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23 March 2001Infrared thermometry for the real world
Infrared thermometry in the real world is a very demanding method of temperature measurement occurring in a wide variety of applications covering a wide range of industries. Whether measuring target spots, lines or images, end users demand accurate temperature data to the same degree as they would by measuring with traditional contact methods. Designing an accurate non-contact measurement instrument requires paying attention to the entire measurement system from object to the optical system to the detector to the electronics as well as the target environment. Among the many challenges involved is the task of establishing universally accepted traceability standards for low temperature blackbody sources using radiation, rather than contact methods, as transfer devices. Such standards have been recently introduced and, if finally accepted by all National Standards Institutes and used by the IR instrument manufacturers, will go a long way to improve the temperature measurement accuracy of all infrared measurement instruments. For many industrial users, this proof of absolute accuracy is a prerequisite for the acceptance of infrared thermometry as a useful and serious temperature measurement method.