Steelscape, Inc. Goes Infrared:

Steelscape manufactures steel for use in roofing, siding, gutters, garage doors and building infrastructure. Natural gas furnaces are a key component in the steel processing lines. Two vertical furnaces operate at internal temperatures of 2100°F to heat almost 600 feet of five foot wide steel ribbon each minute. Because of their rate of production, any unexpected shutdown translates into thousands of dollars in lost revenue and hours of frustration.

In the past, peeled or blistered paint and a cherry red glow were the best indicators of insulation breakdown within the furnace. Unfortunately, they made it difficult to assess the severity of the repair. Now, infrared thermograms help Steelscape plan the timing and duration of furnace repairs. Sophisticated IR technology indicates the severity of faults, helping to take the guesswork out of inspection and increase productivity.

Initially, Steelscape purchased their ThermaCam for electrical inspections. In just a year of use, the camera has become an integral part of their predictive maintenance program, verifying hot spots and regularly inspecting furnaces. Moving beyond reactive maintenance has allowed them to plan furnace shutdowns and repairs with minimal inconvenience to their customers, or their bottom line.

Courtesy of James Battison, Steelscape, Inc., in Inframation 2006 Proceedings