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Olympus vs Everest: Comparison of Borescope

In this blog post, you’ll read:Do not know how to choose borescope between Olympus and Everest? We give you an insight on the these two borescope suppliers, and also recommend the 3rd budget option for you: NDT-KITS.

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Borescopes (also known as videoscope) are instruments that are used to visually monitor inside components that are otherwise hard to reach or see with our naked eyes. They are widely used in various industrial applications to check for defects and wear inside components.  This is why choosing the right borescope for your business is of great importance.

So, how do you know which is the right borescope for your business? In this post, we will compare different models of borescopes (Olympus, Everest and NDT-KITS) and give you an insight on the important factors you should consider when getting yourself a borescope. Let’s get to it, shall we?

 

I. Olympus Borescope

 

1. About Olympus

 

About Olympus

 

Olympus Corporation has been in the precision instrument manufacturing business for over one hundred years, with their products finding important applications in the scientific, industrial, medical, and surgical fields.  Olympus has invested its expertise, and experience in providing non-destructive digital testing solutions for industries with an array of instruments under the Olympus umbrella. 

The company, in its effort to be a global supplier of quality testing instruments has set up offices in various parts of the world including the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and the Americas and has its headquarters in Tokyo Japan.  They pride themselves in being customer focused, ensuring they meet and exceed their client’s expectations with each new product they develop.

 

2. Popular Olympus Models

 

① IPLEX NX

 

Olympus - IPLEX NX

 

  • Description 

The IPLEX NX has been designed using ultra-modern technology that enables it to work at its optimum.  It is fast while producing high quality images for hard to reach machine parts like the inside of motor vehicle engines.   Some features that make this instrument exceptional are the wide touch screen with easy to use icons, it is made from high quality material making it water and dust proof, and the flexible design that enables the screen to be placed in multiple positions.

 

  • Specifications

 

Instrument dimensions in mm is 320W x 310H x 180D and weighs 5.4 kg

Features an 8.4 inches LCD monitor for display which has daylight view touch screen

Has an S-Video as the input terminal and VGA as the output terminal

The battery lifespan is about 100 minutes operating time

The instrument relies on a 14.8 volts battery and 100V to 240V of AC power through an AC adapter

The format for recording is compressed JPEG while the video recording format is MPEG-4 AVC and is compatible with Windows media player

It uses a USB flash and SDHC card for recording still image media

 

  • Price Range

 

 

② IPLEX G Lite

 

Olympus - IPLEX G Lite

 

  • Description 

 

If you are looking for a truly portable borescope for your work, then the IPLEX G Lite by Olympus is the right instrument for you.  It is highly compact yet powerful enough to perform in harsh working conditions.  This instrument is fitted with a bright LCD light and does not compromise on the video quality, which is why it finds application in sensitive areas such as wind and gas turbine inspections and maintenance, and also in security inspection when fitted with IR vision.

 

  • Specifications

 

Dimensions for the instrument are 128 mm× 203mm × 110 mm (W*D*H)

It relies on a 100-240 volts of AC power

The machine display is a 4.3 inches LCD with capacitive touch panel

It can also be battery operated with a power supply of 7.4 volts with a battery operational time of approximately 90 minutes

Video recording format is AVC /MPEG 4 and is compatible to Windows 12 media player

Uses a standard HDMI for video output and still image recording format is compressed JPEG

 

  • Price Range

 

 

II. Everest Borescope

 

1. About Everest

 

About Everest

 

Everest testing instruments have been in the market long after the company was acquired by General Electronics which later turned into Waygate Technologies, a Baker Hughes business.  The company has maintained the long legacy and integrity of Everest products by continuously producing instruments that are affordable, accurate and long lasting.

In addition to the outstanding physical features of Everest instruments, Waygate technologies has ensured the machines are future forward.  Instrument and software upgrades can be done on machines by the client with ease, to ensure machines are at their best levels and can keep up with changing technologies.

 

2. Popular Everest Models

 

① XL Go VideoProbe

 

XL Go VideoProbe

 

  • Description 

The XL Go VideoProbe was designed for the technician that needs to be highly mobile.  This easy to use and easy to handle video borescope comes with amazing features suitable for all its applications.  Don’t let the small size fool you.  XL Go VideoProbe comes fitted with features that have in the past only been possible to input in instruments that are thrice the size of this video scope.  It has excellent video quality and it is made for the tough industrial working conditions.

 

  • Specifications

 

Dimensions for the instrument are 95mm x 133mm x 342 mm, weighing 1.73kg

Operating temperature for the borescope tip are -25°C to 80°C

The operating temperatures for the system are -20°C  to 46°C 

The AC power requirements are 90-264 volts

It has an LCD color monitor that is 9.40cm

Instruments memory is 1GB flash internal memory and can support external memory too

Data input port is 2 USB 2.0 ports, data output is VGA, and it uses MPEG4 as the video format

 

  • Price Range

 

 

② Everest XLG3™ VideoProbe

 

Everest XLG3™ VideoProbe

 

  • Description 

For critical analysis of engine and machine parts in the aeronautical, automotive and process industries, the Everest XLG3 is the machine for you.  It is fitted with an extra bright light making it able to cover a wide area of scan while giving crisp, clear images, and a remote control option for hands-free operation whenever it is needed.

