lens at any time, and also to cool the front of the lens with the air. The output of the air is in front of the lens. There is a small gap where the air comes out.

For the UART communication on the RX line only the voltage level of 3.3 V should be used. There is basically no risk of damage if a higher voltage level is used but it will influence the internal referencing and therefore the temperature reading.

You can request data by sending 0x01 but make sure to set up the sensor using the CompactConnect software on a PC beforehand. Burst mode is also available if you want to receive data continuously without needing to request it. As for voltage levels, 3.3V is recommended, but it will work with 5V as well.

Yes, you can connect this sensor directly to an Arduino. In UART mode, you can use the TX and RX pins, and the RX pin is supported.

The device can be repaired in our service department. If you bought it from one of our distribution partners, please send it to them.

In this case, the exact measurement situation must be considered! Measuring the water directly through the PTFE material is only possible if it is very thin (<200 µm), which is not a realistic scenario. The easiest way would be to measure the surface of the PTFE with one of our LT devices. Otherwise, our LT devices can also be used to measure the water directly, if possible. For example, CTfast LT or CT LT could be used.

The Optris emissivity table on pages 34 – 37 of the “Infrared Basics” white paper is a good place to start. It lists emissivity values on hundreds of materials and includes the emissivity for specific wavelength sensors. Emissivity on metal surfaces in your application may vary from those listed in the table based on surface texture, corrosion or weathering effects so it is recommended to measure the emissivity if possible. This is best done by adjusting the emissivity value on the sensor until it matches the accurate measurement made with a contact device or on a high emissivity coated area or cavity as described above.

In general, accurate measurements from an infrared camera require more than one pixel, often defined as an IFOV (instantaneous field of view). Accuracy specifications provided by infrared camera manufacturers will typically be based on a 3 x 3 cluster of pixels or more, but some infrared cameras have very small detector elements that dramatically increase the size of the cluster necessary to support a temperature measurement consistent with the accuracy specification. Be certain your camera is delivering measurements within the accuracy specification by using the manufacturer’s Optics Calculator to define the smallest size for accurate measurement (MFOV or measurement field of view) for a given camera and its optical configuration.

Particles from a production environment can impact the accuracy of remote infrared temperature measurement in two ways. First, particles can coat the sensor or camera optics attenuating the infrared signal emitted from the target to be measured. This will typically result in a lower temperature measurement particularly when humidity combines with dust particles. In this scenario, a purging accessory is highly recommended. Heat Radiation can also be attenuated by particles in the optical path between the sensor and the target. The degree of signal loss depends on the density of the particles and the distance from sensor or camera to the target. In this scenario, a ratio sensor is often used which will still produce accurate temperature measurements even when the signal is attenuated by up to 90%.

If the sensor or IR camera has a long wavelength spectral response that overlaps with the 10.6 µm wavelength of the CO2 laser, it will most likely be damaged beyond repair. Optris produces a wide variety of pyrometers with shorter wavelength responses that are perfectly safe to use on targets irradiated with a CO2 laser. Optris also makes specially filtered long-wavelength cameras with CO2 filters that completely attenuate the signal from the CO2 laser, making it safe to measure temperatures on targets in CO2 laser environments.

First, the CS micro is less than 1/2 the length of the CS LT, which allows it to fit in the small areas, supporting space-efficient product design for OEM applications. Second, the unique CS micro design positions vulnerable electronics in the cable away from the heat source, which allows it to deliver accurate measurements in temperatures up to 180 °C compared to 80 °C for the CS LT. Finally, it is available with optic options for small spot size measurement and short-wave detector options for metal temperature measurements.

The Optris CS LT is the easiest to use and most affordable infrared thermometer delivering accurate temperature measurements from -40 °C to 1030° C. It can be set for any emissivity value and includes voltage, thermocouple K, and alarm outputs.

