A person uses a thermal camera to inspect blue electric motors and pipes in an industrial setting.

Thermography Services: Mechanical

Revealing the unseen risks in your mechanical systems

Engineering Consultancy Services

Key benefits

Early defect identification

Prevent costly failures

Achieve significant energy and monetary savings

Temperature anomalies can be an early indication of a wide range of mechanical and operational system problems. From failing bearings and motors to faulty steam traps, these can signal a developing issue long before it becomes visible.

The service

Our thermography services utilise highly-sensitive thermal imaging technology to provide a clear, non-invasive assessment of your mechanical and operational systems' condition; especially in steam and condensate systems. Capturing your equipment’s infrared radiation, our tech will provide a visual heat map, revealing any temperature anomalies and potential hidden risks.

Our in-house, technically-expert Engineers Consultants are specialists in interpreting the thermal data, identifying potential issues and allowing you to take proactive action; forming a crucial part of effective asset management.

We focus on a range of key assets, including:

Steam traps: Our surveys are a critical part of managing your steam and condensate system. A defective steam trap can waste a significant amount of energy and compromise the efficiency of your entire system. Our thermographic inspections quickly identify these failures.
Motors, bearings and gearboxes: Overheating in these components is often a sign of excessive friction, poor lubrication, or an impending failure. Our surveys can pinpoint these issues, enabling you to schedule maintenance before a complete breakdown occurs.
Pumps: A pump's thermal signature can reveal problems with its seals, bearings, or internal components, all of which can lead to inefficient operation or a sudden failure.

Early defect identification

Our service allows you to see the invisible. By detecting thermal anomalies, we can identify component defects long before they cause a breakdown. For example, a bearing that is starting to fail will show an elevated temperature, providing a clear warning sign. This early detection capability allows you to transition from a reactive model to a smarter, more efficient predictive strategy.

Prevent costly failures

The cost of a mechanical failure goes beyond just the repair bill. It can include lost productivity, reputational damage, and potential safety risks. By identifying and addressing issues with mechanical components (e.g. motors, gearboxes) before they fail, our thermography service helps you prevent catastrophic breakdowns. This proactive approach ensures operational continuity and protects your bottom line from the financial fallout of an unexpected incident.

Achieve significant energy and monetary savings

One of the most immediate benefits of our service is the reduction in energy loss. A faulty steam trap, for example, can be a major source of wasted steam and, consequently, wasted energy and money. Quickly pinpointing and addressing thermal anomalies caused by defects can have a direct and significant impact on your business’s bottom line - allowing you to make targeted repairs, reduce catastrophic failures, and save energy costs; potentially saving your business thousands of pounds annually.

The end goal of our service is flexible and can be adapted to your needs. For critical components like steam traps, our surveys should be a regular planned maintenance activity, ensuring continuous efficiency. For other assets, it might be a one-off investigatory service used to diagnose a specific issue, e.g. an overheating motor or a suspected fault.

What we will deliver

A desktop featuring a HSB hard hat, a laptop, and pencils

Mechanical efficiency report: A detailed survey of steam traps, motors, bearings, and pumps, pinpointing areas of energy loss and mechanical stress.
Energy loss calculations: Quantifiable data estimating the financial cost of wasted energy (e.g. leaking steam traps), supporting the business case for repairs.
Predictive failure data: Identification of overheating components caused by friction or misalignment, acting as an early warning system for mechanical breakdown.
Visualised heat maps: Easy-to-interpret thermal imagery that allows non-technical stakeholders to visualise where energy and money are leaking from the system.

Why work with HSB?

What sets us apart is our unique heritage and deep specialisation, built on over 150 years' experience in engineering and risk management.

For you, this means a trusted partnership that delivers more than just a service - it's the provision of a crucial layer of assurance and confidence.

Insights

Contact

For more information on our engineering consultancy services, please contact a broker in the first instance. Alternatively, liaise with your usual HSB contact or get in touch with us via our contact form.

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