Why You Should Report Thermography in Spartakus APM

Infrared thermography (IR) is a powerful tool in industrial maintenance, allowing teams to detect early-stage failures. By identifying abnormal heat patterns in equipment, IR thermography camera helps maintenance teams address issues related to electrical faults, misalignment, lubrication deficiencies, and component degradation and more.

However, while many organizations perform thermographic inspections, they often struggle with reporting and actionability.

Spartakus APM provides a centralized and structured approach to thermography reporting, addressing common challenges such as inconsistency, data overload, and integration issues.

This article explores why structured thermography reporting is essential and how Spartakus APM enhances the process.

Challenges of Traditional Thermography Reporting

Despite its advantages, industrial thermography reporting presents several challenges that hinder its effectiveness:

No Standardized Checklist for Inspections

Without clear guidelines, technicians rely on personal judgment when conducting inspections.

This inconsistency can result in:

• Variability in how issues are detected and reported.
• Critical anomalies being overlooked or misclassified.

Lack of Focus in Reports

Many thermographic reports contain excessive data without prioritization, making it difficult to extract actionable insights. Additionally, reports often lack historical data on “good actors” it hard to determine whether an absence of findings is due to actual asset health or human oversight.

Furthermore, the lack of structured links between findings and corrective actions in the CMMS affects follow-up, while inadequate tracking of trends makes it difficult to ensure accountability for resolved issues.

Reports Are Too Long and Hard to Navigate

Lengthy, unstructured reports bury critical anomalies, forcing maintenance teams to spend valuable time searching for relevant information instead of acting on it.

The challenge is further compounded by the difficulty of searching and cross-referencing historical data, making it harder to identify recurring problems and assess long-term equipment performance

Inconsistent Anomaly Classification

When anomalies are described differently across reports, it becomes difficult to track recurring failures and compare similar issues over time.

PDF Reports Limit Accessibility and Integration

Most thermographic reports are stored as PDFs, which are static and difficult to integrate with other maintenance systems.

Benefits of Reporting Thermography in Spartakus APM

Spartakus APM solves these challenges by offering a structured, integrated approach to thermography reporting. Key benefits include:

Centralized and Structured Reporting

• All thermographic data is stored in a single platform, eliminating scattered and inconsistent reports.
• Standardized templates ensure that inspections follow a uniform process.
• Failure modes and risk levels are assigned to anomalies, enabling better prioritization.

Cross-Referencing Thermography with Other Condition Monitoring Data

• Thermography is even more powerful when combined with other predictive maintenance techniques such as vibration analysis, oil diagnostics, and ultrasound.
• Spartakus APM allows teams to compare thermal trends with other condition data for deeper insights.
• Multi-factor analysis helps detect complex failure patterns before they cause breakdowns.

Faster and More Actionable Insights

• Reports are structured for clarity, making it easier to identify critical issues quickly.
• The Asset Health Dashboard provides an instant overview of thermographic anomalies.

Seamless CMMS Integration

• Findings can be converted directly into work orders within Spartakus APM.
• Maintenance actions linked to thermographic anomalies enable better tracking and follow-up.

Time Savings and Increased Efficiency

• Standardized reporting and automated workflows reduce manual effort.
• Thermographic data is easier to retrieve, analyze, and act upon, improving overall maintenance efficiency.

Flir One Edge integration

Flir One Edge is embedded in Spartakus APM for operator rounds.

Conclusion

Effective thermography reporting is crucial for proactive maintenance, but traditional reporting methods often create inefficiencies and blind spots. By centralizing and structuring thermographic data, Spartakus APM enhances visibility, actionability, and integration with broader maintenance strategies.

Organizations looking to improve asset reliability and reduce downtime should consider adopting a structured thermography approach within Spartakus APM. With streamlined data collection, enhanced analytics, and seamless integration, thermography becomes a key component of operator rounds, ensuring that critical thermal anomalies are detected, tracked, and addressed as part of routine inspections.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is IR Thermography?

Infrared thermography is a non-invasive technique used to detect abnormal heat patterns in equipment’s surface temperature. Since most failures begin with a temperature increase, thermography provides an early warning system for potential problem.

By capturing thermal images of industrial assets, maintenance teams can identify problems such as:

• Electrical faults (e.g., loose electrical connections, overheating circuits)
• Mechanical misalignment
• Inadequate lubrication
• Component degradation

Raphael Tremblay,
Spartakus Technologies
[email protected]