A Clearer Future:

Innovations in video borescope
technology for remote visual inspections

Overview
Portable remote visual inspection technology withembedded expertise and remote collaboration has enabled
non-destructive testing (NDT) professionals and asset
owners to drastically reduce the risk of serious failures,without experiencing unnecessary equipment damage.
By making remote visual NDT technology more efficient,reliable, and accessible, the aerospace, oil and gas, andpower generation industries have already greatly improved
uptime for systems and equipment—ranging from tray
towers and columns, to high-value rotating equipment, likegas turbine generators and aircraft engines.

But while video borescopes are of critical importance forvisual inspections in these applications, the full potential ofwhat current RVI imagery tools can yield remains somewhat
limited by resolution. On-the-spot decision-making issubsequently hampered by the standard-definition images
and limited working range that standard borescopes offer.
As compliance regulations tighten across industries,
increasing pressures for more precise inspections continue
to mount. At the same time, organizations must also grapple
with the challenges of reducing operating costs, while
simultaneously making process and testing improvements.
The need for faster, more accurate inspections—and thetools required to achieve them—has never been greater.

The need for faster,more accurate
inspections—and the tools required toachieve them—has never been greater.

2 | A clearer future: innovations in video borescope technology for remote visual inspections

The current state ofremote visual imagery
Among the most significant factors limiting the quality andrichness of current borescope imagery is the resolution of thecamera. Due to the size requirements of the borescope, it istypically 6 mm or less in diameter. In practical terms, users
often note that even the most advanced imaging technology
currently available is inferior to images they are able tocapture on consumer smartphones.
In fact, the standard definition quality of images that current
borescope technologies are capable of capturing has
rendered the digital zoom feature somewhat lacking in manyindustrial application settings. Digital zoom for standard
definition images seldom affords any practical advantage,as images quickly become too pixelated to detect andassess indications with adequate precision.

Emerging innovations inborescope technology
New advancements in high-definition (HD) technology
provide more pixels per image. This gives inspectors
unprecedented image quality and enables digital zoom as a
powerful tool. Additionally, complementary innovations invideoscope technologies enable measurement of larger
indications from larger distances with accuracy and precision.
Such technological progress will help organizational leaders
and inspectors alike within these sectors tackle many of themost daunting challenges they face.

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Quantitative improvements: thereal impact of greater efficiency,precision, and accuracy
TimeThe most common borescope inspection applications in theenergy sector include compressor inspections in power
plants, inspecting turbines for shim migration and otherpotential problems, and heat exchanger and tower
inspections. However, there are countless other remote visualinspection tasks. Each varies widely by application in time tocomplete. An inspection for shim migration, for example,
typically takes between 15 minutes and half an hour. Thoughregardless of application, multiple optical tip adapter
changes or position adjustments using legacy remote visualinspection devices mean slower inspections.
With enhanced digital zoom capabilities enabled by HD
imaging, inspectors can capture sharper images that identify
smaller indications from farther distances. This makes
inspections much faster and easier to conduct, which resultsin images that are much more useful. Users are then able toview these highresolution images directly on their devices
mid-inspection, and make more immediate decisions.

A clearer future: innovations in video borescope technology for remote visual inspections | 3

Such clarity easily eliminates the need to repeatedly halt theinspection, change the optical tip adapter and relocate theprecise inspection area again in order to assess the severityof an indication—a process that, for this use case, can easily
take over fifteen minutes, and possibly hours to once again
locate the indication with the measurement optical tip
installed. Over the course of a day, a week, and eventually
each year, reducing even a small fraction of the time required
for every inspection can result in significant efficiency gains.

Reducing even a small fraction of thetime required for every inspection can
result in significant efficiency gains.

With high-definition and 3D-enabled borescope
technologies, inspectors can achieve more efficient, precise
inspections, and increase Probability of Detection (POD) for
key indicators such as corrosion, blockages, missing turbine
blade coatings, and cracking.

Financial impact
Limitations in standard definition images create doubt around
potential issues or indications that are nearly (or completely)invisible. For example, if an inspector is trying to examine apotential crack in a turbine stage that is only visible between
blades, but cannot get a probe into the correct position, s/he
may waste valuable time only to then make an incorrect
determination with potentially significant consequences.
Consider the effects of this decision on a large gas turbine
inspection. Once the indication is deemed a defect, a fullinspection must be conducted to identify and implement
corrective actions. But first, the turbine must bedisassembled. This could translate to nearly a week of
downtime, and millions of dollars in lost revenue. With clear,
precise remote visual imagery available on the device andon demand, and the ability to measure from further
distances, inspectors would be able to make better, more
informed decisions from the start.

