FLIR UltraMax & MSX — Professional Overview
Concise, single‑page technical explanation of FLIR’s UltraMax image enhancement and MSX (Multi‑Spectral Dynamic Imaging) technologies — benefits, technical behavior, recommended use cases, and quick reference tables for engineers and product marketers.
Executive Summary
FLIR UltraMax and MSX are image processing technologies designed to substantially improve the clarity and usability of thermal images. UltraMax increases apparent resolution and reduces noise by combining multiple frames, while MSX overlays high‑frequency detail from a visible‑light sensor onto the thermal image to improve interpretability. Together they accelerate diagnostics, reduce false positives, and improve operator confidence in condition‑based inspections.
Key Benefits
- Improved thermal detail and edge definition for faster root‑cause analysis.
- Noise reduction and effective resolution enhancement without changing optics.
- Better visual context by combining visible and thermal features (MSX).
- Useful in low‑contrast or long‑distance inspection scenarios.
Technical Explanation
UltraMax (Multi‑Frame Super‑Resolution)
UltraMax is a software‑driven super‑resolution technique that constructs a higher‑detail thermal image by intelligently combining several consecutive frames captured while the camera or scene moves slightly. The algorithm aligns frames at sub‑pixel precision and synthesizes additional spatial detail by leveraging the small parallax and noise differences across frames. The result is an image with reduced noise and an effective increase in perceived spatial resolution.
MSX (Multi‑Spectral Dynamic Imaging)
MSX extracts high‑frequency edge and texture information from an onboard visible‑light camera and overlays those features onto the thermal image. Because thermal images often lack fine structural detail (especially at distance), MSX adds context — clearly delineating screws, labels, insulation edges, and small structural features — without altering the thermal temperature data. MSX is a visual enhancement only; temperature values remain unmodified.
How They Complement Each Other
UltraMax increases the thermal image’s intrinsic fidelity, making thermal gradients and small hotspots more apparent. MSX provides structural cues that help the inspector locate and interpret those hotspots. Used together, they provide a clearer, quicker assessment workflow: UltraMax for accurate thermal detail and MSX for visual context.
Comparison Table
| Attribute | UltraMax | MSX |
|---|---|---|
| Method | Multi‑frame super‑resolution | Visible‑to‑thermal edge overlay |
| Primary Goal | Increase apparent thermal resolution & reduce noise | Improve interpretability via visual features |
| Effect on Temperature Values | No change — purely spatial enhancement | No change — visual overlay only |
| Best Use Cases | Long‑distance inspections, small hotspot detection, noisy scenes | Component identification, documentation, user communication |
| Processing Type | Frame‑stacking + sub‑pixel alignment (on‑device/off‑device) | Single‑frame feature extraction and compositing |
| Limitations | Needs multiple frames and minor motion; less effective on static single shots | Requires visible‑light contrast and co‑aligned imagers |
Practical Guidance & Best Practices
- When to use UltraMax: capture a short handheld sweep or use natural camera motion to collect multiple frames; avoid full scene motion (e.g., moving targets) during capture.
- When to use MSX: enable when you need immediate visual context (labels, fasteners, connectors). Turn off if the visible overlay could obscure subtle thermal details when presenting temperature‑critical data.
- Exporting images: retain original radiometric files for analysis; export UltraMax/MSX enhanced images for reporting and communication only.
- Documentation: always document whether an image uses UltraMax or MSX in reports, since the visual presentation differs from raw thermal imagery.
Reference Quick‑Look Table (for Reports)
| Field | Recommended Content |
|---|---|
| Image Filename | deviceID_location_date_mode.jpg (e.g., FLIR123_panelA_2025-09-08_ultramax-msx.jpg) |
| Mode | UltraMax: On / MSX: Off (or specify both On) |
| Notes | Short note describing capture method, distance, and any motion during acquisition |
| Temperature Data | Attach original radiometric file (.fff or camera native) if exact temperature analysis is required |
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