PI 450i CM

Maintaining distribution grids is vital for our way of life. Power grids support everything, from food and water supplies to factories, networks, security systems, banks, and all electrical devices. Our society relies on electricity, which puts increasing pressure on energy supply companies. Aging infrastructure and rising demand for cheaper energy have added stress to substations and grids, increasing the chances of damaging brownouts and blackouts. To avoid failures in utilities, reliable solutions are necessary to boost capacity, ensure reliability, and manage costs.

Understanding how heat spreads through components in a substation is essential. Electrical resistance in these parts can cause them to wear out, sometimes quickly, over time. When electrical current passes through these weakened areas, energy is lost as heat. Thermal imaging helps visualize these issues and identify possible failures. Utilities are starting to realize that using handheld infrared scanners in the field is not the best way to monitor temperatures in critical substation components. Positioning thermographers in each substation during peak loads—when problems are most likely to show up—is difficult.

As part of a preventive maintenance program, thermal cameras can spot potential failures in electrical utilities before they happen, which helps control costs. If a vital substation part, like a transformer, overheats and fails, it can severely impact the power utility. Fixed-install thermal cameras monitor key components around the clock, maximizing the chances of catching parts that may need repair or replacement due to increased temperatures. However, the widespread use of  infrared cameras has been limited until now because of their high costs.

The PI 450i CM package addresses the need for continuous monitoring in outdoor industrial settings. This package brings together all necessary components to effectively watch equipment and fire dangers, providing early alerts when equipment gets too hot or when ignition temperatures rise, indicating the start of a fire. It includes an  infrared camera, an outdoor enclosure with a fan and heating unit, a front window air purge, a high-definition video camera, and a USB-Server HT for long-distance video transmission.

One important feature of the PI 450i CM Package is its wide temperature operating range of -40 °C to 60 °C. This allows for reliable use in extreme cold and heat, making it suitable for harsh environments like deserts. This adaptability ensures the PI 450i CM package can be deployed in various settings, providing continuous monitoring and protection in tough conditions.

By combining these elements into one package, the PI 450i CM Package can be offered at a reasonable price, resulting in significant savings compared to custom setups. Improved fire safety comes from monitoring more areas from different mounting points. The cost-effective design of this system supports extensive area coverage and better early fire detection solutions.

At the heart of the PI 450i CM Package’s detection approach is the use of every pixel in the high-resolution 382 x 288 thermal camera to find hot spots. The high-speed processors in the PI 450i thermal imager constantly scan the field of view for hot spots that exceed user-set temperature limits. The PI 450i infrared camera features a process interface port that can send alarm signals to outside control devices or sprinkler systems. Additional interface modules can be added to establish fire alarm temperatures at various points within the thermal camera‘s view, boosting the system’s capacity to detect and respond to potential fire risks.

The system also allows for sending high-resolution thermal and video images to a control room PC with PIX Connect Software. This software can be set up to display multiple images from different mounting locations, offering real-time thermal video reviews to identify false positives, such as exhaust pipes from excavators or reflections from shiny surfaces. This ability is crucial for preventing unnecessary activation of fire control systems or emergency evacuations.

Designed and manufactured in Germany, the PI 450i CM Package is a complete and budget-friendly early fire detection solution. Engineers around the world are available to help with installation questions, ensuring the system functions effectively in various industrial environments. The reliability, affordability, and useful features of the PI 450i CM Package make it a strong choice for utilities aiming to improve their monitoring capabilities and maintain the integrity of their distribution grids.

Thermography software optris PIX Connect is included and license-free.All infrared cameras are delivered with the thermography software optris PIX Connect, developed specifically for the extensive documentation and analysis of thermal images. The Windows-based PIX Connect software enables users to tailor the infrared cameras to meet specific requirements. It analyses live and recorded temperature data and triggers alarm signals for process integration.The key to leveraging the Optris infrared camera is a correct configuration. This includes detailed device-specific configurations such as frame rate, measurement range adjustments, external communication settings, and USB/Ethernet configurations. Moreover, PIX Connect facilitates firmware updates and the download of configuration files over the Internet. PIX Connect Optris offers several different SDKs for our Xi and PI thermal imaging cameras. Depending on the operating platform, the infrared camera, the coding language, and the hardware platform, different software interfaces can be utilized: SDK The Optris IRmobile allows users to set up and commission an Optris infrared pyrometer or infrared camera with an Android smartphone or tablet. This tool becomes handy for commissioning and aligning the infrared camera‘s field of view or adjusting the configuration. The app analyzes the connected infrared camera‘s live infrared image stream with auto hot and cold spot detection. For pyrometers, a temperature-time diagram or the video signal is displayed. This app works on most Android devices running 5.0+ with a USB port supporting USB-OTG (On The Go). Google Play

Is the PI 450i CM export controlled?

