Thermal Imaging Calibration Services in Dammam | NABL Accredited IR Camera Validation

Comprehensive Service Offerings

Under our NABL scope, we offer specialized calibration for various configurations:

1. Blackbody Comparison Calibration: This is the core of our service, where your thermal camera is tested against a high-stability Blackbody Radiation Source. We verify the camera’s temperature accuracy across multiple setpoints (typically from -20°C to 1200°C) to cover the full dynamic range used in Dammam’s heavy industries.

2. Thermal Uniformity & Flat-Field Correction (FFC): Over time, individual pixels in an uncooled microbolometer sensor can drift, leading to "noisy" images or ghosting artifacts. We perform uniformity checks to ensure that the detector array responds consistently across the entire field of view.

3. Emissivity & Reflected Apparent Temperature Validation: In accordance with ASTM E1862, we validate the camera's internal algorithms for emissivity compensation.

4. Spectral Responsivity & Lens Transmission Check: For specialized cameras used in gas detection (OGI) or furnace inspection, we verify that the lens transmission and spectral filters are not degraded.

Types of NABL Temperature Calibration Services

Our service portfolio is designed to cover the entire lifecycle of your temperature sensors. We offer :

• Our ISO/IEC 17025:2017 NABL Accredited laboratory provides precise characterization of Thermal Imagers (IR Cameras), ensuring your equipment detects true thermal anomalies without false positives.

• Whether you are conducting electrical inspections in Dammam Second Industrial City or monitoring refractory linings in Ras Tanura, our calibration ensures your thermal data is traceable, accurate, and audit-ready.

• We specialize in correcting for emissivity, background reflection, and sensor drift, ensuring your thermography program meets international standards like ISO 18434-1 and ASTM E1862.

Get in touch

Share with visitors how they can contact you and encourage them to ask any questions they may have.

Phone

+91 91676 71931

Email

support@vegacalibrations.com

Industry Segments We Serve

Oil, Gas & Petrochemical Refineries

In the heart of the energy sector, from Ras Tanura to the massive complexes in Jubail, thermal imaging is the first line of defense against containment loss. Refineries utilize IR cameras to monitor reactor vessels, storage tanks, and miles of piping for insulation breakdown and sludge build-up. These environments operate under extreme pressure and heat, where a reading error of even a few degrees can mask a critical hotspot. Vega’s calibration services ensure that the thermal cameras used for "Furnace Tube Inspection" and "Tank Level Monitoring" are calibrated to handle the specific spectral emissivity of hydrocarbon-stained metals, ensuring compliance with API 510/570 inspection codes.

Power Generation & Transmission Utilities

For the vast electrical grids connecting Dammam, Al Khobar, and Qatif, thermal imaging is indispensable for predictive maintenance. Electrical substations and high-voltage transmission lines are prone to high-resistance connections that generate heat before failure. Utility companies rely on aerial and handheld thermography to survey thousands of connections. If a camera is drifting, it might miss a delta-T (temperature difference) that indicates an imminent arc flash hazard. Vega provides calibration for high-resolution radiometric cameras, ensuring that maintenance teams can accurately classify severity based on temperature rise criteria defined by NETA MTS standards.

Pharmaceutical & Cold Chain Logistics

The pharmaceutical hubs in Dammam First Industrial City and logistics centers near King Fahd International Airport require strict temperature control. Thermal cameras are increasingly used to validate the homogeneity of cold storage warehouses and reefer trucks. In this sector, the focus is on low-temperature accuracy (-20°C to +8°C). A poorly calibrated camera can misidentify "warm spots" in a vaccine storage unit, leading to false alarms or, worse, spoiled product. Vega’s NABL-accredited calibration validates the camera’s performance in the sub-zero range, ensuring adherence to GDP (Good Distribution Practice) and Saudi FDA requirements.

Manufacturing & Heavy Engineering

The industrial zones of Modon and Az Zour are home to steel mills, aluminum smelters, and automotive component manufacturers. Here, thermal imaging monitors the cooling rates of castings, the friction in conveyor bearings, and the heat treatment of metals. In processes like die-casting or plastic injection molding, thermal uniformity is key to product quality. Vega services the ruggedized thermal cameras used on factory floors, ensuring they remain accurate despite the dust, vibration, and high ambient temperatures characteristic of the Dammam manufacturing landscape.

Industrial Use Cases

Electrical Switchgear & Substation Inspections

In the sprawling industrial estates of Dammam 2nd Industrial City, electrical failure is a primary cause of downtime. Maintenance teams use thermal cameras to scan switchgear, breaker panels, and transformer bushings. A loose connection or corroded contact appears as a hotspot. Use Case: A technician scans a 13.8 kV busbar. The camera shows a 50°C rise over ambient. If the camera is uncalibrated and reading 10°C lower than reality, the fault might be classified as "Monitor" instead of "Critical," leading to a catastrophic blowout. Vega’s calibration ensures the Delta-T measurement is precise, allowing for correct severity classification under NFPA 70B guidelines.

Refractory Lining Monitoring in Furnaces

Petrochemical plants in Jubail and Ras Tanura operate high-temperature reformers and crackers. These vessels are lined with refractory material to protect the steel shell. Thermal cameras map the outer shell temperature to detect internal refractory collapse (hot spots). Use Case: An operator scans a reformer wall expecting a safe 150°C. If the camera is out of calibration and reads 140°C when the actual temp is 180°C, the steel may weaken and rupture unnoticed. Vega calibrates these cameras at high-temperature setpoints (up to 1000°C) to ensure the safety integrity of these critical assets.

