Two experts, one goal: Camera manufacturer AT Sensors and infrared camera distributor TOPA are combining their expertise to provide reliable thermography in potentially explosive areas with perfectly coordinated systems consisting of thermal imaging cameras and explosion-proof housings.
Why does the interaction between explosion-proof housing and infrared cameras determine the success of industrial thermography? In potentially explosive industrial environments, thermography has long been an established technology for condition monitoring and process control. This is because under real industrial conditions, i.e., in the presence of dust, moisture, temperature fluctuations, and in 24/7 operation, it is not enough to combine high-performance individual components. Only when protective housings and thermography systems are designed as a functional unit can measurement stability, reliability, and dependable results be ensured in the long term.
This is precisely where the new partnership between the Bavarian camera distributor TOPA GmbH from Hohenpeißenberg near Munich and the North German camera manufacturer AT Sensors from Bad Oldesloe near Hamburg comes in. The aim of the cooperation is to support industrial users in safety-critical monitoring tasks with sophisticated complete systems consisting of both high-quality infrared cameras and matching explosion-proof housings.
“We are very pleased to now consolidate this long-standing exchange through a partnership,” says Bernd Duschek, Managing Director at TOPA. “AT Sensors has decades of experience in industrial condition monitoring, and this expertise is indispensable, especially when it comes to designing sophisticated applications.” The collaboration in this case is no coincidence. TOPA and AT Sensors have been in close professional contact for over 20 years. With the recent recertification of the IRCamSafeEX explosion-proof housing and the confirmed compatibility with the FLIR A400, A500, and A700 IR cameras from the TOPA portfolio, this long-standing contact has now become an official cooperation.
AT Sensors also sees great potential in the cooperation. Cristian Ferber, Senior Sales Manager and IR expert at AT Sensors, explains: “TOPA is a real asset to us in the field of thermography solutions. The combination of technical depth and market knowledge ideally complements our approach to innovation. We hope that the cooperation will lead to many exciting projects in which we will jointly realize new applications for industrial thermography.” The IRCamSafeEX is a specially developed protective housing with ATEX approval for stationary thermography. It is designed for gas zones 1 and 2 as well as dust zones 21 and 22 and, together with the infrared camera used, forms a robust, field-proven unit for continuous operation. The durable IP67 aluminum housing reliably protects the camera technology from dust, moisture, and harsh environmental conditions.
Typical areas of application include the chemical and petrochemical industries, refineries and tank farms, oil and gas production, and plants with dust-explosive processes such as mills or silos. In all these applications, it is once again clear that the smooth interaction of explosion protection, sensor technology, and application is crucial.