One of the key advantages of a calibrated infrared camera over a single-spot infrared sensor (pyrometer) is the ability to measure thousands of points on a target at the frame rate of the camera. This capability allows the camera to identify the hottest spot in an area, versus only a single spot with a pyrometer, which is important in many production applications where it is impossible to know where the hottest temperature is likely to occur on a production part or process. Many Optris IR cameras include an “auto hotspot” mode that delivers the hottest temperature in the camera’s field of view without any additional computer-based thermal image processing. The camera behaves like a spot pyrometer in delivering a single measurement output that can be connected to a PLC, but the value communicates the hottest spot on the target instead of a best guess on a hot spot based on the alignment of a spot pyrometer.

Infrared cameras are widely used in surveillance and other night vision applications to identify security threats, find missing persons, fire management or as an aid in navigation. These cameras are not typically calibrated for accurate temperature measurement. A “radiometric IR camera” has been designed and calibrated with the specific purpose to measure temperature taking into consideration thermal drift, ambient temperature fluctuations and other factors that impact accurate temperature measurement. All Optris cameras are “radiometric” and incorporate special design and calibration protocols to maximize temperature measurement accuracy.

Infrared cameras will typically not deliver accurate temperature measurements in ambient temperature environments beyond 50 °C due to the influence of high ambient temperature on the microbolometer sensor used most commonly in cameras made for process control environments. Optris infrared cameras are supported with cooled housings that protect the camera and enable accurate temperature measurements in high temperature environments up to 315 °C.

High ambient temperature can often be moderated by mounting the thermal imager further away from process environment heat sources. IR cameras can be supplied with narrow field of view (high magnification) optics that will deliver accurate measurements from afar provided there is line-of-site to the target to be measured. Use the Optris Optics Calculator to determine the spot size that can be measured accurately with various optic options.

The Optris CThot LT pyrometer is designed to deliver accurate temperature measurements in ambient temperatures up to 250 °C. This sensor is often deployed in heat treating furnace or drying applications where it is not practical to support feed lines for water cooling.

The Optris USA office accepts orders directly from U.S. and Canadian customers but encourages order placement through distributors if they have been involved in pre-order customer support. The Optris website provides pricing and quotation support but does not support e-commerce order placement. The office is open business hours in the east coast time zone for order placement. Again, pre-order consultation with an Optris applications engineer is suggested for first time orders to insure the sensor or IR camera addresses application requirements.

Most infrared remote measurement equipment choices are driven by the material to be measured. Metal measurements require a different sensor than thin film plastics or other highly emissive materials. Secondary considerations include the temperature range, the distance from and size of the target, and the exposure time afforded to make the measurement. Although content is available on this website to guide decision making on a sensor or IR camera solution, it is not uncommon for us to field questions from a customer that has purchased a sensor not optimized for a measurement application so we encourage dialog (email, chat, or phone) before purchase or delivery of a sensor or camera. Optris commits to an informed response to application questions from engineers trained in infrared measurement applications.

Use black oven paint instead! It has an emissivity of 0.95.

Short-wave infrared sensors with a spectral response less than 3 µm are recommended when measuring metal temperatures on low emissivity targets. As a general rule, choose the shortest wavelength sensor with a temperature range specification that matches your target temperature. For example, if your metal target temperature is 250° C or higher, choose the sensor with 1.6 µm spectral response (2ML series sensors in the Optris product line) over the sensors with 2.3 µm spectral response (3M series products in the Optris product line). Lower spectral response sensors are less efficient at detecting low ambient temperature reflections, which decreases errors due to low target emissivity. Refer to Plank definition on the Lexicon page for more details on wavelength optimization. Also see page 10 in the Optris “Infrared Basics” whitepaper

Surrogate temperature measurement involves using a readily accessible or easily measured temperature to estimate or infer another temperature that is difficult or impossible to measure directly. This approach is used for process applications where the target of interest has very low emissivity but may be proximate to another target with high emissivity. Consider a die used to shape molten plastic. The steel die has low emissivity and may yield inaccurate temperature measurements with a long wavelength sensor but a measurement of the plastic part immediately after ejection from the die could yield useful information through machine learning that signals a hot spot on the die that is out of specification.

