Borescopes features and the advantages derived from their use
The world is in a steady progress and this has led to an explosive growth in the need for remote viewing inspections. Borescopes are extremely useful technologically advanced instruments that allow accessibility to the inspections areas. Basically, a borescope is an optical mechanism consisting in a rigid or flexible tube with lens for viewing on one end and ocular lens on the other. Both are connected by a relay optical system surrounded by optical fibers used to illuminate the remote object. An inside image is formed and sent back to the eyepiece. Borescopes are equipped with video cameras to capture the image and review it. These kinds of devices are usually used in search and rescue operations. Even if at the beginning they were designed for the aviation industry, currently they have an extensive applicability. Borescopes can be optimized and used in areas such as aviation, aerospace, sanitation, weaponry, automotive, casting, electronics, law enforcement and even power generation.
There are two categories of borescopes: fiberoptic and video. Fiberscopes are high quality optical instruments used to view images that are inaccessible to the human eye. A Fiberscope is a flexible device that has a relay optical system and the image transfer is achieved by thousands of tiny fibers or fiber optic image bundle. The image quality is strongly related to the number of fibers and construction used in the fiber image. Fiberscopes are designed with some important features such as flexibility, high length articulation capabilities. This means that they can be manipulated along the corners, angled tubes or areas that are difficult to reach. The targeted object can be seen from different angles. A fiberscope usually has a small diameter and it is used for inspection work to examine tiny components that can not be easily accessed.
Videscopes are similar with fiberscopes but they use a miniature video camera at the end of the flexible tube. A videoscope uses optical relay components and transfers the image from the tip to the eyepiece. Images are highly qualitative and they can be recorded and saved in digital formats. These devices can be used in many industrial projects and allow the operators to see every detail of the area they inspect. Borescopes ease the task of inspecting and creating industrial products. But they can be also accessible for the large public and used in many daily activities.
Borescope repairs can be performed by qualified companies. They are experts at identifying the problems and replacing the broken components. Reputable companies fix the broken components in very short time and the borescope can operate again at its full capacity. Unlike a fiberscope, a videoscope requires little maintenance. They have a higher degree of durability if they are used properly. Videoscopes usually have distal tip articulations and the operators don’t need to abuse them by pushing, probing or overreaching. Usually damages consist in loss of articulation and loss of light and view in the case of fiberscopes. Borescopes can have a long life if they are carefully stored and cleaned. A wide range of borescopes are available on the market and the suitable ones should be chosen based on their articulations, cable flexibility and the availability of the different angles of view.