Rotating Equipment & Mechanical Diagnostics

manufacturing facilities in Al Khobar rely on thousands of motors, pumps, and conveyors. Misalignment or bearing wear generates excess friction heat. Use Case: A reliability engineer uses a thermal camera to trend the bearing temperature of a critical pump in a desalination plant near Az Zour. Accurate trending requires repeatability; if the camera’s sensitivity drifts over months, the trend data becomes useless. Vega’s periodic calibration restores the sensor’s baseline, allowing the engineer to trust that a 5°C increase is a real mechanical issue, not a sensor artifact.

Building Envelope & Moisture Detection

In the humid coastal climate of Dammam and Half Moon Bay, moisture intrusion in buildings leads to mold and structural damage. Thermal cameras detect the evaporative cooling effect of water in walls. Use Case: A facility manager at a hospital in Dhahran scans the roof for leaks after a storm. The temperature difference between dry and wet insulation is subtle (often <2°C). An uncalibrated camera with poor thermal sensitivity (NETD) will show a uniform gray image, missing the leak. Vega validates the NETD (Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference) of the camera, ensuring it can resolve these minute thermal contrasts.

Compliance & Audit Requirements

In industrially advanced landscape, data integrity for temperature measurement is the key to passing inspections:

• ISO/IEC 17025:2017: This is the global standard for calibration competence. Vega’s NABL accredited reports are recognized in Saudi Arabia under the ILAC MRA (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation). This means our certificates are valid for SASO, Saudi Aramco, and SABIC audits, eliminating the need for re-testing.

• ISO 18434-1: Condition monitoring and diagnostics of machines – Thermography. This standard requires that the thermography system be "verifiable and traceable." Our calibration provides the documented traceability chain required to claim compliance with this condition monitoring standard.

• NFPA 70B & 70E: For electrical safety, these standards recommend annual infrared inspections. They implicitly require calibrated equipment to ensure risk assessments (Arc Flash) are based on accurate thermal data.

• Insurance Audits: Industrial insurers in the Eastern Province increasingly demand proof of calibrated preventive maintenance tools before renewing policies for high-risk assets like chemical reactors or power plants. A Vega calibration certificate serves as third-party validation of your due diligence.

Why Vega is Your Trusted Calibration Partner

At Vega, we don't just act as a vendor, we act as an extension of your Quality Assurance team.

• Local Reach: While our headquarters is in India, our specialized mobile calibration team services the entire Eastern Province, from Dammam to Jubail and Ras Tanura.

• Fast Turnaround: We understand that you cannot ship your critical thermal cameras abroad for weeks. Vega offers expedited calibration services, often turning around equipment within 3-5 days to minimize downtime for your maintenance teams in Al Khobar.

• Technical Expertise: Unlike generalist labs, we understand the physics of infrared radiation. We don't just "point and shoot"; we calculate cavity emissivity corrections and spectral factors, ensuring your high-end FLIR or Fluke cameras perform to spec.

• Audit Support: Our reports are designed to withstand scrutiny. Whether you are facing a USFDA audit in a pharma plant in Dammam or a safety inspection in a Dhahran refinery, our certificates provide the uncertainty budgets and traceability data auditors demand.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How often should I calibrate my thermal imaging camera?

A: Yes. NABL is a signatory to the ILAC MRA (Mutual Recognition Arrangement). This means calibration certificates issued by Vega are technically equivalent to those issued by local Saudi bodies and are accepted by SASO, SFDA, and major industry auditors in Dammam and across the Kingdom.

Q: How often should I calibrate my Thermal Imaging Camera?

A: Most manufacturers and standards like ISO 18434 recommend a 12-month calibration interval. However, if the camera is used in harsh environments like the dusty industrial zones of Modon or high-temperature foundry areas, a 6-month interval is recommended to check for lens transmission loss and sensor drift.

Q: Can you calibrate all brands of thermal cameras?

A: Yes, we calibrate all major brands including FLIR, Fluke, Testo, and Hikmicro. Our reference blackbodies are compatible with various lens sizes and field-of-view configurations used in the Saudi market.

Q: Do you offer on-site calibration in Dammam?

A: We offer on-site verification services for fixed thermal systems (like conveyor monitors). For handheld cameras, we recommend laboratory calibration to achieve the lowest measurement uncertainty, but our logistics team can arrange seamless pickup and return from Dammam, Khobar, or Jubail.

"We use thermal cameras for inspecting our switchgear across Dammam Second Industrial City. During our last insurance audit, the surveyor insisted on calibration certificates. Vega’s team helped us out immediately. Their NABL reports were accepted without a single question. Great technical support!" — Ahmed Al-S., Maintenance Manager, Petrochemical Downstream Unit, Dammam.

"Operating in the dusty environment of Jubail, our thermal cameras often drift. Vega's calibration service identified a 4°C error in our primary camera which we used for furnace inspections. Their correction saved us from a potential refractory failure. Highly recommended for any reliability team in the Eastern Province." — Rohan K., Lead Condition Monitoring Engineer, Fertilizer Complex, Jubail.

"We needed urgent calibration for our cold chain validation cameras near King Fahd Airport. Vega understood the urgency and turned around the instruments in record time. Their knowledge of low-temperature calibration is impressive." — Fatima B., QA Supervisor, Pharmaceutical Logistics, Dammam.

Customer Testimonials