Infrared Thermography Training in Mumbai and Nagpur (IR Level I and II) by Spark NDT

Looking for Infrared Thermography training in India? Write to info@sparkndt.com or call +91 82080 65586 for fees, eligibility and the next batch, or use our contact page.

Infrared Thermography Training Course Details

IR Level I

Course	Infrared Thermography (IR), Level I
Course duration	15 days, 2 to 3 hours per day
Total training	32+ hours
Training mode	Online live and offline classroom, plus hands on surveys
Equipment	Handheld radiometric infrared cameras and thermal analysis software
Trainer	ASNT Level III qualified in Infrared Thermography
Locations	Mumbai and Nagpur, Maharashtra
Prerequisite	None for Level I; a basic electrical or mechanical background helps
Enquiries	info@sparkndt.com, +91 82080 65586

IR Level II

Course	Infrared Thermography (IR), Level II
Course duration	22 days, 2 to 3 hours per day
Total training	48+ hours
Company training	6 full days
Training mode	Online live and offline classroom, plus surveys, software analysis and audit
Equipment	MWIR and LWIR radiometric cameras with emissivity and reflected temperature compensation, plus reporting software
Trainer	ASNT Level III qualified in Infrared Thermography
Locations	Mumbai and Nagpur, Maharashtra, and on-site for company batches
Prerequisite	Working knowledge of electrical or mechanical maintenance is recommended
Enquiries	info@sparkndt.com, +91 82080 65586

Company batches are scheduled with the client and can include surveys on the client’s own switchgear, motors and process equipment.

What You Will Learn in IR Level I and II Training

• The physics: infrared wavelength bands, blackbody and greybody radiation, Stefan-Boltzmann law, Wien displacement law, and heat transfer by conduction, convection and radiation.
• Camera operation: microbolometer and cooled detectors, thermal sensitivity (NETD), spatial resolution, field of view, focus, temperature ranges, palettes and radiometric capture.
• Accurate measurement: emissivity, reflected apparent temperature, atmospheric absorption, distance limits, and the field methods for determining emissivity.
• Interpretation and reporting: hot and cold spots, delta T reference methods, isotherms, exception records, priority assignment, and report content per ISO 18436-7.
• Electrical surveys: preparation, load conditions, safe approach distances under NFPA 70E, and the faults that matter, from loose connections and unbalanced circuits to transformer cooling faults.
• Mechanical, civil, solar and aerospace work: bearings and cooling, lubrication and alignment, insulation loss, building moisture, photovoltaic hot spots, and active thermography on composites.

Infrared Thermography Course Syllabus

1. Fundamentals of infrared radiation and heat transfer: the NIR, SWIR, MWIR, LWIR and FIR bands, blackbody and greybody surfaces, Stefan-Boltzmann law, Wien displacement law, atmospheric transmission windows, active and passive thermography.
2. Thermal cameras and image capture: microbolometer arrays and cooled detectors, thermal sensitivity from about 100 mK to 20 to 30 mK, formats from 160 x 120 to 1920 x 1080, spatial resolution, field of view, lenses, temperature range, span and level, focus, palettes, radiometric files.
3. Emissivity, reflected temperature and accuracy: values for enclosures, busbars, bare copper and aluminium, porcelain and concrete; contact reference, tape, heating and comparison methods; shiny surfaces; viewing angle; ASTM E1862 and ASTM E1933.
4. Thermal image interpretation: hot and cold regions, the four delta T reference methods, gradients that are normal for the load, separating defects from reflections and palette artefacts, isotherms, and trending across repeat surveys.
5. Electrical installations: panel boards, motor control centres, drives, contactors, breakers, fuses, disconnects, busbars and bus ducts, capacitor banks, battery strings, UPS modules and generators.
6. Transformers, insulators, conductors and cables: oil level and hot bands on radiators, clogged tubes and fins, failed fans and pumps, tap changer and bushing connections, dry type coils, cracked and contaminated insulators, corona and tracking, high resistance joints, phase imbalance, solar loading and wind cooling.
7. Mechanical and process equipment: stator windings, drive end and non drive end bearings, terminals, rotor and cooling faults, the insulation life temperature rule, pumps, compressors, gearboxes, belts, couplings and alignment, condensers, cooling towers, steam traps and insulation loss.
8. Civil, solar and aerospace thermography: moisture ingress, missing insulation and thermal bridging, air leakage and envelope diagnostics; photovoltaic cell cracks, bypass diode failure and string, junction box and inverter hot spots; active thermography on composites for delamination, debonding, impact damage and water ingress.
9. Reporting, audit and standards: exception records and priority assignment, the record set for every finding, software processing, report content per ISO 18436-7, survey audit, and the governing standards: ASNT SNT-TC-1A, ISO 18436-7, ISO 9712, NFPA 70B, NFPA 70E, IEEE 3006.1, NETA MTS, IEC 60076 and ISO 18434-1.

Reading a Thermal Image

A thermal image is read by comparison, not by a single number. The reference decides what the result means, so the reference conditions and the camera settings go on record with every image. Correct camera use matters just as much: focus, a range that does not clip the reading, emissivity and reflected temperature entered, a view close to perpendicular, and time to stabilise after a change of environment.

• Component to component: similar parts under similar load, such as phase A against phase B and phase C. The strongest evidence, because load, geometry and cooling match.
• Hot spot to ambient: the component against surrounding air. Simple, but it hides the load.
• Historical baseline: today’s reading against the same component in an earlier survey, which catches deterioration that has no healthy neighbour.
• Load corrected: the difference adjusted for the actual load, so findings from different surveys stay comparable.

