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Industrial Borescope: Definition and Working Principle

In this blog post, you’ll read:A borescope is an inspection camera that can be inserted into hard-to-reach spaces to determine whether they are clear and free of obstructions, or defects.

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A borescope is an inspection camera that can be inserted into hard-to-reach spaces to determine whether they are clear and free of debris, obstructions, or defects.

However, many business owners don’t know precisely what makes this a valuable equipment in their day-to-day operations.

With this overview of a borescope, you will learn how the tool works, why it’s so important to the average business, and how it can be used to improve efficiency and effectiveness throughout your business.

 

What is a Borescope?

An industrial borescope is a tool used by various professionals for examining or inspecting objects that are otherwise not visible to them. It looks similar to a telescope.

There are two types of borescopes; optical type and electron type, each using a different technique for viewing objects.

An optical borescope comprises a barrel, eyepiece, body, etc., but it does not contain any lens or mirror. The barrel has an LED (light-emitting diode) at one end that transmits light through an object whose image then appears on an LCD screen placed in front of its exit end.

A telephoto lens that magnifies light can be attached to an eyepiece to get a better view of small details within an object.

 

what is a borescope

 

What are the Choices of Industrial Borescope?

There are many different types of borescopes, and how they work may vary slightly depending on which type you choose. A borescope is used to find defects in machinery or structures and inspect pipes, so you must have the correct one available when you need it.

Whether you’re using a borescope for personal use or your business, knowing about the different kinds can help you find the best one for your specific needs. A budget and understanding what others mean when they mention certain features such as zoom capability or frequency response range.

  • Electrical Borescope

It is an imaging device that lets you see inside a pipe or hollow cylinder with one end from outside using a standard video camera.

They can be either battery-powered or plugged into an outlet. This type of borescope has been around for many years. Electricians and inspectors use it to diagnose problems in electrical devices such as cables, switches, transformers, motors, etc., and also used to detect conditions such as live wires behind walls or water leaks on roofs.

  • Thermal Borescope

A thermal borescope or thermal imaging camera captures images based on detecting differences in infrared radiation.

They are most commonly used in firefighting and rescue situations and for quality control, maintenance, and scientific purposes. A thermal imager captures electromagnetic radiation from 0.26 to 15 micrometers within 10 Hz to 5 MHz and displays it in false colors representing relative temperature.

Thermal imaging cameras can create still images or video footage with thermographic detail, which could not be seen with a human eye.

  • Fiber Optic Borescope

This type of scope comes with an image sensor, a light source, and optical fibers. Light travels through these fibers to take images and send them back to you in real-time.

The cables are flexible and lightweight, which means that there’s no risk of damaging whatever you’re looking at. However, they need electricity to work, so they aren’t very portable.

  • Video Borescope

A video borescope is a camera attached to a fiber optic cable. The fiber optic cable allows images to be transmitted back and forth with minimal image loss, even when long distances are involved.

These scopes are used when you want or need to look at things that can’t be accessed directly. If your question pertains to inspecting an engine or boiler, for example, you’ll need a video borescope.

A great benefit of video scopes is that they can send pictures back and forth that can be recorded. AVI files for later review or sharing purposes.

Depending on the functionality you are looking for, you can have the following features as a plus on your borescope for digital connectivity.

 

industrial borescope

 

What is the Working Principle of Video Borescope?

Video borescopes are optical endoscopes. They are used to inspect areas where a person would not reach due to safety or physical limitations. These scopes come in two basic types, analog and digital.

Analog is much more common and uses fiber optics, whereas digital does not use fiber optics but still produces a high-quality image by using charge-coupled device (CCD) sensors. Video has many useful benefits over traditional light-based imaging methods, such as higher resolution, longer working distance, and a wider field of view.

Digital cameras can easily store their data, so they can be connected to a PC to view images at any time and do not require constant handling like film cameras do. This is an overview of the borescope working principle.

 

What are some Applications for the Borescope?

The most common use of a borescope is to inspect machinery. Borescopes are extremely helpful when you need to know if anything has gotten lodged inside. They allow you to see how various parts work, which helps determine whether or not something is stuck.

If you have been trying to figure out why your old drill keeps running out of battery and failing to power on, it’s likely because someone forgot to take out their screwdriver when they finished tightening it down the last time they used it.

You can also use them in construction sites and even hospitals, where doctors use them on patients with breathing problems (borescopes are flexible enough to go past solid obstacles). Another very common use of borescopes is inspecting cracks in pipes.

Here is a summary of some popular uses of a borescope.

  •  Engine Inspection
  • Cylinder Inspection
  • Turbine Inspection 
  • Pipe Inspection 
  • Tank & Pressure Vessel Inspection 

 

How to use an Industrial Borescope?

Below we have outlined three steps you can follow to use a borescope in your next inspection.

– Choosing a Borescope

The first step in using a borescope is choosing an appropriate one for your needs. Different companies sell different borescopes, some with better image quality than others or more powerful magnification capabilities.

Be sure to choose a model that will meet all your requirements and give you high-quality images. Otherwise, you may end up having to take multiple attempts at an inspection just because you purchased a low-quality tool to save money on initial costs.

– Obtaining Proper Wires/Cables

It’s also important to remember that not every borescope uses wires or cables when they are being used to transmit information between devices.

Some borescopes come equipped with wireless capability, which provides users much greater flexibility when they’re conducting inspections in hard-to-reach places.

If you need help locating proper wiring for your specific brand of borescope, make sure you check with a knowledgeable sales associate who knows about every single product we carry.

 

Borescope

 

– Using Your Borescope Once You Have It Connected/Charged

When it comes time to use your new device, it’s important to do so correctly to not damage anything around it or negatively impact your safety during procedures. There are a few things worth noting here.

  •  Avoid touching any parts of the borescope with your bare hands, even when wearing gloves. Corrosion from skin oils may cause serious damage over time.
  • Don’t look into the lens while holding it. If something should break inside of your device while you’re holding it, then fragments could go flying towards your face, causing potentially permanent harm.
  •  Finally, never leave a charged borescope unattended, and be careful where you place them when charging them. Electronics that don’t get enough ventilation sometimes explode violently due to built-up heat after sitting dormant for long periods.

 

➤ Related Article: Ultrasonic Transducer Types: How to Choose Your Right Ultrasonic Transducer?

➤ Related Article: How to Choose Your Right Video Borescope?

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, a borescope can be used for an array of tasks including but not limited to finding buried cables and pipes. They are easy to use because all you need is an adapter to fit whatever size cable you’re dealing with.

They are also useful because they reveal data about problems that cannot be seen through traditional inspection techniques.

Additionally, they come in handy when detecting cracks and leaks along metal surfaces to perform repairs before a much larger problem arises. Overall, I have no reservations recommending them to anyone who needs a simple and efficient way of getting into tight spaces.

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