Acoustic camera · acoustic imager · ultrasonic leak detection
Acoustic imaging – leak detection with an acoustic camera
An acoustic camera shows exactly where escaping gas, compressed air, steam or vacuum is making a sound – even in a noisy plant or engine room and high up without a lift. We use an industrial-grade Fluke acoustic imager and every survey comes with a report in which the findings are photographed and marked on a plan. We work throughout Finland and, by arrangement, abroad and on board ships.
Measurement work 149 €/h excl. VAT (min. 2 h) · report included · Finland, abroad and ships by arrangement
What is acoustic imaging used for?
Any leak where gas or air escapes through a small opening because of a pressure difference produces ultrasound. That is why the same acoustic camera finds compressed air leaks as well as gas, vacuum and steam leaks. Choose an application to read more.
Compressed air leaks
Compressed air leak survey during production: findings with severity and the estimated cost of the leaks per year.Read moreGas leaks
Nitrogen, argon, CO2, helium and other pressurised gas pipework – including shielding gas lines in welding shops.Read moreVacuum leaks
Vacuum lines, pumps, suction cups, vacuum tables, packaging machines and vacuum sewage systems.Read moreSteam leaks
Leaks in steam lines, valves, flanges and condensate lines – located from a safe distance.Read more
What is an acoustic camera?
An acoustic camera – also called an acoustic imager or ultrasonic camera – is an instrument that images sound. It locates the sound source and shows it as a coloured spot on top of the camera image. Acoustic imaging is particularly well suited to leak detection: the leak appears directly in the image, so there is no need to listen for it or test joints one by one with soapy water.
An acoustic camera does not replace a thermal camera but complements it: a thermal camera shows temperature differences, an acoustic camera shows the ultrasound produced by leaks. Many leaks do not show up in a thermal image at all.
What an acoustic camera does not do
We state the limitations up front so you know what to expect from the survey.
- Liquid leaks (e.g. oil or water) generally do not show
- No work in hazardous (Ex/ATEX) areas – the camera is not Ex certified
- Not a statutory refrigerant (F-gas) leak check
- No leak testing of high-vacuum systems (helium leak detection)
- Does not replace fixed gas detectors
- No class-approved testing (e.g. hatch cover ultrasonic tightness testing)
- Leak size is an estimate, not a flow measurement
How does an acoustic camera work?
When pressurised gas or air escapes through a small gap – or air is drawn into a vacuum system – the turbulent flow produces ultrasound: high-frequency sound that the human ear cannot hear and that is not masked by the noise of a factory or an engine room.
An acoustic camera (also called an acoustic imager or ultrasonic camera) has an array of microphones that measure the strength and direction of the sound. The camera overlays this on a normal image, so the source appears as a coloured sound map exactly where the sound comes from. Frequency filtering removes background noise from machinery and work.
We use an industrial-grade Fluke acoustic imager. Because the survey is done from a distance, leaks high up, on pipe racks or in awkward places are found without a lift, while the system is in normal operation.
How the survey works
Preliminary information and estimate
Tell us about the site, the system, its operating pressure or vacuum and the size of the area. We estimate the survey time and send a cost estimate.
Survey during operation
We walk the system's pipework, joints, hoses, valves and equipment with the acoustic camera. The system must be pressurised or running – there is no need to stop production.
Findings tagged and photographed
Each finding is marked on site with a numbered tag and photographed so that it is easy to find for repair.
Report
You receive a report with the findings on a floor-plan map, an image of each finding, severity 1–3 and a recommended action. The report is included in the price and can be delivered in English or Finnish.
Repair
Repairs can be offered case by case depending on the site – or your own maintenance team can carry them out based on the report. A follow-up survey verifies that the leaks have been fixed.
Who is acoustic imaging for?
Industry and engineering workshops
Compressed air, gas and vacuum networks and shielding gas lines in welding shops.
Ships and vessels
Starting air, working and control air, pneumatic controls, steam and vacuum systems in engine rooms.
Food and beverage industry
CO2 and nitrogen lines, vacuum on packaging machines and steam lines.
Ports, terminals and mines
Compressed air networks, pneumatic equipment and mobile machinery fleets.
Wood and plastics industry
Vacuum tables, suction cups and pneumatics in dusty, noisy environments.
Energy and property
Steam lines, valves and compressed air networks in buildings.
Outside Finland · ships · mobile sites
Acoustic and thermal imaging abroad and at sea
Our acoustic and thermal imaging surveys are not limited to Finland. By arrangement we travel with the cameras to sites in the Nordic and Baltic countries, elsewhere in the EU and beyond – and to mobile sites such as ships and vessels, offshore and work vessels, ports, mines and mobile machinery fleets.
- Factories and process plants abroad
- Ships during port calls or riding along
- Ports, terminals and shipyards
- Offshore and onshore industry
- Mines and quarries
- Mobile machinery fleets and depots
How it works abroad
- Same hourly rate: measurement work 149 €/h excl. VAT (min. 2 h), report included.
