PI 450i LT

The PI 450i infrared camera is built for research and process engineering. It offers strong performance and fits smoothly into research and process control setups. The camera measures temperatures from -20°C to 900°C, covering most thermal monitoring needs. For higher temperatures, it can reach up to 1500°C, making it suitable for a wide range of industries.

Optris infrared cameras employ uncooled detector technology, resulting in a cost-effective design with low power consumption, extended operational lifespan, and compact form factor. The 382 x 288 uncooled microbolometer infrared detector produces thermal radiometric images, supporting precise temperature measurement and consistent thermal imaging in a range of applications.

With a fast 80 Hz frame rate, the thermal camera quickly detects temperature changes in busy production settings and reduces motion blur. This speed keeps image quality high, even when tracking moving objects, making it useful for many industrial tasks. The camera can also work in environments up to 80°C, showing its durability. The PI 450i captures detailed heat patterns, giving operators valuable thermal information. Many compact thermal cameras run hot because high-power processors, FPGAs, wireless modules, and other electronics are crammed into small, sealed housings; their power draw turns into heat that is hard to dissipate. As internal temperatures rise, vendors must restrict ambient operating ranges, throttle performance, recalibrate more often, or shut the device down to protect the detector and electronics. Elevated heat also increases detector noise and measurement drift, reducing accuracy and component life. By contrast, the PI450i outputs raw radiometric data with minimal in-head processing, is engineered for low power consumption, and supports higher permissible operating temperatures—helping maintain stable measurements in demanding environments.

Unlike other infrared cameras with smaller pixels, the optimal pixel pitch size of 17 µm for long-wavelength infrared radiation allows for a measurement field of view (MFOV) as small as 3×3 pixels. This means that the target only has to cover 3×3 pixels. Other thermal cameras with a smaller pixel pitch require the target to be closer in order to cover more pixels.

The Optris Precision Line stands out for its accurate measurements and clear images, thanks to large, high-quality optics that reduce distortion. You can swap lenses to frame targets precisely and get the most out of each pixel. These stationary imaging systems use uncooled FLIR technology for better performance and reliability. The two-dimensional bolometer creates thermal images without moving parts, making the design sturdy and affordable compared to older line scanners.

The thermal camera can find hot and cold spots, create histograms, profile temperatures, and use other image processing tools. With the PIX Connect software, researchers and engineers can process thermal images on a PC, extract calibrated temperature data from any pixel, and review time versus temperature from live or recorded videos. The camera lets users collect data from any area, track temperature extremes and averages, and set up alarms. Engineers can also replay thermal videos frame by frame, save images, and take snapshots during temperature changes for thorough analysis and records.

The PI 450i camera and PIX Connect software make it easy to send temperature data to other control systems. With the Industrial Process Interface, you can send temperature or alarm data from certain areas to other equipment. You can also set the system to capture images or videos automatically when temperatures hit set limits, helping you monitor and control processes more precisely.

Temperature-related manufacturing processes, plastic thermoform temperature measurements, conveyor belt temperature measurements, wallboard temperature measurements, and many other sheet-oriented industrial temperature measurement processes are supported with a special line scan feature of the PIX Connect software that converts the two-dimensional visual output from the thermal imager to a continuous display of temperature variations across a single line. With this mode, the infrared camera becomes the perfect replacement for bulky mechanical infrared line scanning cameras, using a fraction of the space necessary for mounting older mechanical line scan technology.

The Optris PI 450i is designed for demanding industrial environments, boasting a robust construction. The Optris PI 450i is built for tough industrial settings and is the smallest camera in its class. It works reliably over the long term, even in extreme temperatures or dirty environments, so it can keep running in important applications. Water-cooled enclosures protect the thermal camera at ambient temperatures up to 315°C and accommodate the Industrial Process Interface. Air purging accessories maintain optical clarity in dusty or vapor-filled environments. For outdoor installations, enclosures with integrated heating ensure reliable operation. Optional calibration certificates are available for customers seeking traceability documentation, underscoring the thermal camera‘s commitment to accuracy.