The PI 450i’s high resolution qualifies it for export control in the EU and US markets. Check with local compliance authorities for procedures to manage exports outside the U.S. or European markets.

Can I use the PI 450i CM to measure metal temperatures?

Most metal targets have low emissivity and tend to reflect heat temperatures from any area incident upon the target. IR cameras with long wave detectors like the PI 450i are particularly vulnerable to this low emissivity effect. For this reason, it is best to use a short wavelength camera like the Optris PI 1M (link here) when measuring metal targets unless it is possible to coat or paint the metal part to improve surface emissivity. Emissivity can also be improved on metal surfaces when rough textured or when there are holes or crevices where measurements can be made inside the cavity.

Where is the PI 450i CM made, and do its memory components come from outside the U.S. or the European Union?

The PI 450i CM is designed, manufactured, and calibrated in Berlin, Germany. Some electronic components may be sourced from outside the EU or the US. Still, it is important to note that the PI 450i does not store any thermal images or temperature values in volatile memory. The PI 450i only stores full thermal images, thermal video (.ravi files), and temperature values in the customer PC hosting the PIX Connect software necessary to operate the camera. The camera uses memory components inside the camera electronics, which may be sourced outside the EU or the US to store a reference picture (also called dark picture) of the non-uniformity correction paddle or flag and some reference temperatures used to correct temperature drift. All these memory elements are deleted when the power to the camera head is terminated.

Can the PI 450i CM operate without a connection to a computer?

The PI 450i must be connected to a PC loaded with Optris PIX Connect software to produce thermal images and remote temperature measurements. By eliminating processing in the camera head and leveraging PC processing power, the camera head size can be reduced, and the ambient operating temperature can be increased. Autonomous operation (without the use of a PC) is supported in Optris Xi-series infrared cameras.

Can the PI 450i send temperature information from spots or areas to my PLC?

The PI 450i can send temperature information or temperature alarms from the Process Interface connection on the back of the camera. A cable with integrated electronics and a terminal block is included with the camera. It can be programmed in PIX Connect software as an Analog Input (AI) and Digital Input (DI) to control the camera or as an Analog Output (AO) to control the process. The signal level is always 0-10 V (DI = 24 V). An optional industrial process interface is also available, delivering up to three independent temperature values or alarms to a user-supplied PLC. USB-RS485 adapters are available for applications with output requirements for more than three areas.

Is temperature measurement important for infrared camera-based early fire detection systems?

Yes, particularly when automatic alarming is required. In some markets, accreditation bodies are establishing requirements for temperature measurement capabilities that accurately signal temperature increases of 20°C.

Can I use a thermal security imager and alarm on the hot spots?

While it may be easy for thermal imagers developed for security applications to identify a hot spot on an image, it can be more challenging for cameras not designed to measure temperature to deliver alarms on a series of targets with unique temperature alarm thresholds. Because some potential ignition areas will get warm before they ignite, it may be prudent to establish lower alarm or “pre-alarm” temperature thresholds in some cases. A camera designed and calibrated to deliver accurate temperature measurements on ambient temperature targets may be a better solution when even subtle temperature increases can signal a potential fire threat.

Is infrared camera resolution important?

Almost always. Most infrared cameras can be programmed to deliver an alarm when a pixel or grouping of pixels has exceeded a user-set threshold. If the target to be monitored (e.g., a small wood chip) is very hot but comprises only a portion of the thermal imager pixel, the camera will report a temperature measurement that is the average of the wood chip temperature and the surrounding ambient temperatures.

When will a lower resolution and more affordable infrared camera work for a given application?

When the spot size to be monitored is the same size as a pixel or group of pixels, an example may be a measurement on the side of a large furnace, where it is important to understand the average temperature but not necessary to measure a small spot on the furnace wall.

How do I know the pixel is too large for an accurate measurement?

Infrared camera suppliers who make thermal imagers for temperature measurement will typically host a spot size calculator on their website. The calculator should present the geometric size of a single pixel (IFOV) when the camera, the optics, and the distance from the target are input into the optics calculator.

Will a single pixel or IFOV always be large enough for an IR camera to deliver a measurement consistent with the camera specification?

