Please tell us about FLIR’s overall vision in India.
FLIR is a Nasdaq listed company having head office in USA. FLIR is dealing mainly in infrared imaging-based products. We did a business of around USD 1.8 billion (approximately INR 12,100 crore as per current USD/INR rate). In 2017, our revenue growth as compared to 2016 has been 8.3 per cent. We say ourselves the World’s Sixth Sense at FLIR as we provide superpower vision helping people around the world to save lives, protect the environment, and enhance productivity. We are building more than innovative technologies; we are striving to build a more sustainable, more efficient, and safer future.
Regarding India, wide range of products under instruments portfolio are available through our very strong channel partners, all of them have trained technical teams to provide the best services to our potential or existing customers. We have customers all over India that include electrical utilities, different manufacturing companies, service providers and integrators. Customers use our products effectively. Further, we have online or frequent offline training courses in India. We have service centre in Delhi.
What range of products do you offer to Electrical Utilities?
Electrical utilities are one of our main customers globally including India. We have hundreds of products for these utilities. Generation, transmission or distribution- all use and need our products. Electrical utilities face frequent problem of critical installations getting heated up. The moment this heating phenomenon starts, temperature starts rising and FLIR Thermal Imaging cameras play a very important role there. Without touching or taking shut down, these FLIR Thermal Cameras can accurately measure the temperature of these installations. From nut or bolt on a transmission tower to transformers to many other critical installations, FLIR products meet and exceed all expectations.
We have different ranges of thermal cameras for offline (handheld) and online (fixed type) use. Under offline thermal cameras range, our starting range is with world’s first pocket sized thermal camera model C3. Other products include point and shoot Ex series, Exx series for experienced users and professional T series which has unique feature of tiltable optics.
Under online offerings, we have product range under automation portfolio which has fixed type of products for 24×7 temperature monitoring. These products can be integrated with computers for real time temperature monitoring. Main applications broadly include automated inspections, process control, condition monitoring and fire prevention detection. Almost nine types of camera families (and 30 plus different products) are available under this fixed type range for different applications to suit customer needs. FLIR also has test & measurement range, which include multimeters, clamp meters, insulation testers, thermometers, and voltage detectors. Selected models have FLIR unique, infrared guided measurement through infrared detector that guides user straight to the problem, visualises the heat generated by electrical faults, and accurately measures the temperature.
Extech is also a FLIR company that provides 400 plus different products for applications like electrical, plant maintenance, health & safety, HVAC, lab and water quality are available. Extech is also ISO 9001:2015 company having 45 years of experience. In India, we cover complete range of Extech products. For electrical utilities, finding SF6 leakage is a problematic task. FLIR has a solution to visualise this harmful gas for environment. This product can also be used at safe distance. Product name is GF 306.
What is FLIR’s best liked product by electrical utilities?
We have many products being accepted by Indian utilities but T series has been very successful due to its very useful design. It has rotatable optics. T6xx and T1 K has 120 Deg rotation and new T5xx has 180 Deg rotation of optical block. Since many electrical installations that need to be scanned for temperature are above eye level, this design is very useful. Benefit of this design is that operator does not get stress on wrist, shoulder, neck and eyes while using this range even if used frequently. The ease of use of this great design can be felt only with experience.
Which Electrical Utilities are FLIR’s customers?
This list is very long. Few names are- PGCIL, NTPC, MSETCL, KPTCL, WBSETCL, BSES, TPDDL, UPPTCL etc.
You have vast range of products. How to choose the best suitable for application?
This is very important question. One should clearly know what’s the smallest object size, they want to measure and from what distance. It may be different for generation, transmission and distribution companies. First, fundamental selection of detector is done. After this, other desired parameters should be added to specifications. Seeing the object with Thermal camera and accurate measurement are two different things. This one critical aspect can be defined as IFOV- Instantaneous Field of View. We have developed an online tool to help our customers to choose the right product, same available on our website.
What technological innovations you have incorporated in your products for making them more superior and efficient?
There are number of technological innovations. To name a few- tiltable optical block, MSX and text annotation are there. Tiltable optical design has been very well accepted by our customers as it gives less stress than straight type cameras on neck, shoulder and arm while working long hours in field. MSX is multi spectral Dynamic Imaging which helps to increase image quality multi folds and can read even text. Text annotation helps to add text comments on image in camera through touch screen, directly in field. These technical features bring good efficiency in camera use.
How would you differentiate Indian electrical test equipment markets from the global markets particularly European and American markets while offering your services and products? Do you face any competition in Indian markets?
Yes, competition is definitely there and Indian market is totally different due to bidding process which allows only lowest bidder to win.
