What is borescope reliability testing? This is the quantitative evaluation of the measurable borescope features and functions. This endeavor evaluates the accuracy, durability, and image and lighting of borescope inspection cameras used in industrial, aerospace, aviation and mechanical support. Borescopes can also be referred to as borescope camera, endoscope, snake camera, videoscopes or industrial borescope.
There are a number of performance areas to be tested when you look at the anatomy of a borescope:
- Probe Performance (sometimes called borescope whip, borescope insertion tube or borescope cord)
- Lighting output
- Performance in challenging environments
- Mechanical Durability
Insertion Tube or Probe Performance
The borescope probe is one of the most complex components for your borescope. The borescope probe has several specific items to be considered when evaluating the reliability:
- The External Sheathing:
- Borescopes can offer different external sheath coverings. Stainless steel, Tungsten and a Poly sheathing are the most popular. The poly sheathing performs well in wet and oily environments and make clean up of the probe much easier. In comparison, the braided metal mesh of stainless steel and tungsten can be more challenging to clean after use in dirty environments.
- In testing these probes the Poly sheathing offers the least amount of durability when used in abrasive environments such as casting inspections and inspections that require continuous movement inside the inspection area. The tungsten braid has proven to be the most reliable with durability and of course the more costly of external borescope sheathings.
- Internal design and configuration:
- This is an important part of the durability of the borescope that cannot be seen from the outside. The borescopes that offer a Helio coil like configuration to support the internal components such articulating cable guides, LED lighting wires, and communication ribbon to support the micro camera. This Helio coil in like a ‘rib cage’ for the borescope. This allows the borescope to offer support of the internal components as well as allow for the desired flexibility of the probe.
- Many of the borescopes that offer the polyamide or plastic type sheathing covers will provide greater flexibly but the trade off is lack of protection for internal components.
- Bending Section
- The borescope bending section or sometimes called articulation section, deflection section, steering tip or articulating section; is the tip of the probe that can be controlled by the end user. Depending on the diameter of the borescope probe this section can be as short as 0.5 inches and up to 3 inches in length. The larger borescope diameters will have a longer bending section than the smaller. This is primarily because larger cable guides are required and the bending section collars must be further apart to provide an adequate range of articulation.
- Most articulating borescopes will offer cable guided articulation. The cables will run from the body of the borescope controller down to the tip of the probe. These cables and collars work similar to the ligaments in your fingers. Tendons act like strong strings or cables. The control of movement comes from muscles in your forearm pull on these tendons to move your fingers. Flexor tendons located on your palm side of your hand let you bend your fingers and make a fist. Extensor tendons located on the back of your hand let you straighten your fingers. This is similar to how the borescope cable guides work to control or steer the tip of the borescope probe.
- The cables are tested to ensure that reliable articulation performance can be realized over hundreds of articulation cycles. A point to make is that with any cable guided borescope camera will strongly encourage that the probe be a straight as possible before articulating. This reduces stress on the cables and cable guides. Not only will it provide for maximized articulating range but it will also prevent the cables from stretching or even breaking.
- Camera Head
- There is a lot going on at the tip of the borescope probe. At the tip of the probe is a micro camera that transmits the image to the control station.
Some of these borescope cameras will provide LED lighting at the tip whereas others will provide lighting view fiberoptics from a larger LED diode in the body of the borescope control station. In the past the difference between CCD borescope cameras and CMOS borescope cameras was significant. Now with advancing technology the High-Resolution CMOS Borescopes offer remarkable image quality. Extreme temperatures can adversely affect and sometimes even kill the image sensor. The USA750, USA2000 and USA3000 have been tested to successfully perform in 60 C to -21 C (140F to– 5F).
- There is a lot going on at the tip of the borescope probe. At the tip of the probe is a micro camera that transmits the image to the control station.
Borescope Lighting Output
Today’s modern borescopes and videoscopes provide light with LED lighting (Light-Emitting Diode). Why are LED’s so popular with borescopes? Not only are they Energy efficient, they use up to 90% less energy than other light sources. But they are Long lasting, they work for many years without burning out quickly. Another performance factor for borescope LED lighting is that they provide Cooler operation, they turn most of their energy into light instead of wasting it as heat. Which can also be a safety factor when you consider the tip of the borescope probe can get hot.
The LED lighting for the borescope will either be with small diodes at the tip or they will be supported by a larger LED diode in the body of the control station and then channeled down the body of the borescope insertion tube with fiberoptics. Although the larger diode in the body typically provides better LED lighting there is always a concern that the individual fibers in the fiberoptic bundle will be damaged from either harsh contact with the probe or excessive bending of the probe. Either way the borescope operator can adjust the light output so as to avoid glare on shiny metal or reflective surfaces.
LEDs can offer a high CRI, which means they can accurately reproduce colors. CRI in lighting stands for Color Rendering Index, a scale from 0 to 100 that measures how accurately a light source reveals the true colors of objects compared to natural sunlight. This is vital in inspection tasks where the color of the inspected area or object can provide valuable information to make good decisions. For instance, in the inspection of a metal tube or manufactured part, the color(s) of corrosion or discoloration can indicate the severity or type of damage.
Performance in challenging environments
Borescopes are used in many environments including those that are less than desirable. Borescopes can be tested as to their performance in wet, dusty, hot, cold and even explosive environments.