- Travel quoted per job: travel, accommodation and travel time are agreed before you order.
- Report in English: findings with images, severity or priority and recommended actions.
- Your site rules: we follow your permits, safety induction and – on ships – the master's instructions.
- Honest limits: no Ex/ATEX areas, no class approval, no certified thermography.
Report
Every survey comes with a report, included in the price. The report follows the same structure as our compressed air leak survey reports and can be delivered in English or Finnish.
- Floor-plan map with numbered markers. Each finding is marked on a plan of the site (or a general arrangement drawing of the vessel). The number matches the tag attached on site.
- Image of each finding. The finding is circled in the acoustic camera image, so whoever does the repair finds it immediately.
- Severity 1–3. 1 = minor, monitor; 2 = moderate, repair as planned; 3 = major or a safety risk, repair immediately.
- Recommended action. What to do at each location and in which order – the most severe first.
The images are from an example compressed air leak survey report (company, images and figures are illustrative). The example PDF is in Finnish – your report can be delivered in English. Reports for other systems have the same structure; for compressed air leaks the estimated cost of the leaks per year is also calculated.
Price
Sites vary a lot, so pricing is based on time spent. Several systems can be surveyed on the same visit – for example the compressed air network, gas lines and a vacuum system.
| Measurement work (minimum 2 h) | 149 €/h |
|---|---|
| Report (English or Finnish) | included |
| Travel in Finland | Zone-based in Southwest Finland and Kanta-Häme, elsewhere in the estimate |
| Outside Finland and on ships | Travel, accommodation and travel time quoted per job |
Prices exclude VAT. VAT is applied according to the applicable rules (for example, the reverse-charge mechanism may apply to VAT-registered business customers in other EU countries) and confirmed in the quote. You receive a cost estimate before ordering.
Leak repairs: in Finland, compressed air leak repairs 86 €/h excl. VAT plus parts; other repairs case by case.
Ask whether acoustic imaging suits your site
Tell us about the site and what you want to find out, and we will tell you honestly whether an acoustic camera will help – and if it will not, we will say so.
+358 43 211 0516Cost estimate
Request a cost estimate – acoustic imaging
Tell us about the site or vessel, its size, the location (country, city or port) and what you want to find. We estimate the survey time and usually send a cost estimate on the same or the next working day.
+358 43 211 0516Mon–Fri 8:00–16:00 (Finnish time)
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an acoustic camera, acoustic imager and ultrasonic camera?
They are different names for the same type of instrument. It captures ultrasound with a microphone array and shows the location of the sound source on top of the camera image. We use an industrial-grade Fluke acoustic imager.
What can an acoustic camera find?
Compressed air leaks, leaks of pressurised gases such as nitrogen, argon and CO2, vacuum leaks and steam leaks. Liquid leaks generally do not show.
Do we need to shut down production or the system?
No. On the contrary: the system must be pressurised or running for the leak to make a sound. The survey is carried out during normal operation.
Does an acoustic camera work in a noisy factory or engine room?
Yes. The sound of a leak is mainly ultrasound, and the camera filters the frequency range so that machinery and work noise is removed.
How much does an acoustic imaging survey cost?
Measurement work is 149 €/h excl. VAT, minimum 2 hours, and the report is included. In Finland, travel costs are zone-based in Southwest Finland and Kanta-Häme and quoted elsewhere. For assignments outside Finland and on ships, travel, accommodation and travel time are quoted per job before you order.
Do you repair the leaks you find?
Repairs can be offered case by case depending on the site, and the price is agreed separately. In Finland, compressed air leak repairs are charged at 86 €/h excl. VAT plus parts. Your own maintenance team or ship's crew can also carry out the repairs based on the report.
Do you carry out surveys outside Finland?
Yes, by arrangement – in the Nordic and Baltic countries, elsewhere in the EU and beyond. Measurement work is charged at the same hourly rate, and travel, accommodation and travel time are quoted per job. The report can be delivered in English.
Can you survey ships?
Yes. We survey engine rooms and other spaces during port calls or, by arrangement, while riding along on a voyage. The work requires the owner's or master's permission and the ship's safety induction. We do not work in hazardous areas unless the area is gas-free and the master has permitted it.
Can acoustic and thermal imaging be done on the same visit?
Yes. In a combined condition survey the acoustic camera finds leaks and the thermal camera finds overheating electrical and mechanical faults, such as hot connections and bearings. The findings are collected in one report and travel is paid only once.
Combined condition survey: thermal imaging on the same visit finds overheating electrical and mechanical faults. On board ships, see marine acoustic and thermal imaging.
Quality and environmental management
Our management system has been built in accordance with the requirements of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. It is self-declared and has not been certified by a third-party certification body.