14 Analyzing images

14.1 Laying out a measurement tool

14.1.1 General

You can lay out one or more measurement tools on an image, e.g., a spotmeter, an area, a circle, or a line.

14.1.2 Procedure

Follow this procedure:

On the Library tab, double-click an image.

On the image toolbar, select a measurement tool.

To lay out the measurement tool on the image, click the location where the measurement tool is to be placed.

14.2 Moving a measurement tool

14.2.1 General

Measurement tools that you have laid out on an image can be moved around, using the selection tool.

14.2.2 Procedure

Follow this procedure:

On the Library tab, double-click an image.

On the image toolbar, select icon

On the image, select the measurement tool and drag it to a new position.

14.3 Resizing a measurement tool

14.3.1 General

Measurement tools that you have laid out on an image, e.g., an area, can be resized using the selection tool.

14.3.2 Procedure

Follow this procedure:

On the Library tab, double-click an image.

On the image toolbar, select icon

On the image, select the measurement area and use the selection tool to drag the handles that are displayed around the frame of the area:

14.4 Deleting a measurement tool

14.4.1 General

You can delete any measurement tools that you have laid out on an image.

14.4.2 Procedure

Follow this procedure:

On the Library tab, double-click an image.

On the image toolbar, select icon

On the image, select the measurement tool and press DELETE.

14.5 Creating local markers for a measurement tool

14.5.1 General

When images are imported from the camera to FLIR Tools, the program will respect any existing markers for a measurement tool in the image. However, sometimes you may want to add a marker when analyzing the image in FLIR Tools: you do this by using local markers.

14.5.2 Procedure

Follow this procedure:

On the Library tab, double-click an image for which, for example, a measurement area has already been laid out in the camera.

Right-click the area and select Local min/max/avg markers.

Select or clear the markers that you want to add or remove.

Click OK.

14.6 Setting local parameters for a measurement tool

14.6.1 General

In some situations you may want to change a measurement parameter for one measurement tool only. The reason for this could be that the measurement tool is in front of a significantly more reflective surface than other surfaces in the image, or over an object that is further away than the rest of the objects in the image, and so on.

For more information about object parameters, see section 24 Thermographic measurement techniques .

14.6.2 Procedure

Follow this procedure:

On the Library tab, double-click an image.

Lay out a measurement too, e.g., an area.

Right-click the area and select Use local parameters.

In the dialog box, select Use local parameters.

Enter a value for one or more parameters.

Click OK.

14.7 Working with isotherms

14.7.1 General

The isotherm command applies a contrasting color to all pixels with a temperature above, below, or between one or more set temperature levels.

Using isotherms is a good method to easily discover anomalies in an infrared image.

14.7.2 Setting up general isotherms ( Above , Below )

14.7.2.1 General

An isotherm of the type Above and Below will colorize areas with a temperature above or below a set temperature.

14.7.2.2 Procedure

Follow this procedure:

On the Library tab, double-click an image.

On the image toolbar, click icon

, and select one of the following:

Above .
Below .

In the right pane, take note of the parameter Limit . Areas in the image with a temperature above or below this temperature will be colorized with the isotherm color. You can change this limit, and also change the isotherm color on the Color menu.

14.7.3 Setting up general isotherms (Interval)

14.7.3.1 General

An isotherm of the type Interval will colorize areas with a temperature between two set temperatures.

14.7.3.2 Procedure

Follow this procedure:

On the Library tab, double-click an image.

On the image toolbar, click icon

, and select Interval .

In the right pane, take note of the parameters Upper limit and Lower limit . Areas in the image with a temperature between these two temperatures will be colorized with the isotherm color. You can change these limits, and also change the isotherm color on the Color menu.

14.7.4 Setting up a humidity isotherm

14.7.4.1 General

The humidity isotherm can detect areas where there is a risk of mold growing, or where there is a risk of the humidity falling out as liquid water (i.e., the dew point).

14.7.4.2 Procedure

Follow this procedure:

On the Library tab, double-click an image.

On the image toolbar, click icon

, and select Humidity . Depending on your object, certain areas will now be colorized with an isotherm color.

In the right pane, take note of the parameter Calculated limit . This is the temperature at which there is a risk of humidity. If the parameter Relative humidity limit is set to 100%, this is also the dew point, i.e., the temperature at which the humidity falls out as liquid water.

14.7.5 Setting up an insulation isotherm

14.7.5.1 General

The insulation isotherm can detect areas where there may be an insulation deficiency in the building. It will trigger when the insulation level falls below a preset value of the energy leakage through the building structure—the so-called thermal index.

