Patent ID: 7404925

Claim:
A method of analysing a temperature indicating paint using a marker paint comprising applying an irreversible temperature indicating paint to a component of a machine, applying a marker paint to the component of the machine, the irreversible temperature indicating paint having one or more changes of colour at one or more known temperatures, these colour changes of the irreversible temperature indicating paint indicate the temperature to which different parts of the component have been subjected, the marker paint does not change colour, operating the machine for a predetermined period of time such that the component of the machine reaches its operating conditions, viewing the irreversible temperature indicating temperature paint and the marker paint on the component to produce an image of the component, analysing the image of the component to determine if any debris and/or dirt has deposited on the marker paint and to determine the amount of debris and/or dirt and analysing the image of the irreversible temperature indicating paint to determine the temperature at different regions of the component taking into account the amount of any debris and/or dirt deposited onto the marker paint.