No. While it is possible to detect a temperature increase with a single pixel, all infrared cameras need more than one pixel to measure temperatures accurately. A 3 x 3-pixel matrix has been used as a rule of thumb to define the pixel coverage necessary for a measurement compliant with specified camera accuracy. However, this can vary significantly depending on the camera and the infrared detector pitch (size). To determine the true Measurement Field of View (MFOV), use the Optris Optics Calculator or check with the manufacturer to determine MFOV.

I have used handheld cameras to measure the temperatures of important mechanical and electrical equipment in my facility. Can I use the PI 450i CM system for these applications?

Yes. Many facilities use fixed-install infrared cameras to monitor critical electrical and mechanical systems, reducing manpower and providing more comprehensive temperature data. Infrared temperature measurements on transformers, fuses, cable trays, rotating equipment, power cables, motor control centers, and switch gear are routinely measured with infrared cameras. They can be measured with properly calibrated fixed-install infrared cameras. In the U.S., the NFPA 70B-2023 Standard for Electrical Maintenance covers important details about using infrared equipment to monitor these systems. It is an excellent guide for any company or facility interested in establishing an internal standard for electrical equipment maintenance. The document references the importance of properly calibrated infrared camera equipment and the use of comparative thermography and small temperature rise to indicate equipment health or future fire hazards. The PI 450i CM is developed and produced in Germany and is calibrated according to government standards. Calibration certificates are available for customers requiring traceability on calibration standards.

Can I connect Optris Infrared cameras to the Video Management System I use for my security cameras?

The signal produced by the camera and converted to ethernet in the USB converter is not formatted for display on standard video management system.

The stated accuracy in that range for the PI 640i LT is +-2 C, but I was wondering if the accuracy could be further improved with surface emissivity information or calibrated to +-1 C or better

No, the actual temperature accuracy could not be further improved by information on surface emissivity. This is for the PI640i camera ±2 °C or ±2 %.
However, accurate surface information regarding the emissivity is necessary in order to measure the correct temperature based on the reflection ratio on the surface to be measured. An incorrectly set emissivity results in a temperature deviation.

I have a PI 640i and would like to connect it with the USB cable. What do I do if I’m not receiving a signal in the software?

– Check in the WINDOWS device manager that the USB driver was recognized correctly
– Go to Settings/Camera or via search and type in „camera“ and then activate the button “allow apps to access your camera”. Due to an Windows Update this could happen.
–  If you have a black screen on PIXConnect software, this could be because of the bad performance of your graphic chip and hardware acceleration. Regarding this case, reduce the screen resolution of the monitor.
– Check the USB cable and the connector pins on camera and PC side
– Try another USB port of the PC or another PC (if available) to check that the USB cable has no issue
– Maybe the USB power supply of the camera supporting PC is too low
– Using a too long USB cable / a not provided USB cable by Optris or an USB extension cable could be the reason that the software PIXConnect does not get any signal
– Use a PC where you have administrative rights or check with your local administrator

Will optris PIX Connect Software for optris IR Cameras run on my iPad?

No, PIXConnect currently cannot be run on an iOS system (Apple).

Is your infrared camera long-wave (LWIR) or short-wave (SWIR/MWIR)? What’s the typical frame rate? What’s the IFOV (instantaneous field of view / pixel size)? And does it connect to a PC via USB, or what other platforms/interfaces are supported (e.g., Ethernet, etc.)?

Optris provides different types of IR cameras with different wavelengths. Here you can find an overview of the different camera types regarding the spectral ranges, the typical frame rates and the interface versions (USB or Ethernet (ETH)):
Long-wave (LWIR) cameras (spectral range 8-14 µm):
– PI400i LT (80Hz, switchable to 27 Hz),
– PI450i LT (80Hz, switchable to 27 Hz),
– PI640i LT (32 Hz (640×120 px @ 125 Hz),
– Xi80 LT ETH (50 Hz),
– Xi400 LT USB (80Hz, switchable to 27 Hz),
– Xi410 LT ETH (25 Hz (connected via Ethernet,4 Hz connected via USB),
– Xi640 LT USB (32 Hz)
Long-wave (LWIR) cameras (spectral range 7,9 µm):
– PI450iG7 (80Hz, switchable to 27 Hz),
– PI640iG7 (32 Hz (640×120 px @ 125 Hz)
Middle-wave (MWIR) cameras (spectral range 3,9 µm):
– Xi320MT (30 Hz)
Short-wave (SWIR) cameras:
– PI1M (0,85-1,1µm), 32 Hz (382×268 px @ 80 Hz, (switchable to 27 Hz)/ 72×56 px/ 764×8 px @1 kHz)),
– PI08M (780-820 µm), 32 Hz (382×268 px @ 80 Hz, (switchable to 27 Hz)/ 72×56 px/ 764×8 px @1 kHz)) ,
– PI05M (500-540 µm), 764×480 px @ 32 Hz/ 382×288 px @ 80 Hz (switchable to 27 Hz)/ 72×56 px/ 764×8 px @ 1 kHz,
– Xi1M ETH (0,85-1,1µm), 396×300 px, 20 Hz, 396×8 px (auton.: 396×1 px), 500 Hz, 0,85-1,1 μm, Ethernet, USB 2.0 (only 20 Hz), Auton. operation,
– Xi05M ETH (500-540 µm), 396×300 px, 20 Hz, 396×8 px (auton.: 396×1 px), 500 Hz, 500-540 nm, Ethernet, USB 2.0 (only 20 Hz), Auton. operation
The following digital interface kits are for the Xi 80/ 410/ 05M/ 08M cameras available:
– Ethernet TCP/IP / Modbus TCP interface kit
– EtherNet/IP interface kit
– Profinet kit
You can see the IFOV (instantaneous field of view / pixel size) for your IR camera with the different available optics in the optics calculator on the Optris website: Optris IR Camera Calculator (https://optris.com/optris-calculator/camera/)
Example:

What is the bit depth of our camera?

The bit depth of our cameras is 14 bit. The data has 16 bit but only 14 bit are used for the Temperature Data and the other 2 bits are not used.

Can we send the raw ADU data from the camera to another commercial software for processing?

As a rule, we do not disclose any information about raw data. The only option is to use the Connect SDK to output the camera’s ADU values as a matrix. However, these ADU values are uninterpreted. The cameras can send the temperature information and the color information to another commercial software for processing.

Does changing the mode from Temperature to ADU in the Connect SDK change the way that the image is displayed?

No, the way the image is displayed does not change. You can see this in the software examples provided with the PIXConnect software (See the menu HELP => Connect SDK => Examples). Under the configuration menu => External communication => ConnectSDK. You can change the mode from “Temperatures” to “ADU”. This has no influence on the displayed image.

Our company designs and supplies camera systems for steelmaking processes and is exploring different camera types. For this application, would you recommend long-range, near-infrared, or short-wave infrared models?

For steelmaking processes we recommend short-wave infrared cameras as the PI 1M camera, PI 08M camera, PI05M camera , Xi1M camera or Xi 05M camera. Use the lowest wavelength / spectral range as possible!

I’m using the SDK to run SimpleViewer on Linux and have PI Connect installed on Windows. After performing calibration, the thermal image appears entirely black and displays an incorrect temperature reading of 257°F. Which setup or calibration steps could I have overlooked to make this work correctly?

– Regaring the black display in the software PIXConnect , this could be caused by a bad performance of your graphic chip e.g. the hardware acceleration. Reduce the screen resolution of your monitor or if possible reduce the hardware acceleration
– Set the Optimization to “Performance” and remove the hook from “High Speed temperature calculation”

Does the PI 640i support external triggering? Specifically, can I connect a relay output or a controller’s digital output to trigger image acquisition on the camera?

– Yes , the PI 640i camera supports via the software PIXConnect external triggering to record an image.
– You can use an analog input or a digital input signal via the Process Interface (PIF) to trigger the camera.
– In the configuration menu, PIF setting menu , you can set the voltage signal for the analog signal to trigger the camera or you can set the edges conditions for the digital signal to trigger the camera.
– Another possibility to trigger a snapshot via a controller’s digital output is to use the serial communication (if available at the PLC). For this you can use the command list of the serial communication to send the command to take a snapshot.

Which Optris infrared cameras support integration with machine learning frameworks? Do they provide raw thermal image data access via SDK/API (e.g., the OTC SDK), allowing developers to apply custom ML models for tasks like segmentation, classification, or predictive thermal analysis?

The IR cameras do not provide any raw thermal image data access. You get the temperature data via the SDK (OTC SDK) from the camera to your process.

Which Optris infrared camera is best for measuring temperatures during welding processes?

– The choose of the correct Optris infrared camera depends on the temperature range and the type of the welding process.
– For plastic welding , a PI/Xi LT camera can be used (8-14 µm)
– For metal (e.g. steel applications) a short wavelength camera PI 1M/08M/05M , Xi 1M , Xi05M should be used (0.85-1.1 µm , 780-820 µm , 500-540 µm)
– For laser welding applications Optris provides IR cameras with a blocking filter.

• Process imager PI 450i
• HD video camera
• Outdoor protective housing
• USB Server Gigabit HT
• Air purge collar
• Software package optris PIX Connect
• Outdoor Protective Housing Manual