Different building codes recommend different values for the thermal index, but typical values are 0.6–0.8 for new buildings. Refer to your national building code for recommendations.

14.7.5.2 Procedure

Follow this procedure:

On the Library tab, double-click an image.

On the image toolbar, click icon

, and select Insulation . Depending on your object, certain areas will now be colorized with an isotherm color.

In the right pane, take note of the parameter Calculated insulation . This is the temperature where the insulation level falls below a preset value of the energy leakage through the building structure.

14.7.6 Setting up a custom isotherm

14.7.6.1 General

A custom isotherm is an isotherm of any of the following types:

Above .
Below .
Interval .
Humidity .
Insulation .

For these custom isotherms, you can specify a number of different parameters manually, compared with using the standard isotherms:

Background .
Colors (semi-transparent or solid colors).
Inverted color (for the Interval isotherm only).

14.7.6.2 Procedure

Follow this procedure:

On the Library tab, double-click an image.

On the image toolbar, click icon

, and select Custom .

In the right pane, specify the following parameters:

For Above and Below :
- Background .
- Limit .
- Color .
For Interval :
- Background .
- Upper limit .
- Lower limit .
- Color .
- Inverted interval .
For Humidity :
- Background .
- Color .
- Relative humidity .
- Relative humidity limit .
- Atmospheric temperature .
For Insulation :
- Background .
- Color .
- Indoor temperature .
- Outdoor temperature .
- Thermal index .

14.8 Changing the temperature levels

14.8.1 General

At the bottom of the infrared image you will see two sliders. By dragging these sliders to the left or to the right you can change the top and bottom levels in the temperature scale.

14.8.2 Why change temperature levels?

The reason to change the temperature levels manually is that it makes it easier to analyze a temperature anomaly.

14.8.2.1 Example 1

Here are two infrared images of a building. In the left image, which is auto-adjusted, the large temperature span between the clear sky and the heated building makes a correct analysis difficult. You can analyze the building in more detail if you change the temperature scale to values close to the temperature of the building.

Automatic

Manual

14.8.2.2 Example 2

Here are two infrared images of an isolator in a power line. To make it easier to analyze the temperature variations in the isolator, the temperature in the right image has been changed to values close to the temperature of the isolator.

Automatic

Manual

14.8.3 Changing the top level

Follow this procedure:

Drag the right slider right or left to change the top level in the temperature scale.

14.8.4 Changing the bottom level

Follow this procedure:

Drag the left slider right or left to change the bottom level in the temperature scale.

14.8.5 Changing both the top and bottom levels at the same time

Follow this procedure:

SHIFT-drag the left or right slider right or left to change both the top and the bottom levels in the temperature scale at the same time.

14.9 Auto-adjusting an image

14.9.1 General

You can auto-adjust an image or a group of images. When you auto-adjust an image you adjust it for the best image brightness and contrast. This means that the color information is distributed over the existing temperatures of the image.

14.9.2 Procedure

Follow this procedure:

To auto-adjust an image, do one of the following:

Double-click the temperature scale.
Click the Auto button.

14.10 Defining an auto-adjust region

14.10.1 General

When you click the temperature scale or the Auto button in the image window, the whole image is auto-adjusted. This means that the color information is distributed over the temperatures in the image.

However, in some situations the still image or the video image may contain very hot or cold areas outside your area of interest. In such cases you will want to exclude those areas and use the color information only for the temperatures in your area of interest. You can do so by defining an auto-adjust region.

14.10.2 Procedure

Follow this procedure:

On the Library tab, double-click an image.

In the image window, click the icon

button on the top toolbar. This will display a tool with which you can create a region. The region can be moved and resized to suit your area of interest, but will not be saved in the image.

14.11 Changing the color distribution

14.11.1 General

You can change the distribution of colors in an image. A different color distribution can make it easier to analyze the image more thoroughly.

14.11.2 Definitions

You can choose from three different color distributions:

Histogram equalization: This is an image-displaying method that distributes the color information over the existing temperatures of the image. This method of distributing the information can be particularly successful when the image contains few peaks at very high temperature values.
Signal linear: This is an image-displaying method where the color information in the image is distributed linearly to the signal values of the pixels.
Temperature linear: This is an image-displaying method where the color information in the image is distributed linearly to the temperature values of the pixels.

14.11.3 Procedure

Follow this procedure:

Go to the Library tab.

