Calex has successfully measured the temperature of a sintered steel gear using an 8-14 µm general-purpose sensor.

A PyroUSB model PUA8-CF infrared temperature sensor was used to measure the temperature of the teeth. Short-wavelength sensors such as the PyroUSB PUA2 models are normally preferred for measuring steel, however we found that the results with the general-purpose PUA8 were good enough to allow the gear to be measured at lower temperatures and lower cost.

A thermocouple was attached to the gear, which was heated to over 180°C and allowed to cool. Using an emissivity setting of 0.32, the PUA8-CF tracked the thermocouple temperature within 2°C over a period of 23 minutes.

These encouraging results unlock new possibilities for measuring low-temperature metals at low cost with general-purpose sensors. Smaller areas can now also be measured on this kind of object, because general-purpose sensors are available with more tightly-focused optics than short-wavelength equivalents.

If you would like to measure a metal surface with an infrared temperature sensor, please contact Calex to discuss it. You can also call us on +44 1525 373178.