USA Borescopes offers IP6X Certified Dust Proof systems. IP6x (Dust-tight): The first number in an IP rating represents solid particle protection. A rating of “6” means the camera head and insertion probe are completely dust-tight, preventing any harmful dust or dirt from entering into the body of the probe or behind the camera lens.
USA Borescopes offers IPX7 Water Resistant Borescopes IPx7 (Temporary or intermittent Immersion): The second number represents liquid protection. An IP67 rating means the probe can resist dust and withstand temporary water immersion up to 3.3 feet (1 meter) for about 30 minutes. Depth is a factor with the IP rating as the deeper the water the depth the greater the water pressure. A borescope or push camera can be designed with lenses and adhesives to withstand a greater pressure but that normally falls under a custom borescope.
Borescope Mechanical Durability
Assessing mechanical durability involves subjecting materials, parts, or products to simulated physical forces and cyclic loads to measure how well they resist wear, fatigue, and failure over time. There are a number of Engineering disciplines that can be used in collecting data for mechanical Durability. Here are some typical methods:
- Accelerated Life Testing (ALT): Exposes products to heightened stress, temperature, or vibration to simulate years of normal use in a short timeframe.
- Fatigue Testing: Subjects materials or components to repeated load cycles; for borescopes it would be articulation cycles.
- Environmental Testing: Places items in extreme conditions, such as high humidity, salt spray, or thermal shock, to check for corrosion and aging
- Abrasion and Wear Testing: Measures how well surfaces and coatings withstand friction, scratching, or repeated continuous use.
- Impact Testing: Strikes a sample with a swinging pendulum to measure toughness and how well a material absorbs sudden shocks
Here are some examples of the proven test standards that our borescopes meet or exceed:
USA 750 Series Portable Videoscope
MIL-STD-810G (Method 514.7)
Military standard test method used to evaluate how equipment withstands vibration exposure throughout its life cycle.
MIL-STD-810G (Method 516.7)
An official military test standard used to evaluate how well equipment and material can withstand physical Shock Testing during its operational and logistical life cycle.
MIL-STD-810G (Method 511.6)
A military environmental test standard used to evaluate how equipment operates in volatile, fuel-air explosive atmospheres without causing ignition or to test its ability to contain an internal explosion
IP6X Dustproof
IP6X rating means a device is completely dust-tight, offering the highest level of protection against solid particles and dust ingress. No dust or small particles can enter the enclosure under standard test conditions.
IPX7 Waterproof
IPX7 waterproof means a device can survive being underwater up to 1 meter (3.3 feet) deep for up to 30 minutes without damage.
Thermal Shock Test at 60 C to -21 C (140F to– 5F)
CE and FCC Certifications
CE and FCC certifications are mandatory regulatory approvals required to sell electronic and electrical products in the European Union and the United States, respectively.
FCC: Focuses strictly on radio frequency (RF) and electromagnetic emissions testing. It does not regulate product safety or electromagnetic immunity.
CE: Covers a wider scope including emissions, electromagnetic immunity, electrical safety, and environmental regulations like RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances).
USA 2000 Series Portable Borescopes
MIL-STD-810G (Method 507.6)
A military standard test method used to evaluate how equipment and materials withstand warm, humid operational, storage, and transit environments
MIL-STD-810G (Method 509.6)
A military environmental test used to check how well protective coatings, finishes, and materials resist a saline, corrosive atmosphere. (often referenced alongside revision updates as Method 509.6/509.7 family for salt fog)
MIL-STD-810G (Method 511.6)
MIL-STD-810G (Method 514.7)
MIL-STD-810G (Method 516.7)
IP6X Dustproof
IPX7 Waterproof
CE and FCC Certifications
USA 3000 3D Measuring Borescope
MIL-STD-810G (Method 516.8)
MIL-STD-810H (Method 511.6)
An environmental test method used to evaluate if equipment can operate safely in an Explosive Atmosphere containing a fuel-air mixture without causing ignition
MIL-STD-810H (Method 514.8)
Military standard test method used to assess how well equipment and material withstand the dynamic vibration environments encountered during transportation and operation throughout their lifecycle
IP6X Dustproof
IPX7 Waterproof
CE and FCC Certifications
USA XP Series Explosion Proof Borescope
NFPA 70 – Class 1 Division 2
NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code) is an area where flammable gases, vapors, or liquids are handled or stored in closed systems, and an explosive atmosphere is present only under abnormal conditions.
Mil Std 810G Method 511.6
MIL-STD-810G Method 511.6 is an environmental test standard used to evaluate how equipment operates or holds up in an Explosive Atmosphere containing flammable fuel-air mixtures.
ATEX Borescope
An ATEX borescope is a special borescope camera tool used to look inside tight spaces, where explosive gases, vapors, or dust might can be found. It is built to meet strict European safety standards (ATEX directives)
CE and FCC Certifications
USA Borescopes is proud of showcasing the strict quality standard and durability behind our products. We don’t just meet industry standards; we set them. Every product undergoes rigorous testing to ensure it survives the demands of daily use. Our borescope systems are built to a strict manufacturing standard so you can buy with absolute confidence.
We invite you to test out our Quality Borescopes and our World Class Customer Service.