Double-click the image for which you want to change the color distribution.

On the right-click menu, click Color distribution and select Histogram equalization, Signal linear, or Temperature linear.

14.12 Changing the palette

14.12.1 General

You can change the palette that the camera uses to display the different temperatures within an image. A different palette can make it easier to analyze the image.

14.12.2 Procedure

Follow this procedure:

On the Library tab, double-click an image.

In the image window, click the icon

button on the top toolbar. This will display a drop-down menu.

On the menu, click the palette that you want to use.

14.13 Changing the image mode

14.13.1 General

For some images you can change the image mode. You do this on the toolbar in the image-editing window.

14.13.2 Types of image modes

Button	Image mode	Image example
	Thermal MSX (Multi Spectral Dynamic Imaging): This mode displays an infrared image where the edges of the objects are enhanced. Note that the label for each fuse is clearly legible.
	Thermal : This mode displays a fully infrared image.
	Thermal fusion : This mode displays a digital photo where some parts are displayed in infrared, depending on the temperature limits.
	Picture-in-picture : This mode displays an infrared image frame on top of a digital photo.
	Digital camera : This mode displays a fully digital photo.

14.14 Exporting to CSV

14.14.1 General

You can export the content of an image as a matrix of comma-separated values for further analysis in external software. The file format is *.csv, and the file can be opened in Microsoft Excel.

14.14.2 Procedure

Follow this procedure:

On the Library tab, double-click an image.

Right-click the image and select Export to CSV. This displays a dialog box.

In the dialog box, do one of the following:

To export the image, select Image in the drop-down menu. Additionally, select whether to include object parameters and text annotations.
To export the measurements, select Measurements in the drop-down menu. Additionally, select whether to include object parameters, text annotations, and the values of measurement tools.

14.15 Creating a plot

14.15.1 General

When FLIR Tools/Tools+ is connected to a camera that supports radiometric streaming, you can create a plot. A plot displays how the results of one or several measurement tools vary over time.

14.15.2 Procedure

Follow this procedure:

Start FLIR Tools/Tools+.

Turn on the infrared camera.

Connect the camera to the computer, using a USB cable. This displays an import guide.

Figure 14.1 Import guide (example).

Click Connect to livestream . This displays the live image stream from the camera on the Instruments tab.

On the Instruments tab, right-click the image and then select the type of plot you want. You can choose between the following types:

Points : This displays the plot as a series of points.
Line : This displays the plot as a line.
Area : This displays the plot as a colored area.
Digital Line : This displays the plot as a digital line, i.e., a line with no interpolation between the data points.
Digital Area : This displays the plot as a colored digital area, i.e., an area below a line with no interpolation between the data points.
Impulse : This displays the plot as a series of vertical impulses, with a circular endpoint.

Right-click the image again and select Options if you want to change certain aspects of the plot.

For more information, see section 20.1.2 The Options dialog (for plot-specific options) .

14.16 Calculating areas

14.16.1 General

The distance included in the image parameter data can be used as the basis for area calculations. A typical application is to estimate the size of a damp stain on a wall.

To calculate the area of a surface, you need to add a box or circle measurement tool to the image. FLIR Tools/Tools+ calculates the area of the surface enclosed by the box or circle tool. The calculation is an estimate of the surface area, based on the distance value.

14.16.1.1 Procedure

Follow this procedure:

Add a box or circle measurement tool, see section 14.1 Laying out a measurement tool .

Adjust the size of the box or circle tool to the size of the object, see section 14.3 Resizing a measurement tool .

Right-click the tool and select Local min/max/avg markers. In the dialog box, select the Area check box. This displays the calculated area, based on the distance value, in the Measurements pane.

To change the distance value, click the value field in the Parameters pane, type a new value, and press Enter. The recalculated area, based on the new distance value, is displayed in the Measurements pane.

14.17 Calculating lengths

14.17.1 General

The distance included in the image parameter data can be used as the basis for length calculations.

To calculate the length, you need to add a line measurement tool to the image. FLIR Tools/Tools+ calculates an estimate of the line length, based on the distance value.

14.17.1.1 Procedure

Follow this procedure:

Add a line measurement tool, see section 14.1 Laying out a measurement tool .

Adjust the size of the line tool to the size of the object, see section 14.3 Resizing a measurement tool .

Right-click the tool and select Local min/max/avg markers. In the dialog box, select the Length check box. This displays the calculated length, based on the distance value, in the Measurements pane.