A borescope is a visual inspection tool that has varied applications. The tool is commonly used in aircraft and helicopter maintenance. Comprising a rigid or flexible tube with a lens on one side and the display monitor on the other, borescopes are used to inspect hard-to-reach places of the turbine engine.
Borescope for Aviation Inspection: An Overview
Borescopes consists of a probe that can fit in small openings. The device also consists of a camera that illuminates a certain area through an optical lens. The area is illuminated using a light source that is generally a quartz halogen light but of course with technology advancements, LED light sources are most popular. A battery pack provides power to the portable borescope so that it can be used remotely.
The camera scope’s flexibility allows the maintenance crew to view areas that could not be seen otherwise. The probe can get in between pipes and narrow areas that help identify, diagnose and solve issues with the aviation turbine engine.
General Uses of Borescopes in Aviation Industry
An aviation turbine engine is a complicated piece of machine that has different components, including a compressor, intake, combustion chamber, tailpipe, and turbine. Inspection of these complex parts is a difficult process that is made easy using borescopes.
Also known as industrial video scopes, borescopes are commonly used for monitoring the mechanical parts of the engine as well as ventilation and plumbing. They are also used to view the heat exchange tubes, internal combustion engines, cast parts, gearboxes, and welds.
1. Rigid vs. Flexible Borescopes
Videoscopes with rigid scopes are used in areas where there is a straight path between the maintenance crew and the area to be viewed. Flexible scopes are ideal for inspecting hard-to-reach areas. The scope is snaked through inside the openings of the engines when curves and obstructions don’t allow a straight path. The flexible scopes have thousands of glass fibers that carry light to the inspection area and convey the image back to the viewer’s monitor.
2. Aircraft Turbine Engine Inspection
Borescope tubes can be inserted inside aircraft engines without the need for disassembly of the turbine engine. Maintenance staff can use the device to inspect the internal rotating sections and combustion chambers.
Visual inspection devices can be used to check the internal blades for wear and tear, corrosion, and other imperfections like cracks that may happen when the compressor becomes hot. Using a borescope allows the crew to find out and maintain any type of turbine engine to ensure the safe operation of the aircraft.
3. Helicopter Engine Maintenance
Turbine engines in helicopters are situated near the rotor blades. Using articulating borescopes permits engine inspection without having to climb up the scaffolding or ladder. The video scopes can also be used for the inspection of the gearbox. The thin diameter of video scopes can be inserted easily, allowing the maintenance crew to check for defects.
4. Remote Video Inspection
Portable video Borescopes allow remote video inspection (RVI). Maintenance staff can take the device anywhere within the maintenance facility. The battery-powered video inspection tool can also be used on a flight line to monitor engine issues.
Borescopes have varied applications in aviation turbine inspection. They can be used to detect residues inside the airflow passages as well as any cracks or other defects. Using the visual inspection tool can assist in identifying and resolving safety hazards. Contact USA Borescopes if you need a modern videoscope for aircraft and helicopter engine maintenance.
