Borescopes allow us to gain insight into places that would otherwise be inaccessible. Industrial borescope cameras can be used to examine anything from the interior of engines to the space between walls. A camera is built into most borescopes, allowing for not only live imaging but also the taking of photographs from the viewed area.
Thanks to their lightweight design, borescopes are easy to carry and use. With the borescope, maintenance and mechanical personnel no longer have to undergo complicated, time-consuming procedures to inspect and troubleshoot components. They can identify potential issues in systems and machines and rectify them before the problems become worse.
In this article, leading instrument company PCE Instruments introduces you to the basic types and applications of their range of industrial borescopes.
Basic Types of Borescopes
Rigid borescopes are most often used by people who need a borescope for a single inspection task that always provides frontal, unobstructed entry. For instance, a rigid borescope can be used to inspect the barrels of firearms or the inside of a gasoline engine’s cylinders. These borescopes are simple to use but have limited applications.
Semi-rigid borescopes can be used straight or bent to a certain degree. They are useful when you have a rough idea of the shape you need to navigate. While this borescope can flex, it cannot perform any extreme turns during an inspection. Semi-rigid borescopes are versatile and are used for many general applications.
Flexible borescopes are flexible, as their name suggests. They can be maneuvered around tight corners. They are often connected to a string or wire and pulled through a twisted confined space. Some common applications for flexible borescopes include aircraft turbine engine maintenance, plumbing inspections, or electrical conduit inspections.
Articulating borescopes are borescopes with tips that can be remotely repositioned. Rigid, semi-rigid, and flexible articulating borescopes are all available. The operator controls the tip of the probe using a joystick or electronic motor to guide the borescope through a complicated passageway and get a full view of the surroundings.
Applications of Borescopes
Car inspection – Car inspections often involve a visual inspection of the undercarriage and the engine for damage. With industrial borescopes, mechanics can quickly and easily check for problems in areas that would be difficult or strenuous to reach otherwise. Instead of having to raise the car on a lift, vehicle technicians can simply use a borescope. This saves a significant amount of time and can prevent damage to a vehicle by alerting a mechanic to potential problem areas before they become serious.
Plumbing – Plumbers often use industrial borescopes to check the condition of the pipes to ensure that they are not damaged or clogged up. Clogs and problems in sewage drains or water pipes can sometimes be so far down the line that is impossible to determine where they are. If a pipe is clogged, a plumber can use the borescope to locate and remove the blockage without having to go digging around in the pipe. This allows the plumber to fix the problem efficiently without causing damage to the building or to the pipe itself.
Chimney and HVAC maintenance – Fire safety is important in any home or business and the buildup of soot and debris in chimneys can quickly lead to a chimney fire if not promptly addressed. An industrial borescope can be used to check the chimney and make sure there are no blockages or buildups in the flue that could become a fire hazard. In the case of HVACs, industrial borescopes can see inside the ductwork to make sure there are no obstructions or damage that could be causing poor performance.
Cleaning small spaces – Industrial borescopes are useful for cleaning tight spaces that people cannot view clearly. By attaching a cleaning wand to the borescope, the operator can inspect and clean these areas. Examples of such spaces are gutters that is difficult to reach with a conventional tool or the inside of an air conditioning coil. In these cases, the borescope allows technicians to perform their cleaning tasks safely without having to break apart machines or use harsh chemicals that may cause damage to the area being cleaned.
About PCE Instruments
PCE Instruments (PCE) has its origins in Germany in 1999. It was founded as PCE Deutschland GmbH, a process control engineering consultant company. As the demand for specialized measuring instruments grew, the company began to supply measuring, laboratory, control, and weighing technology as well.
Before long, the company became a major player in the measurement and inspection equipment industry. It started producing its own brand of instruments and expanded its territory from other countries in Europe to offices further afield including Turkey, China, Chile, and the United States.
In 2015, PCE started its product development enterprise. PCE Product and Development Company GmbH is DIN EN ISO 9001-certified and powered by a team of industry-leading technicians and engineers. The company produces custom-built measuring devices that are designed to meet the specific needs of many niche industries.
Today, PCE remains at the forefront of its industry. Its extensive product portfolio boasts over five hundred instruments with applications across a wide range of industries from electrical engineering to pharmaceuticals and transport to manufacturing.
To find out more about PCE Instruments, visit their website at www.pce-instruments.com