Recent developments in thermal signature analytics have expanded the applications of thermal cameras beyond routine troubleshooting; they now contribute to paper machine control, energy usage benchmarking, wet streak detection, and the identification and prediction of certain classes of sheet breaks.

Industrial Video Solutions Inc. (IVS), a U.S.-based specialist in automation for the papermaking industry, is leveraging FLIR infrared (IR) thermal cameras to obtain valuable data from paper machines as part of a patented system that boosts machine control and efficiency.

Moisture and temperature directly affect both paper properties and machine operation, making the measurement of these parameters essential to the papermaking process. However, despite the presence of visual spectrum cameras in several machine locations, some aspects of the papermaking process remain invisible to operators. This problem is attributable to factors such as steamy operating environments, visual camera limitations, and a lack of tools that convert camera images into actionable data.

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