Made in Germany to high standards, the PI 450i stands for precision and reliability. It is built to handle tough industrial conditions and keeps working even in the hardest environments. This thermal camera is a great choice for critical jobs where you need dependable performance and peace of mind.

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

What is the difference between a PI 400i and a PI450i?

The Optris PI 450i thermal camera has a higher sensitivity and a wider ambient temperature range than the Optris PI 400i infrared camera.

Can the PI 450i thermal camera be calibrated with more than one lens?

Six different lens options are available for the PI 450i; each can be used to replace the optic installed on the camera. Each optic attenuates infrared signals to varying degrees and must be calibrated with the camera to deliver accurate temperature measurements. Therefore, it is best to anticipate future optic requirements and include these in the initial camera order.

Can I purchase another optic later if I don’t order more than one infrared lens with my first PI 450i infrared camera?

Yes. Optris frequently performs post-purchase infrared lens calibrations; however, it will be necessary to return your camera to Optris so that the attenuating effects of the new lens can be properly accounted for during the calibration process.

How do I load different calibration files if I change optics?

Calibration files for every optic combination for your PI450i are available on Optris servers and loaded onto your PC when connected to the internet to initiate the load process. Additionally, a USB drive with the software and the calibration files comes with the infrared camera.

Is the PI 450i thermal camera subject to export control?

The PI 450i’s high resolution qualifies it for export control in both 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 thermal camera 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, such as the PI 450i, are particularly susceptible to this low emissivity effect. For this reason, it is best to use a short-wavelength camera, such as the Optris PI 1M, when measuring metal targets unless it is possible to coat or paint the metal part to improve its surface emissivity. Emissivity can also be improved on metal surfaces when they are rough-textured or when there are holes or crevices where measurements can be made inside the cavity.

Where is the PI 450i thermal camera made, and does it contain memory components sourced from outside the U.S. or the European Union?

The PI 450i thermal camera 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 non-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 thermal camera. The thermal camera uses memory components inside the thermal 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 thermal camera head is terminated.

Does the thermal camera PI 450i have any Wi-Fi or other communication capabilities?

The PI 450i thermal camera has no electronic components that enable external communication.

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

The PI 450i thermal camera 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 thermal 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 thermal camera send temperature information from spots or areas to my PLC?

The PI 450i thermal camera 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 infrared camera. It can be programmed in PIX Connect software as an Analog Input (AI) and Digital Input (DI) to control the thermal 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.

What are the associated part numbers for this product?

OPT45ILTO18T090, OPT45ILTO29T090, OPT45ILTO53T090, OPT45ILTO80T090, OPT45ILTO18T010, OPT45ILTO29T010, OPT45ILTO53T010, OPT45ILTO80T010, OPT45ILTO18T150, OPT45ILTO29T150, OPT45ILTO53T150, OPT45ILTO80T150, DBR45ILTO18T090, DBR45ILTO29T090, DBR45ILTO53T090, DBR45ILTO80T090, DBR45ILTO18T010, DBR45ILTO29T010, DBR45ILTO53T010, DBR45ILTO80T010, DBR45ILTO18T150, DBR45ILTO29T150, DBR45ILTO53T150, DBR45ILTO80T150, MEP45ILTO18T090, MEP45ILTO29T090, MEP45ILTO53T090, MEP45ILTO80T090, MEP45ILTO18T010, MEP45ILTO29T010, MEP45ILTO53T010, MEP45ILTO80T010, MEP45ILTO18T150, MEP45ILTO29T150, MEP45ILTO53T150, MEP45ILTO80T150

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.

• Infrared Camera PI 450i
• USB cable (1m)
• Cable for output/input (1m) incl. terminal block
• Tripod
• Rugged outdoor transport case (IP67)
• Software package optris PIX Connect
• PI Product Manual