Detect without damage.

On-time and under-budget are two phrases which property developers know can never be taken for granted. Especially where renovations or restorations of older properties are concerned. Hidden structural issues, water damage, heat loss or ageing heating systems; they can all be significant (and expensive) problems which can set a build back by months.

The same goes for property surveys or insurance claims where potential property issues, if missed, can cause big problems later on.

Traditionally, detecting damage to properties has risked further disturbance of the fabric of the building with invasive tests conducted to assess the full extent of the issue. This can be costly, time-consuming and sometimes even makes existing problems worse.

magicplan

magicplan changes all of that. Designed for remodelling, restoration, inspection, and claims professionals, this application makes invasive manual property inspections a thing of the past. It’s been developed to make the job of creating floor plans easier, simplify reporting and generate cost estimates at the touch of a button.

And with recent updates adding further functionality, magicplan can now also show acute real-time energy loss and damage beneath the surface in real-time - revealing dangers that could otherwise be missed by visual inspection.

Bernd Wolfram

Bernd Wolfram, Head of Product & Marketing at magicplan, said: “FLIR stands out as a technology provider that makes it easy to integrate its hardware with third party software applications like magicplan. Integrated workflows are key to optimizing the daily workflows and productivity of field technicians!”

Mobile thermography for the discerning developer.
By integrating FLIR’s industry-leading thermography, magicplan now allows developers to integrate essential energy loss and damage information into their reporting and planning. From pinpointing inefficiencies in insulation through to identifying water damage, magicplan works with the FLIR ONE Edge Pro to detect everything from extreme heat to pervasive cold spots - all of which can signify problematic damage.

The uses for this are limited only by the scope of the project it is put to work on. By combining the app’s extensive library of developer-led features with the FLIR ONE Edge Pro, it equips users with a professional-grade thermal camera that can detect heat of up to 400°C (752°F) with thermal sensitivity of 70 mK.

Now, those examining sites can detect more than meets the eye and elevate inspection with must-have data to help focus their plan, timeframe and estimated cost.

Whether it’s inspecting mechanical systems, investigating water loss, or checking ​​the output of an electrical panel, developers can deliver real-time insights without the need to bore, burrow or drill their way through physical obstacles.

Planning around problem areas.
Developers know that until a thorough inspection has been carried out, every build can be subject to any number of vexing variables. magicplan allows users to do more than just passively relay data - it contextualises it instantly and intuitively.

It allows users to create instant floor plans, both manually or by performing a quick scan of the room using their smartphone camera, as well as being compatible with laser meters with bluetooth technology for 100% accurate measurements. Creating projects in 2D and 3D and providing developers with a quote on the spot to supply to prospective clients, this latest collaboration with Teledyne FLIR means that everything from the most minute measurements to the most pervasive ‘unseen’ problems is displayed clearly.

Pinpoint accuracy across every elevation.
Once a floorplan has been created using magicplan, users can choose to add their photos not just to an individual project, but can even decide its placement, classification and orientation.

Say, for example, a developer suspected a property suffering from water damage - whether through visual inspection or a room feeling colder than usual during a walkthrough. Using the FLIR ONE Edge Pro in conjunction with magicplan, they could easily perform a scan of the room and photograph areas that show anomalies - either on the surface or lurking beneath the surface.

Once detected, the concern can be added to a specific location on the floor plan so that anyone involved in the project can not only be aware of the issue, but also of its exact location and degree of severity.

Everything from a faulty thermostat impacting a heating system to invisible draughts from broken window seals through to rising damp and even the most minute fluctuations in insulation density, developers can now see beyond the visual spectrum and make real-time adjustments to their estimates with active thermography - all in the palm of their hands.

It’s ideally suited to every stage of development but is especially useful when it comes to inspection and claims prior to a buyer purchasing a property. With this potent combination of heat-sensitive hardware and insightful software, would-be purchasers could potentially save thousands by detecting unseen problems before they sign the dotted line.

@flir @magicplan @mepaxIntPR #Building #PAuto

Spherical image capture.

Teledyne FLIR Integrated Imaging Solutions is pleased to announce the all new Ladybug6— the latest addition to its field proven Ladybug series. Ladybug6 is the leading high-resolution camera designed to capture 360-degree spherical images from moving platforms in all-weather conditions. Its industrial grade design and out-of-the-box factory calibration produces 72 Megapixel (MP) images with pixel values that are spatially accurate within +/- 2 mm at 10-meter distance.

Key Features: • Captures 72 Megapixel images with spatial accuracy of +/- 2 mm at 10-meter distance • Frame rates of up to 29.9 FPS at 4K resolution, 15 FPS at 72 MP • Wide operating temperature range of -30° C to 50° C • IP65 rating with industrial grade IP67 rated connectors • Support for additional Global Navigation Satellite Systems • Excellent color response, low noise, and a high dynamic range • Captures, compresses, and transmits 8-bit or 12-bit pixel data • Feature rich and user-friendly Ladybug SDK • All-metal body with 2-year warranty.

“The new Teledyne Ladybug6 is designed for mobile mapping and all-weather inspection projects requiring excellent image quality and high resolution,” said Mike Lee, Senior Product Manager at Teledyne FLIR. “With the addition of Ladybug6, we are now pleased to offer a wider variety of spherical cameras with higher resolutions ranging from 30 MP to 72 MP.”

