How to Convert FLIR Gray Scale Image to a Temperature Map in NI VBAI

[NickEng]

I have been working with a FLIR A315 Infra-Red camera and NI's VBAI software.  I need to determine the presence and continuity of a hot mastic foam that has been injected into the hollow bulb of a rubber weatherstrip seal in 4 adjacent locations that flow together inside the weatherstrip bulb to form a continuous foamed mastic plug.

So far, I have been able to trigger image acquistions in VBAI from a FLIR IR camera by monitoring an Allen-Bradley PLC's status bit.   The communication with the FLIR A315 camera is via the IMAQdx GigE driver.  However, I haven't figured out how to detemine the temperatures from the gray scale images I receive from the FLIR camera.  I wonder if someone could give me some pointers on how to do this.

I have attached some images below to illustrate what I am working with and how far I've gotten.

• iPhone_Photo.jpg - shows a photograph of the weatherstrip section that the FLIR IR camera is "looking" at.
• FLIR_IR_Monitor.jpg - a screen capture of a FLIR IR monitor utility that shows temperatures measured at a number of points and areas (showing it can be done)
• NI_VBAI.jpg - part of my VBAI 2010 project which shows the image I've acquired from the FLIR A315 IR Camera

So, I am part of the way there, but so far have not found a way to map the gray scale image that VBAI is acquiring from the FLIR IR camera into a heat map from which I can determine temperatures - and would appreciate some help on how to do this.

Kind regards,

Nick

[toto26 · Accepted solution]

Hello,

Image provided by FLIR camera are unsigned 16bit.

Depending on the FLIR temperature scale you selected (10mK or 100mK), you will have to divide by a 10 or 100 factor to get K values. Don't select radiometric output.

So if your object is cold, the population of the histogram of your image will be on the left part of it and if the object is hot, the population of the histogram will be on the right part.

If you want your temperature values in Celcius, just add 273,15 to the Kelvin Value.

Then you can add a color palette in VBAI (FLIR iron is available)

Hope this helps

[NickEng]

Thanks!  That sounds easy! 

I'm a complete newbie to VBAI, coming to it from the PLC and computer programming area... so, if you would share how to do this, or give me URL or a pointer where I can read how to do this, I would greatly appreciate it.

Nick

[toto26]

Well,

In fact to configure the output mode of your camera (10mK or 100mK), you will find this attribute in the acquisition panel of VBAI.

Then to select the color palette go to Tools>Options>Image Display.

My idea for you application is to convert your tolerance into mK instead of converting the whole image in °C, because it doesn't mean nothing.

Let the image in your current format, a lot of VBAI function can use 16 bit images.

If you cannot use all the function, just convert your image from 16bit to 8bit using a Vision Assistan Step.

Regards 

[NickEng]

Thank you!  

Nick

[ChuckS]

https://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-9914