1. Non-Contact Real-Time Temperature Monitoring to Avoid Safety Risks

• Limitation of Traditional Inspection: Manual touch or contact thermometry (e.g., thermocouples) requires close proximity, risking burns from high hub temperatures (e.g., due to frequent braking) and failing to quickly cover all wheel hubs.
• Advantage of Infrared Thermal Imaging: Non-contact detection from a distance allows rapid scanning of all wheel hubs while trains or vehicles are in motion (e.g., during station stops), providing real-time surface temperature distribution without personnel exposure to high temperatures, enhancing inspection safety and efficiency.

2. Early Detection of Abnormal Temperature Rise to Prevent Mechanical Failures

• Types of Fault Hazards:
  • Bearing Anomalies: Insufficient lubrication, wear, or misalignment causing bearing overheating, potentially leading to locking, fracture, or derailment.
  • Brake System Failures: Worn brake pads, sticking, or poor brake disc heat dissipation, causing sudden local temperature spikes in wheel hubs (e.g., exceeding normal operating temperatures by 200°C or more).
  • Loose Bolts or Overloading: Friction-induced heating from loose connections or stress concentration due to overloading.
• Value of Infrared Thermal Imaging: By comparing temperature differences across hub regions (e.g., normal areas in blue/green, anomalies in red/white), it precisely locates areas exceeding temperature thresholds, providing early warnings of potential faults and preventing severe accidents (e.g., vehicle fires, mechanical failures).

3. Improved Inspection Efficiency and Reduced Maintenance Costs

• Defects of Traditional Manual Inspection: Time-consuming visual checks or contact thermometry per wheel hub, struggling to detect hidden internal faults (e.g., early wear in bearing cavities).
• Efficiency of Infrared Thermal Imaging:
  • Rapid Scanning: A single thermal imaging lens can cover all wheel hubs in seconds, suitable for mass inspection of fleets or rail carriages.
  • Traceable Data: Thermal images can be stored and compared to analyze hub temperature trends, enabling predictive maintenance (e.g., scheduled lubrication, component replacement) and reducing unnecessary downtime and maintenance costs.

4. Adaptability to Harsh Environments for Reliable Detection

• Stability in Adverse Conditions:
  • Wheel hubs often operate in dusty, oily, or vibrating environments, where traditional methods are easily disrupted (e.g., visual checks obscured by oil, contact probes prone to damage).
  • Infrared thermal imaging is unaffected by visible light, penetrating light fog and dust to clearly capture hub surface temperatures, working effectively in low-light scenarios like nighttime or tunnels.
• Quantitative Analysis Capability: Thermal imaging software automatically calculates temperature values for hub regions and sets thresholds (e.g., alarms for temperatures over 80°C), eliminating subjective errors in manual interpretation and enhancing detection reliability.

Typical Application Scenarios

• Rail Transportation: Fixed infrared thermal imaging line arrays scan wheel hubs as EMUs or freight trains enter stations, screening for thermal anomalies in real time to prevent derailments and fires.
• Road Transportation: Logistics fleets use handheld thermal imagers to regularly inspect tire hubs, avoiding blowouts or breakdowns from overheated bearings.
• Industrial Equipment: Inspection of wheel hubs/axles in heavy machinery like cranes or mining equipment to ensure safety under high-load conditions.