Abstract: A system including a mobile infrared thermography unit and a base station for automating the collection of thermographic data and for facilitating the efficient generation of reports. The mobile infrared thermography unit includes an infrared camera, a storage device such as a videotape recorder for at least recording thermographic images captured by the infrared camera, and a mobile unit computer. The mobile unit computer includes a touch screen display for presenting information to a thermographer and for receiving data and command inputs from the thermographer. The mobile unit computer is interfaced to the infrared camera or the videotape recorder for maintaining a record, either by tape position or date/time stamp, where thermographic images of particular equipment are recorded.

Abstract: Methods and systems for acquiring offset data for aligning co-rotatable in-line machine shafts. Two sets of offset data, each set for example representing relative displacement in a radial direction between a reference point referenced to one of the shafts and a particular point on the other of the shafts at given angular positions, are collected at a plurality of measurement angular positions. The measurement angular positions are not necessarily the 0.degree., 90.degree., 180.degree. and 270.degree. angular positions at which measurements are traditionally taken. Preferably, measured offset data is collected during continuous rotation of the shafts in their normal direction of rotation or at convenient positions where the rotation is halted. Measured offset data may be collected at as few as three angular positions, but preferably is collected at more than three angular positions, and typically at a multiplicity of angular positions such as thirty or forty.