A hole or cavity in a metal target can transform a reflective target that cannot be measured accurately to a great source location for temperature data. The emissivity of the cavity area approaches 1 (perfect emitter) when the hole is six times the depth of its diameter. For a detailed explanation of the cavity and wedge effect, see the definition of “cavity effect” on our Lexicon webpage.

Add carbon black or high temperature paint to a metal surface and it is transformed from a reflective target with a low emissivity to an emissive target that can be measured accurately with a pyrometer or infrared camera. Electrical tape or foot powder can likewise improve target emissivity dramatically. Adhesive backed Optris high emissivity labels or “dots” can be applied to surfaces with temperatures up to 380 °C and measured with a long wave sensor or IR camera.

Simply put, emissivity is a term that quantifies the efficiency with which any target emits infrared energy. A material with an emittance value of 1.0 is a perfect emitter and ideal for measurement with an infrared sensor or camera. Many targets, such as plastics, carbon fiber, painted surfaces, food products, paper, and ceramics, have very high emissivity and are excellent emitters of infrared energy. Shiny metals have very low emissivity (often less than .1) and are difficult to measure accurately, particularly when they are at low or ambient temperature. In general, emissivity is inversely related to reflectance, so smooth uncoated metal surfaces tend to reflect temperatures from the surrounding environment, yielding inaccurate target temperatures.

The alarm signal (or the temperature value) can be output as an analogue value via the analogue output. This can be connected to a PLC controller, a siren or an alarm light.

The standard and the industrial PIF for the Xi400 need an external power supply. The PIF is recognized when the PIX Connect software is initializing the camera. The camera needs to be reinitialized by the software if the PIF is connected while the camera is already running.

Yes, it is possible to enlarge a specific area (digital zoom) and then save it as a snapshot. To do this, you have to go to the PIX Connect software under “Configurations” → “IR Image arranging” → “Zoom”.

Pick rectangle for user defined zoom. If the desired area is visible, an image can be created using the normal screenshot function.

Many customers choose an Optris pyrometer, such as the CT Laser that incorporates diverging lasers that precisely target the spot to be measured. In addition to locating the measurement spot on the target, the diverging lasers define the precise area to be measured. Some applications have space requirements that necessitate a smaller sensor, such as the Optris CS Micro. The M12 laser sighting tool can be used with the CSmicro mounting bracket and removed after the sensor has been locked in on the temperature measurement target.

Dust or vapors can coat the infrared sensor optics, reducing or attenuating the infrared signal necessary for the pyrometer to produce an accurate temperature measurement. To minimize particle buildup on optics, first make sure you have considered a pyrometer with optical performance that allows for positioning the sensor away from contaminating elements. Second, make sure the pyrometer is equipped with an air purging accessory that prevents particles and vapors from accumulating on the sensor optics. If conditions still result in some buildup on the pyrometer optics, consider a ratio sensor that uses dual wavelengths and a ratio temperature computation that can deliver accurate measurements even when the optics are attenuated by over 90%. These sensors are more expensive but often worth the investment when environmental conditions continue to compromise accurate temperature measurements.

The spectral response of the pyrometer is an important parameter for accurate Infrared temperature measurement of thin film plastics. Most thin film plastics with a thickness less than 250 µm will transmit infrared energy, resulting in temperature measurements heavily influenced by heat sources on the non-measurement side of the film. However, polyethylene and many other plastics (polypropylene, cellophane, polystyrene, etc.) absorb infrared energy at 3.43 µm, which renders them opaque to infrared sensors responsive in this same wavelength. The Optris CT P3 with spectral response at 3.43 µm is ideally suited for thin-film plastic temperature measurement. Other plastics, such as fluoroplastics, nylon, and polyester, have a more dominant Ester band infrared absorption at 7.95 µm and are most accurately measured with the CT or CT Laser P7.

