Thermal camera assembly (1) comprising a thermal imaging detector (3) providing thermographic images and/or recordings, a protective casing (2) which houses the thermal imaging detector and includes a window (5) with a transparent screen (6), one or more sensors (15;16;20;32;33) arranged in the protective casing and providing signals indicative of a physical quantity or a state, one or more actuators (8;22;28) arranged in the protective casing, and a control unit (9) which is integrated in the protective casing. The control unit is directly connected to the thermal imaging detector to receive the thermographic images and/or recordings and transmit them to the outside, to the sensors to receive the relative signals, and to the actuators to control the latter according to the signals received. The control unit is able to manage and control the communication between all the components of the thermal camera and the outside. The thermal camera assembly is part of a control system for controlling an industrial production process and is used in a relative control method.