Borescopes are optical inspection tools that consist of a rigid or flexible tube, an eyepiece on one end, and an objective lens on the other. They use optical relay components to transfer images from a tip to an eyepiece. Borescopes are used to inspect bores and cavities in engine cylinders, fuel injectors, hydraulic manifolds, turbine blades and seals, and pipes. Rigid borescopes cost less than flexible borescopes, but restrict viewing to a straight line. Flexible borescopes or fiberscopes include a bundle of optical fibers that allow access to cavities around corners. Videoscopes or video borescopes that use a miniature video camera are also available.
Borescopes differ in terms of viewing angle. Rigid borescopes are limited to direct or straight-on viewing, but are suitable for inspecting engine cylinders, fuel injectors, and straight lengths of pipe. Forward-oblique borescopes have a viewing angle from 0° to 90° for a combination of forward navigation and side visibility. Borescopes with side viewing permit the visual inspection of greater detail on bore, cylinder, or pipe walls. Borescopes with a retrospective or backward-oblique viewing angle are also available.
Product specifications for borescopes include tube or sheath diameter, working length, field of view, minimum focus distance, and operating temperature. Tube or sheath diameter is the diameter of the rigid or flexible tube that is inserted into the bore or cavity for inspection. Typically, this measurement determines the minimum-sized hole with which the boroscope can be used. Working length is the length of the probe. It effectively determines the depth of the borescope’s inspection capability.
Borescopes differ in terms of available features. Some devices are equipped with a simple mount for a camera to augment or replace visual inspection. Others are equipped with a working channel that permits the use of tools such as hook, scrapers, and retrieval tips. Borescopes with an optional camera attachment for video display and/or recording are also available. Often, these videoscopes can be connected to external media such as a computer hard drive. Borescopes that are equipped with a transmitter or other location-indicating devices enable users, operators, and other personnel to pinpoint the inspection location.
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Fiberscopes
Fiberscopes are flexible borescopes that use fiber optic technology, an eyepiece at one end, and a lens at the other to inspect bores and cavities. They house fiber optic bundles in a flexible tube that allows users to change the viewing angle or navigate curved paths.
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Videoscopes
Videoscopes are equipped with a CCD chip and focusable lens assembly that relays images from bores and cavities to a display. The camera is embedded in the tip of the scope and uses CCD technology rather than optical relay components (borescopes) or fiber optics (fiberscopes).