Both infrared cameras and infrared temperature sensors (pyrometers) are used to monitor temperatures in thin-film vapor deposition processes. Infrared cameras are best for monitoring the temperature and thermal uniformity of the substrate due to their ability to cover the entire substrate with thousands of pixels, each with the ability to deliver temperature information. Optics can be optimized to deliver the best resolution of the substrate from a given distance.
Some users will complement the deployment of infrared cameras with pyrometers that monitor a spot temperature of the cathode sputtering target, which assures adhesion to the substrate when optimized.

The resolution regarding the camera image of the recorded RAVI file will not change if you change the speed of the replayed video. But the temporal resolution changes if you speed up the video. There is currently no possibility to employ a video codec instead of storing the camera feed as uncompressed YUV frames. With the software PIXConnect you can only do a screen capture, and as a result, you will have a WMV file. Another possibility is to use the Connect SDK to transfer all pixels of the live image as temperature-, color-, or as ADUs matrix to your own programmed software. You can handle the data for yourself. You can find the Connect SDK in the software PIXConnect.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to retrieve the time information from the exported .dat file header direct from the RAVI file.

The temperature-time diagram can be exported from the RAVi.

To do this, the video file must be run through completely once in PIX connect. Then you should find the item “Save Temp/Time diagram data” under the menu item “File”, which provides you with exactly this functionality.

Tray to move the Optimization slider in the menu “TOOLS” → “CONFIGURATION” → tab “GENERAL” of the PIX Connect software from “Quality” to “Performance”

The alarm signal (or the temperature value) can be output as an analogue value via the analogue output. This can be connected to a PLC controller, a siren or an alarm light.

The standard and the industrial PIF for the Xi400 need an external power supply. The PIF is recognized when the PIX Connect software is initializing the camera. The camera needs to be reinitialized by the software if the PIF is connected while the camera is already running.

Yes, it is possible to enlarge a specific area (digital zoom) and then save it as a snapshot. To do this, you have to go to the PIX Connect software under “Configurations” → “IR Image arranging” → “Zoom”.

Pick a rectangle for user-defined zoom. If the desired area is visible, an image can be created using the normal screenshot function.

Many customers choose an Optris pyrometer, such as the CT Laser that incorporates diverging lasers that precisely target the spot to be measured. In addition to locating the measurement spot on the target, the diverging lasers define the precise area to be measured. Some applications have space requirements that necessitate a smaller sensor, such as the Optris CS Micro. The M12 laser sighting tool can be used with the CSmicro mounting bracket and removed after the sensor has been locked in on the temperature measurement target.

Dust or vapors can coat the infrared sensor optics, reducing or attenuating the infrared signal necessary for the pyrometer to produce an accurate temperature measurement. To minimize particle buildup on optics, first make sure you have considered a pyrometer with optical performance that allows for positioning the sensor away from contaminating elements. Second, make sure the pyrometer is equipped with an air purging accessory that prevents particles and vapors from accumulating on the sensor optics. If conditions still result in some buildup on the pyrometer optics, consider a ratio sensor that uses dual wavelengths and a ratio temperature computation that can deliver accurate measurements even when the optics are attenuated by over 90%. These sensors are more expensive but often worth the investment when environmental conditions continue to compromise accurate temperature measurements.

The spectral response of the pyrometer is an important parameter for accurate Infrared temperature measurement of thin film plastics. Most thin film plastics with a thickness less than 250 µm will transmit infrared energy, resulting in temperature measurements heavily influenced by heat sources on the non-measurement side of the film. However, polyethylene and many other plastics (polypropylene, cellophane, polystyrene, etc.) absorb infrared energy at 3.43 µm, which renders them opaque to infrared sensors responsive in this same wavelength. The Optris CT P3 with spectral response at 3.43 µm is ideally suited for thin-film plastic temperature measurement. Other plastics, such as fluoroplastics, nylon, and polyester, have a more dominant Ester band infrared absorption at 7.95 µm and are most accurately measured with the CT or CT Laser P7.