Emissivity and Measurement Accuracy

Emissivity is how much a real surface emits compared with a perfect emitter at the same temperature. It limits accuracy, because a camera sees what a surface emits plus what it reflects. Non-metallic surfaces such as paints, porcelain, glass and concrete emit well, at 0.85 to 0.95; oxidised metals sit near 0.6 to 0.9; polished metal emits poorly, at 0.02 to 0.4. A shiny busbar reads its surroundings instead of its own temperature.

• Typical values: painted or oxidised enclosures 0.8 to 0.95, transformer tanks and porcelain insulators 0.85 to 0.95, insulated cable 0.85 to 0.95, and busbars and conductors 0.2 to 0.95 depending on surface condition.
• Determine emissivity on site with a thermocouple reference, tape of known emissivity near 0.95, the heating method, or comparison with a surface of known behaviour.
• For shiny surfaces: put tape or coating on the measurement point, view close to perpendicular, shield the surface from reflected sources, and enter reflected apparent temperature. Solar loading can add 10 to 40 F to a conductor; wind cools it.

Applications of Infrared Thermography

Area	What thermography finds
Electrical distribution and switchgear	Panels, motor control centres, drives, breakers, fuses, disconnects, busbars, bus ducts, battery strings, UPS and generator connections.
Transformers and bushings	Oil level, radiators and fins, fans and oil pumps, tap changers, primary and secondary connections, dry type coils.
Conductors, cables and terminations	Overload, undersized cable, high resistance joints and splices, phase imbalance and underground splice cases.
Insulators and outdoor equipment	Cracked and contaminated insulators, corona and tracking, overhead lines, poles, pad mounted transformers and reclosers.
Rotating machinery and process plant	Motors, generators, bearings, windings, pumps, compressors, gearboxes, steam lines, insulation loss, condensers and cooling towers.
Solar photovoltaic plants	Cell and bypass diode faults, string and junction box hot spots, inverters and connections.
Buildings and civil structures	Moisture and water ingress, insulation defects, thermal bridging, air leakage and envelope diagnostics.
Aerospace and composites	Delamination, debonding, impact damage and water ingress in laminates and bonded joints, by active thermography.

Who Can Attend Infrared Thermography Training

• Electrical engineers and electrical inspection personnel.
• Mechanical engineers, maintenance and reliability professionals.
• NDT inspectors and technicians adding a second method.
• Utility, substation and switchgear maintenance staff.
• Solar power plant maintenance and operations staff.
• Building inspection, energy audit and condition monitoring professionals.
• Insurance survey and fire safety inspection professionals.
• Aerospace and composite inspection personnel.
• Facility engineers and technicians building a career in thermography.

Training, Examination and Qualification

Spark Institute of Nondestructive Testing trains and examines Infrared Thermography under ASNT SNT-TC-1A guidelines as an Outside Agency. The level structure follows ISO 18436-7, with ISO 9712 as the wider NDT personnel certification framework: Level I covers basic surveys under supervision, Level II independent surveying and interpretation, and Level III procedure writing and the qualification of other personnel.

Completing a course does not by itself give independent personnel certification or employer authorisation to inspect. Where an employer written practice governs qualification, the employer runs that process. Confirm it before enrolling.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long are the IR Level I and IR Level II courses at Spark NDT?

IR Level II runs 22 days with 48+ hours, IR Level I 15 days with 32+ hours, both at 2 to 3 hours per day. Company training takes 6 full days. Call +91 82080 65586 to confirm the schedule, or see our course durations page.

Do I need experience for IR Level I or Level II training?

Level I needs no previous NDT experience. Level II expects working knowledge of electrical or mechanical maintenance, because it covers survey planning, accuracy, interpretation and reporting.

Must the equipment be running for a thermography survey?

Usually yes. A fault shows up because it turns energy into heat, so the circuit must carry load and the machine must be running. Equipment that is off or lightly loaded can look healthy even when a fault is present.

What makes a thermal measurement accurate?

Correct emissivity, reflected apparent temperature entered, a near perpendicular view, focus and suitable distance, a range that does not clip the reading, a stabilised camera and regular calibration. Shiny metal needs emissivity tape at the point, or comparison against a similar component.

How often should infrared thermography surveys be done?

NFPA 70B (2023) sets an annual infrared survey of electrical equipment as the minimum baseline. Critical, heavily loaded or fault prone equipment, and equipment in hot, humid, dusty or coastal areas, needs it more often.

Is online Infrared Thermography training available?

Yes. Online live batches run alongside classroom batches at Mumbai and Nagpur. Confirm which sessions, practical exercises and examinations need in person attendance for your batch.

Is the training at the institute or on-site?

Both. Regular batches run at the Spark NDT institutes in Mumbai and Nagpur. Company batches run on-site over 6 full days, on the client’s own switchgear, motors and process equipment.

Enquire About Infrared Thermography Training

For the syllabus, fees, hostel guidance and the next IR Level I or Level II batch in Mumbai or Nagpur, write to info@sparkndt.com or call +91 82080 65586. Company and on-site batches are arranged for teams; the full method list is on our course durations and syllabus page pages.

Spark Institute of Nondestructive Testing
Email: info@sparkndt.com
Website: sparkndt.com
Training locations: Mumbai and Nagpur, Maharashtra.

Contact Spark NDT today to enquire about the next Infrared Thermography training batch.