I have been training people in the art of IR imaging technology professionally since 2001. The vast majority of that training is hands-on: how to use the technology to solve problems. I have been using cameras made by FLIR Systems since 2004, before that the cameras were made by Indigo Systems where I worked until FLIR bought the company. I was involved in the original design of the customer software used with these cameras and their manufacturing and testing. I also worked both as an applications and systems engineer. When I worked at FLIR, I handled the cameras on an almost daily basis, maintaining a high level of proficiency in the rapid acquisition of data in both the lab and the field. The class sessions are a mixture of lecture slides and live demonstrations with infrared cameras. I also ask students to help with the demonstrations, either operating a piece of equipment that is a target for the infrared camera, or operating the camera itself. This approach seems to work quite well for all sorts of student groups. The hardest groups to teach are those in which there is a wide spectrum of experience or knowledge. It’s a perennial challenge – how to keep a group with entry-level technicians and PhD scientists engaged at the same time. Hands-on exercises have wide appeal – the beginner gets to play with six-figure scientific apparatus, and the experienced person gets to shine in front of their peers. The approach that does not work well with a group like this is one where the slides are full of math equations. This is very difficult to follow in real time, unless one already knows the material well, in which case there is little point in presenting it. When I present theory, it is done through diagrams and pictures with simple math that can be done in one’s head. The main purpose of presenting the theory is to clarify what is being measured and why – the goal is always to tie units of measure back to specific phenomena.

Most student groups are not sent to me to learn the theory – they just want to use the camera and the software to solve a problem, typically by watching a process unfold in the thermal IR domain. Sometimes the goal is a temperature measurement, other times it is about slowing down a high speed phenomenon to see where things are going wrong. It can be about tracking a high altitude parachute jumper that would otherwise be very difficult to see in the visible band of the spectrum. In all these cases, the equipment operators do not need to know the Planck equations by heart, they just need to know how to get the data they need. They DO need to understand the conversion of IR camera signals into temperature measurements, otherwise it is really easy to misinterpret the findings and end up with bad data. This is why training of new personnel is so critical: if they do not know what they are doing, they can end up taking a great deal of data that is compromised or downright worthless, and they can keep on doing that for years on end without even realizing it!

Training Courses:

I can custom tailor a training course for any size group. I have a huge library of images, videos and training slides on almost every aspect of IR imaging technology. The course can be done in person or remote. I am willing to travel just about anywhere, and have often combined training with a few extra days of field data collection with the client, putting their training to work on their specific problems. Please contact me for more information.

SPIE Short Courses:

I also offer training in the form of short courses that I give annually at the SPIE Defense and Commercial Sensing conference and trade exhibition. This link takes you to the Short Course program where there is a webinar recording preview of one of my courses.

My NIR and SWIR Imaging Applications short course is described here and my Infrared Imaging Technology Basics short course is described here.

Please Note: I do not involve myself in the various levels of ASNT-Certified Thermography training that are commercially offered; my training is targeted specifically to my client audience, which has mostly consisted of engineers and scientists who have a need for infrared imaging technology. There are many providers of Levels 1-3 Thermography out there in the commercial sector that can provide those services. That being said, I would be more than happy to offer my training services to train the instructors that teach these courses, particularly the Level 3 certified instructors.

FLIR Infrared Imaging Radiometry Handbook:

I wrote a free 439 page eBook to help customers understand how to use FLIR science cameras and software. You can download it for yourself!

Click to access IR_Imaging_Radiometry_Handbook.pdf

Advanced Infrared Imaging Radiometry Course:

Here is a course synopsis for my Advanced Infrared Imaging Radiometry Course. I have taught this course about 20 times to student groups located on three continents. I did this when I worked for FLIR, and have continued to offer the same class as an independent consultant. I have continued to maintain a fruitful relationship with the Teledyne FLIR Scientific Solution camera group all this time – Teledyne FLIR has supported the classes with equipment and a salesperson to help answer questions. I am loyal to FLIR, and I believe their Science and Test Range infrared cameras and software are the best in the industry.

  1. Seeing with Invisible Light 
  2. Radiometric Units of Measure 
  3. IR Imaging Radiometry and Thermography
  4. Radiometric Infrared Cameras 
  5. Radiometric Calibration of Infrared Cameras   
  6. Non-Uniformity Corrections 
  7. Calibration Tools for Infrared Imaging 
  8. Spatial Calibration of Infrared Cameras 
  9. High Temperature Radiometry 
  10. Measuring Temperature with Infrared Cameras 
  11. Optical Effects on Infrared Imaging Radiometry
  12. Spectral Filters for Infrared Cameras
  13. Superframing
  14. Radiant Intensity
  15. Error Estimation

Optional course material covered as time and customer desire permits: 

  1. Tone Mapping and Color Palettes 
  2. Lambertian Emitters 
  3. Radiometry System Computer Model
  4. NUC File Details
  5. Calculating Radiance
  6. Special Radiometric Calibrations

The course alternates between the presentation material, discussion, Q and A, and live demonstrations to keep the students engaged.  The first two days are typically 9AM to 5PM with a 1-hour lunch break, and the third half day is devoted to hands-on exercises, ideally using additional customer-furnished camera and/or calibration blackbody equipment.