The Optris CT Hot often addresses the ambient temperature challenge with its ability to operate in temperatures up to 250°C. The CT Ratio pyrometer sensor head can operate in an ambient environment of 315°C without cooling and is often the best solution for temperature measurements in high ambient conditions. If water cooling is an option, the CT Laser product line offers a wide variety of close-up optics if the plastic part to be tested is small and requires a small spot size pyrometer. The CT Laser-cooled pyrometer housing has a diameter of 48 mm, which is small enough for some testing chambers.

Plastics can be partially transmissive in the infrared region, which will result in a temperature measurement combining thermal energy travelling through the plastic from an object on the back side of the measured surface. However, this phenomenon is not an issue when the plastic to be measured is more than 250 µm. Special wavelength sensors with spectral response matching the infrared absorption spectra of common plastics are available for thin-film plastic measurements.

In general, it is best practice to keep the sensor (or IR camera) perpendicular with respect to the target to be measured, but this is not a rigid requirement, particularly when the target has a high emissivity. The emissivity of the target will begin to decrease, and measurement accuracy will be compromised when the measurement angle exceeds 60 degrees off-angle from perpendicular. A first surface mirror can be used when mounting dynamics will not support access to the target.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to adjust the time interval for the data. You have only the possibility to delete the not needed lines (times) manually in the *dat file.

Often, a sensor is chosen because it has the optimal spot size to accurately measure the target of interest. If a pyrometer perfectly addresses the spot size requirement but is in an environment that exceeds the operating ambient specification, an alternate sensor should be considered when water cooling is not practical. In the pyrometer product line, the Optris CT Hot often addresses the ambient temperature challenge with its ability to operate in temperatures up to 250°C. The CT Ratio pyrometer sensor head can operate in an ambient environment of 315°C without cooling and is often the best solution for temperature measurements in high ambient conditions. If neither of these sensors meets the spot size measurement requirement, a small infrared camera mounted further from the target with the optimized optics is often the best choice. With thousands of pixels, the IR camera can resolve a smaller spot size from further distances than a pyrometer. Costs for small, fixed-mount industrial infrared cameras are now in the price range of some industrial pyrometers, making them a suitable replacement for many applications traditionally supported with pyrometer temperature measurements.

Wavelength choice in a pyrometer or an infrared camera is very much driven by the material to be measured. In general, high emissivity materials (most non-metals) especially those at temperatures below 200 °C are best measured with a long wavelength infrared sensor. Metal targets, especially those at temperatures above ambient temperature are most accurately measured with short wavelength sensors set to the appropriate emissivity. Special materials like thin film plastics, glass or special applications such as measurements in a combustion chamber are best measured with sensors tuned specifically to wavelengths optimized for these applications. For recommendations on optimized wavelengths for various applications review the “recommended products” in the applications tab on the Optris website.

Both infrared cameras and infrared sensors are calibrated using government standard reference sources set at a specific distance from the sensor. Measurements are taken when the sensor or camera is optimized for focus on these reference sources. Measurements will not be within published specification accuracy if instruments are not properly focused.

The difference between “calibrated” and “validated for specification accuracy” is often misunderstood. When a sensor is “calibrated”, it is taken through the same procedure applied during the manufacturing process which involves exposing the sensor to a variety of temperatures emitted from black body reference sources that are traceable to government reference sources. “Validating for specification accuracy” involves checking the pyrometer or infrared camera to see if readings are within specified accuracies. This can be done on site comparing a measurement made with an accurate contact measurement probe with the measurement made with the infrared sensor on the same high emissivity surface. Alternately, it can be returned to the manufacturer for a calibration check against traceable reference sources. In general, it is important to check measurement accuracy at least once a year particularly when the pyrometer or infrared camera is in an environment where dust or dirt can coat the sensor optics attenuating the infrared signal.

Think of distance measurement with an IR sensor as if you are aiming a flashlight at a wall. In general, if you are close to the target, the flashlight beam concentrates on a small area. As you stand back from the wall, the beam covers a much larger area. Refer to the spot size measurement specification described above (How far can we measure?) and/or the Optris Calculator App to make sure the spot size of your target can be measured by the infrared sensor selected. Also note that a wide variety of close-up optics are available for many Optris sensors to optimize spot size measurement performance from a variety of distances.