 

  • Specifications

 

Dimensions for the instrument are 54.6 x 49.5 x 32.0 cm for the standard type case and 54.6 x 60.9 x 32.0 cm for the tall type case.

It weighs 21.8 kg plus the case and 10.9 kg without the case

Borescope tip operating temperatures are -25° to 80°C range

The operating temperatures for the system are -20°C to 46°C

For power requirements, AC power input are 100 to 240 Volts

It has an LCD color monitor with a diagonal measurement of 16.3 cm

Instruments memory is 2.7GB internal compact flash card

Data input port is 3 USB 2.0 ports, and it uses Auto detecting NTSC / PAL S-Video as the video format

 

  • Price Range

 

 

III. Olympus vs Everest: Which is the Best for you?

Both Olympus and Everest video borescope manufacturers have produced high quality instruments with each one of them packed with features that help to make the technicians work easier for any kind of application.  Here is a direct comparison of some of the specifications to help you decide which one is best for you.

 

For Olympus borescopes

 

  • Probe. They come with a variety of scopes for different kinds of jobs. The scopes with 6.0mm diameter have lengths ranging from 2.0m, 3.5 m  and 10m m, while the 4.0 mm diameter scopes have lengths of 2.0m – 3.5 m for the IPLEX G Lite. The IPLEX NX has scope lengths of 3m – 5m for the 4mm diameter and 3.5m, 5m, and 7.5m for the 6mm diameter, while the 6.2mm diameter has 3.5m scope.
  • Image Quality. Uses LED illumination, and can zoom up to 5 times the original size.  It also comes with a 16-step brightness control option for magnification for the IPLEX G-Lite.
  • Flexibility. The tubes have uniform stiffness and are more flexible towards the tip of the scope, with a 4-way (up/down, right/left) articulation.
  • Cost

 

For Everest borescopes

 

  • Probe. Scope diameters range are 3.9, 6.1, 6.2, 8.4mm for the Everest XLG3™ VideoProbe, and the lengths range from 2m to 9.6m long.
  • Image Quality. 640 x 480 camera resolution
  • Flexibility.  The tubes have uniform stiffness and more flexible towards the tip of the scope (360 degrees articulation)
  • Cost
  •  

IV. Comparison with Other Brands of Borescope: Olympus vs Everest vs NDT-KITS

For an extended view on the borescope choices and manufactures that are best for you work and applications, let us do a comparison with a third manufacturer of borescopes, NDT-KITS company.

Popular NDT-KITS borescope models include the CW40 Series and the CL60 Series.  Some notable features of these models are the flexibility of use.  They are small in size and best for one-hand operations.  They are available in different diameters for the cameras and bright illumination for quick survey of dark and hard to reach places.

 

  • Probe. Scope diameters are 6mm for CL60 and 4mm for CW40 borescope, with both having an insertable length of 1m.
  • Image Quality. The camera can display images with up to 1,000,000 pixels
  • Flexibility. The scope is flexible and can be rotated in 2 different directions, bending over 180 degrees for CL60 and 150 degrees for CW40.
  • Cost.
  •  

 

V. Your Budget Pick: NDT-KITS

There are specifications that you need to look out for when choosing a borescope for any application. These specifications include the diameter and length of the scope, how rigid or flexible the scope is, the viewing angles and how well the instrument is able to magnify the images.  Likewise, ease of use and the manufacturer of a borescope are also important to consider.

Even though all the borescope models have their own special characteristics and advantages that make them fit for use, borescope models (CW40 and CL60) from NDT-KITS pass the specification requirements for the features that make up a good borescope.  The different diameter sizes for the camera, flexibility of the scope, zooming and illumination traits, mean you get highly accurate scans every time.

This does not come as a surprise, owing to our 40+ years’ experience in the manufacture and supply of non-destructive testing instruments.  We have an expert support team that is available on call to help you understand which borescope works well for your inspection needs.

 

Conclusion

 

Evidently, doing inspections on hard to reach or dark corners of machines and engines is important to prevent accidents and for maintenance purposes. For this reasons, choosing the right model of borescope can be a hard task but once you have an idea of what features and specifications to look out for, the work becomes easier for you.

At NDT-KITS, we have specialized in production of standard or custom borescopes that are not only cost effective but durable and give high precision scans. This has been made possible through our use of modern production equipment and out qualified production engineers. So, whether your speciality is in the automotive, aeronautical or manufacturing industries, we have you covered.

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