The new Ladybug6 builds on Teledyne’s machine vision heritage with increased image resolution, enhanced on-board processing, and robust IP67-rated connectors. Building on the field proven Ladybug5+, the Ladybug6 captures, compresses, and transmits 8-bit or 12-bit pixel data delivering outstanding images across a wide range of lighting conditions with excellent color response, low noise, and a high dynamic range. Designed from the ground up to capture images from moving platforms in outdoor environments, the Ladybug6 features a wide operating temperature range (-30° C to 50° C), support for additional Global Navigation Satellite Systems, and trigger control by hardware or software with advanced APIs for complete camera control.

Ladybug6 cameras are engineered to deliver high-accuracy, high-resolution, and dependable results for applications such as HD mapping, asset management, roadside inspection, panoramic street image production for street view, road surveying, heritage scanning, building management, among several others.

@flir @mepaxIntPR #PAuto #Inspection

Paint covered!

Five-year framework agreement to implement automation software and technology will help paint manufacturer increase throughput and quality and reduce operating costs.

A framework agreement with paint manufacturer Jotun to automate and digitalize its global manufacturing facilities has been announced by Emerson. The five-year agreement will enable Jotun to implement Emerson’s digital technologies to enhance all aspects of manufacturing automation in new factories, and for selected upgrades in some of its 39 existing factories around the world.

Jotun is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of decorative paints and marine, protective and powder coatings. Through its agreement with Emerson, Jotun will increase process automation and create a standardized digital technology solution for new factory projects, which will help the company achieve increased throughput, uptime and product quality, while reducing operating costs.

“In securing a long-term automation partner with the expertise required to support our journey, we will have access to systems, competence and support serving our needs when constructing and operating technically advanced and efficient paint factories around the world,” said Fredrik Urdahl, Jotun’s group technical director - operations. “Emerson’s advanced automation technologies and focus on providing standardized project methodologies, as well as global and local support, were critical factors in our selection for collaboration.”

Jotun will initially focus on standardizing on Emerson’s modular, scalable and easy-to-use DeltaV™ distributed control system in new factory projects. The intelligent control will ensure consistent, integrated batch processes, minimizing risk to product quality and enhancing productivity.

The agreement also enables Emerson to deliver a wide range of automation solutions to improve Jotun’s manufacturing operations. These could include advanced sensor technologies, data management and analytics platforms, software applications, predictive maintenance and remote monitoring techniques and asset management tools.

“We have a long track record of helping companies introduce technologies and processes that lead to game-changing enhancements, and Emerson is committed to helping Jotun realize significant ongoing production efficiency improvements,” said Mark Bulanda, executive president of Emerson’s Automation Solutions business. “We will help support Jotun’s transformation efforts not only through our industry-leading portfolio of digital technologies and solutions, but also from our Project Certainty methodologies.”

@EMR_Automation @EmersonExchange @Emerson_News @HHC_Lewis #Jotun #PAuto #DCS

Communicating in historic buildings.

In modern buildings, communication pathways and utility spaces are routinely provided. Historic structures, on the other hand, were not designed for routing cables or many other utilities (such as plumbing) that are standard today. The craftsmanship and solid construction of these buildings is important and appreciated, thus there is a desire to retain these architectural details and finishes while installing or modernizing a Building Management System (BMS) to comply with today's comfort, energy, and performance needs.

The challenge is how to install a modern BMS, such as BACnet, in an older structure with minimal impact. Fortunately, many older buildings have antiquated BMS systems in-place, using twisted-pair wiring. These wires are still serviceable.

It is possible to upgrade these buildings to a modern BACnet BMS using BACnet I/O modules and a Contemporary Controls BTL Listed BASrouter. This BACnet multi-network router provides versatile stand-alone routing between BACnet/IP, BACnet Ethernet, and BACnet MS/TP networks. The existing twisted-pair wires become a BACnet MS/TP network, with all the commissioning and troubleshooting features of BACnet. Multiple BASrouters allow you to consolidate discrete regions (such as floors or utility spaces) into a structure-wide system by installing a single CAT5 cable that links these areas together as a 10/100 Mbps Ethernet network. A wireless network solution is available as well, and we will discuss this in a future newsletter article.

The BASrouter provides troubleshooting and diagnostic capabilities. The BACnet MS/TP "Status" webpage contains a graphical table of all the MS/TP devices on the network and their status. Also provided are network statistics. In addition, a BACnet/IP "Routing" webpage with a discoverable routing table is useful when setting up or troubleshooting the BACnet network.

Another alternative, if Modbus I/O devices were used, is to utilize the Contemporary Controls BASgatewayLX to retain and allow these EIA-485 Modbus serial (RTU or ASCII) devices to appear as individual BACnet compliant devices that can be accessed and integrated into a modern BACnet Ethernet network. Contemporary Controls maintains a free library of pre-built Modbus profiles and will create new device profiles free-of-charge to make it very easy to integrate any Modbus device to BACnet. Multiple BASgatewayLX modules communicating over a single CAT5 cable (or wirelessly) can create a structure-wide high-speed BACnet Ethernet system from what was once a collection of discrete regions.

#BMS @ContempControls