This question frequently surfaces from customers interested in measurements of microelectronics. Because infrared cameras produce measurements leveraging infrared detector arrays with thousands of pixels, they are most capable of making temperature measurements of very small targets. Unfortunately, many manufacturers of infrared cameras will communicate only the spot size of the infrared pixels, which may report temperature changes, but these pixels may be too small to meet the camera’s accuracy specifications. To distinguish pixel size and the smallest accurate temperature measurement, Optris specifies both pixel size and instantaneous view (IFOV) and measurement field of view (MFOV). The MFOV is based on testing that determines the number of pixels necessary with any given camera to report a temperature measurement that conforms to the camera’s accuracy specification. For example, the Optris PI640i with MO2X optics delivers a spot size (IFOV) of 8 µm but can accurately measure (MFOV) a target of 32 µm.

For other applications with a larger spot size, a pyrometer with close focus optics may support the application requirement. Check the Optris Spot Size Calculator to find spot size and (MFOV) size specifications on both pyrometers and IR cameras

Accurate distance measurement is entirely dependent on the size of the target to be measured, which is why temperature measurement specifications relating to distance need to account for target spot size. The most common specification for communicating distance measurement capability is the Spot Size Ratio, which is defined for almost all infrared pyrometers. This specification is also often referred to as the Optical Resolution. For example, if a sensor has a spot size ratio of 15:1, this sensor can measure a target of 1 centimeter (or inches, feet, meters, etc.) from a distance of 15 centimeters. If the spot to be measured is smaller than the spot computed by the spot size measurement, the sensor will deliver a measurement that averages the hot spot and the surrounding area.

For infrared cameras, the distance for accurate measurement is a function of the infrared camera resolution, detector pitch, and the optics deployed on the camera. Infrared cameras with high-resolution detectors and telephoto optics generally deliver the most accurate measurements of distant targets. Distance measurement performance can be easily derived using the optics calculator on the Optris website, which will take into account the infrared camera resolution and optic combination.

This is a perfect application for a calibrated infrared camera that can detect temperatures over a large area, such as your paint spray booth. The IR camera utilizes thousands of pixels, all of which detect temperature. It is common in this application to set an alarm temperature threshold that sends a signal when this threshold is exceeded in any pixel within the thermal camera’s field of view. The infrared camera’s resolution and the optics chosen for that camera will dictate the spot size of each pixel from a given distance, so it is important to consider the mounting location, the dimensions of the area to be monitored, and the size of a typical ignition event.

The Micro Epsilon part number you referenced is a product manufactured by Optris and resold to Micro Epsilon who was a former Optris distribution partner. The Optris product is our CTlaser Fast LT and is sold under part number OPTCTLLTFSFCB15H. It includes the diverging lasers that identify the location and size of the spot measured by the pyrometer. Unlike many long-wavelength sensors, it has a fast response time of 9 milliseconds, which enables its use for dynamic temperature measurements of fast-moving products or processes.

In the installation folder of the CompactPlus Connect software, the USB driver is located in the folder … DriversIR Adapter Driver.
Please close the software before installing the driver.

Specified accuracy on remote infrared temperature instruments typically vary from 1% (of target temperature) or 1° C for pyrometers to 2% or 2 C for infrared cameras. Specially equipped IR camera systems with an available black body temperature reference source can achieve 1% accuracy. It is important to note that accuracy with remote infrared temperature measurement is more heavily influenced by the emissivity of the target material and the ability to quantify this emissivity than by the calibration accuracy of the instrument. Other factors such as dust or other attenuating elements in the line of site to the target can also have significant impacts on measurement accuracy. Also important for measurement accuracy is properly matching the spot size measurement requirement with the infrared instrument and optics so that the target to be measured has a spot size within the instruments Measurement Field of View (MFOV).

No. You can use both connections at the same time.

The thread can be used to connect any filter. Please be aware that this will probably influence the measurement accuracy as the camera is calibrated. The usage of protective windows can be compensated by changing the transmissivity value in the PIX Connect Software. Reference measurements with and without optical filters are strongly recommended.

