Thermal camera assembly and control system and method for controlling an industrial production process comprising a thermal camera assembly

A thermal camera assembly for monitoring and controlling an industrial production process in an industrial production environment, the thermal camera assembly comprising:

• a protective casing defining a window closed by a transparent screen;
• a thermal imaging detector arranged in the protective casing, the thermal imaging detector configured to detect thermographic images and/or thermographic recordings through the transparent screen;
• one or more sensors arranged in the protective casing, the one or more sensors configured to provide signals indicative of a physical quantity or a state;
• one or more actuators arranged in the protective casing;
• a cooling system arranged entirely inside the protective casing, the cooling system comprising a vortex tube configured to receive a single flow of compressed air through an inlet and to separate the single flow of compressed air into a warm air flow which is directed outside the protective casing through a first compressed air outlet and into a cold air flow which is directed inside the protective casing through a second compressed air outlet;
• and
• a control unit arranged in the protective casing and directly connected to the thermal imaging detector, the one or more sensors, and the one or more actuators, the control unit configured to;
• receive and transmit the thermographic images and/or thermographic recordings,
• receive the signals indicative of the physical quantity or the state,
• control the one or more actuators based on the received signals indicative of the physical quantity or the state, and
• actuate the cooling system by controlling the one or more actuators,
• wherein the thermal camera assembly is configured to communicate with a device outside of the protective casing via digital transmission of data carried out exclusively through the control unit.