Stansted airport engineers cut thermographic inspection times with IRISS infrared windows
IRISS
CAP series polymer infrared windows
The custom application product (CAP) series of polymer infrared windows from IRISS has been installed at London Stansted Airport to reduce the time and costs associated with thermographic inspection.
As the airport is open for business 24/7, Stansted’s engineers only had four hours per night in which to conduct the predictive maintenance of low-voltage equipment. The entire inspection cycle was protracted and no system could be checked under load.
David Potter, engineering compliance manager at the airport, selected IRISS’s CAP series infrared windows made from transmissive polymer, an impact-resistant material that allows the window to be any size — suitable for applications involving large switchgear.
In total, 72 windows were installed, comprising a combination of 6in (15cm), 12in and 24in products all available in the standard range. The largest window is suitable for the thermal inspection of busbars and multiple components.
Key benefits of product application
- IRISS completed the job within the time constraints imposed by the airport’s 24-hour operation.
- Following installation, the impact on inspection time was immediate.
- Where previously it would take engineers two nights to inspect one panel, it took just five hours to complete the job in daylight hours.
- There was no need for isolations or back-feed.
- Personnel safety is assured.