Certification and levels thereof are one of the most frequently discussed issues in thermography. With few standards addressing certification, purchasers of infrared inspection services and thermographers often ask, “How much certification is necessary?”
Due to a variety of definitions, certification can have different meanings. As it is used in thermography, certification generally means, “to declare something to be true and/or to attest by issuing a certificate to.”
The American Society for Nondestructive Testing documents, SNT-TC-1A and CP-105 provide suggested curricula, training hours, and amount of experience under the Thermal/Infrared test method. Because ASNT recommends that listed criteria should be modified to meet an employer’s needs, it is up to an employer to determine his/her client’s needs and to set certification requirements accordingly.
Taken at face value, certification generally indicates one’s level of formal training. This training, combined with experience and knowledge of the system or structure being inspected determine a thermographer’s qualifications.
In a larger sense, certification is a measure of a thermographer’s professional qualifications. It is therefore incumbent on the professional thermographer to achieve the highest level of certification possible. The rewards for doing so are both personal and professional and can provide significant financial and competitive advantages.
Applications Courses Provide Focused Training
In addition to our Level I, II, and III thermography courses, Infraspection Institute offers a number of applications courses focused on specific areas of thermal imaging. Topics include infrared inspections of: electrical systems, mechanical systems, and building envelopes. Other topics include thermal imaging for pest detection and for weatherization of buildings.
Typically 16 hours in length, each application course covers infrared theory, heat transfer concepts, equipment operation and selection, inspection techniques and procedures, standards compliance, image analysis, and report generation. Course completion may be applied to training requirements for thermographer certification.
Infraspection Institute applications courses are a cost effective alternative to week-long classes and are perfect as refresher courses. Applications courses are available monthly in several locations worldwide and through our Distance Learning Program.
The use of photovoltaics to generate electricity offers several distinct advantages. Free fuel, silent operation, and zero emissions make this technology attractive worldwide.
Like all electrical equipment, photovoltaic systems are subject to failures both at the time of installation and during the lifespan of the PV system. Left undetected, these failures can compromise the power output of the system and shorten its operational life.
Part of Infraspection Institute’s distance learning program, SuccessIRies 109 is a new course that focuses on the use and unique benefits of thermal imaging as a quality assurance tool and as a preventive maintenance technique for installed photovoltaic systems.
Designed for beginners and experienced thermographers alike, the course is 33 minutes long and may be accessed 24/7 from a standard web browser or a smart device.
Infraspection Institute is pleased to announce that its annual Advanced Training Conference, Technical Symposium and Technology Expo, IR/INFO 2017, will be held January 22 – 25, 2017 in Orlando, Florida. Now in its 28th year, IR/INFO features four days of networking, learning, and fun in a relaxed, yet professional, family atmosphere.
Infraspection Institute is presently seeking papers and presenters for IR/INFO 2017. Invited topics include, but are not limited to: safety, emerging applications, building sciences, related NDT, case histories, as well as tips and tricks.
Presentations are typically 25 minutes with 5 minutes for Q & A time with the audience. All papers and presentations will be published in the IR/INFO Proceedings. The deadline for abstract submissions is July 31.
In addition to our Level I, II, and III thermography courses, Infraspection Institute offers a number of applications courses focused on specific areas of thermal imaging. Topics include infrared inspections of: electrical systems, mechanical systems, and building envelopes. Other topics include thermal imaging for pest detection and for weatherization of buildings.
The use of photovoltaics to generate electricity offers several distinct advantages. Free fuel, silent operation, and zero emissions make this technology attractive worldwide. 
Infraspection Institute is pleased to announce that its annual Advanced Training Conference, Technical Symposium and Technology Expo, IR/INFO 2017, will be held January 22 – 25, 2017 in Orlando, Florida. Now in its 28th year, IR/INFO features four days of networking, learning, and fun in a relaxed, yet professional, family atmosphere.
