Sponsored by:

Truth, Thermography and the World Wide Web

“Stretchers”, “tall tales” and “selective interpretation of the truth” are politically correct terms that apply to statements that are misleading or false. With no editorial controls, the world wide web is rife with deceptive claims. Because thermography is not immune to inaccurate web postings, thermographers should be cautious in their acceptance of material posted on the web.

Prudent web surfers frequently view material on the internet with a healthy amount of skepticism. All too frequently, the amount of caution is inversely proportional to value of the product being advertised. Further compounding the problem are unscrupulous advertisers who publish misleading information. Some current examples include:

• Brochures for thermal imagers containing images taken with a different model imager
• Publication of specifications that are incomplete or inaccurate
• Literature and trade names suggesting imager models for inappropriate applications
• Obsolete imagers renamed and offered as current models, although manufacturer support is no longer available

For equipment purchases, the above are often exacerbated when the reader is untrained and/or inexperienced with the technology. Before purchasing a thermal imager, be sure to try the subject equipment under the exact conditions you will encounter in the workplace.

When it comes to the internet, the old adage, “You can’t always believe everything you read” is frequently sage advice.