No, that cannot be done simultaneously. The CSV files can be created afterward, either by using the RAVI Converter or by saving them in PIX Connect. You can save the temperature-time diagram at any time or take snapshots of the entire IR image or the temperature profile.

If you want to record data during the process, it can be done either via an analog signal into a data logger or by continuously querying the COM port using serial communication.

The temperature diagram displays all temperatures which are in the selected temperature range of the IR camera. The time is always displayed in seconds. The time resolution can be changed in the configuration menu. For more information read the PIX Connect manual.

More information about the export possibilities is found in the PIX Connect manual.

The profile lines can be used to add measurement areas (max. 20) or to save them directly containing the coordinate and temperature information. For a detailed description please read the PIX Connect manual.

You can use the “Event Grabber” mode to detect fast-moving objects. In a created trigger area in the image, the fast-moving object will be recognized, and it will be shown in an additional window in the PIX Connect software as a snapshot. You can find all information regarding the “Event Grabber” mode in the PIX Connect manual (page 99). You can also open the layout “Event Grabber” in the software PIXConnect. See the menu TOOLS → LAYOUT → Event-Grabber

You can create with the software PIX Connect a temperature profile where you can see the temperature distribution on the line. You can also bind in an automatic way some measure areas on the temperature profile line. (See menu: “Configuration” → “Temp Profiles” → “Bind measure areas to profile”.)

There is also a corresponding tutorial video for the Xi 410. You can find it here:

That depends on the application and the installation situation. In general, a tilting angle of max. 40°C for non-metal surfaces and 20°C for metal surfaces is recommended.

The water flow rate is approx. 1-5l/ min. We recommend not to exceed a water flow of 5l/ min. In addition, the cooling water temperature should not exceed 30°C.

The water flows through the entire cylinder.

Your question signals you have identified the infrared technology most likely to deliver accurate measurements in an environment with constantly changing transmission characteristics.

No. As soon as the Onboard USB port is used, the interface terminates the connection to the pyrometer, and no more signals can be received or transmitted via the interface.

A connection between the interface and the pyrometer is indicated by the illuminated LED I3. The internal pyrometer firmware reactivates the interface when the on-board USB connection is no longer used.

No. The factory test certificate is only valid with the original and complete pyrometer components ordered.  Factory test certificates can be issued for subsequently ordered replacement measuring heads and electronics boxes.

Usually, the web server function works on any smartphone. The smartphone must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the PC or laptop with the PIX Connect software installed.

This depends on the type of camera you are using. PI cameras have a manual focus, so you would have to rotate the lens by hand. The Xi cameras have a motorized focus that can be changed via software but is not supported in the above sample program.

Yes, you can do this via “File” → “Save temp/time diagram data”. But the video should be playing from the beginning to the end when you select to “Save”.

We are always open to suggestions for improvement and optimization. You can reach us at (603) 766-6060 or [email protected]

Yes, it is also possible to trigger snapshots by using a code (command) via the serial communication. The command is: “!Snapshot”.

You can find the complete command list after the installation of the software PIX Connect on your PC here:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Optris GmbH\PIX Connect\documentation\Manuals\Serial Communication Description-2018-05.pdf.

Alternative you can also open the command list via the menu “HELP” → “Documentation” →  “Manuals” → “Serial Communication Description-2018-05.pdf” in the PIX Connect software.

Be sure that you always have an internet connection.  Your firewall could be blocking the download and the installation of the firmware. In addition, be sure that you have administrative rights on your PC.

You can find all software downloads for the PIX Connect, CompactConnect and CompactPlus Connect software here: https://optris.com/software/compactplus-connect/

It’s important to select the correct separator when importing or opening data generated by Excel. Depending on the operating system this might differ. The separator can be changed in the PIX Connect software. Please read the manual.

The profile lines can be used to add measurement areas (max. 20) or to save them directly, containing the coordinate and temperature information. For a detailed description, please read the PIX Connect manual.