This could translate to nearly aweek of downtime, and millionsof dollars in lost revenue.

Use case examples
Heavy-duty gas turbine generator inspections
Crisp HD image quality, coupled with 3D measurement
capability, can help dramatically improve the probability ofdetection and assessment of the severity of an indication ofpitting, cracking, wear, and tip rub across lengthy gas turbine

4 | A clearer future: innovations in video borescope technology for remote visual inspections

inspection areas. Additionally, inspectors can check for stator
rocking and tip-to-shroud clearances more easily, from farther
distances, without needing to navigate the borescope probe
between stages in the compressor. This can translate into
reduced inspection times of up to 25 percent or more—meaning
a full inspection of 14 fuel nozzles, combustion chambers, theturbine, the inlet house, and the compressor section could becompleted in just six hours instead of the typical eight.

Also, since HD enables a clearer picture from farther away,
fewer access points would be needed to insert the borescope,
which means a significant amount of time could be saved.
While many variables determine what kind of time and costsavings are realized in column and tower assessments (such asheight, number, and location of entry points, etc.), if inspectors
are able to eliminate one half of a shift, a significant reduction inboth is achievable. Ultimately, any portion of an entire production
day restored can return a tremendous amount of value.

Qualitative improvements
Long distance measurement capability

Boiler assessments
When conducting tube inspections for a boiler furnace, which
can be comprised of hundreds or even thousands of tubes,
inspection times would be greatly reduced by introducing
superior HD image quality and illumination into these confined
spaces. Also, enhanced 3D measurement capabilities may
reduce the need for other NDT modalities to measureindications of corrosion and erosion pits in a tube, whichtranslates into still more cost savings. A typical boiler tubeintegrity assessment, which might include searching for tube
stops in two separate 70-foot headers, would normally takemore than an hour per header. The technologicalimprovements listed above could save up to three hours ofinspection time per assessment and eliminate costly downtime.
Columns and towers
Remote visual inspections of columns’ and tray towers’
filtration or bedding media can be quite challenging. Vapors
can greatly reduce visibility, rendering standard definition
imagery much less useful than it would be otherwise. While
HD cannot cut through vapor, it certainly could provide asharper image once that vapor has settled.

New long-range 3D measurement optical tip adapter
innovations enable full 3D surface scanning at more than
twice the standoff distance supported by current offerings.
The larger working range, combined with more than fourtimes the useful scan area, enables fast, accurate
measurements of larger features such as long cracks, weld
geometries, coating loss, and blade tip clearances.
Performance on challenging surfaces, such as shiny turbine
compressor blades, is also substantially improved. Simply
put, these latest innovations can make indicationassessment performance at longer distances significantly
better, enabling 3D measurement of a variety of larger areas.
Making digital zoom more useful
With HD imagery, digital zoom becomes a much more
useful tool. For example:
1. W
 hen viewing an image from a 440K pixel SD sensor on a
6.5 inch XGA (786K pixel) display, the image may become
visibly pixelated at 2.0X digital zoom.
2. With a 1.2M pixel HD sensor, the same level of pixilation wouldoccur at 3.3X digital zoom due to its higher pixel count.
3. T hus, a small indication will appear almost 70 percent
larger with the HD sensor before it appears pixelated,making it easier to evaluate without moving the tip of theborescope closer.

An HD sensor adds 1.7 times as many
pixels horizontally and vertically.

A clearer future: innovations in video borescope technology for remote visual inspections | 5

The future has arrived.
Cutting-edge HD image quality

Intuitive innovation

Flexibility for faster inspections

Performance meets portability

Advanced detection and analysis

Real-time connection

For the first time, Waygate Technologies has brought
all of these technological advancements to market by
improving on its most revolutionary videoscope solution:
the Mentor Visual iQ VideoProbe with HD capability,
unlocking the full power of digital zoom.
As the industry’s first portable borescope with Real3D
Measurement Fully Surfaced Point Cloud Analysis using
Advanced 3D Phase or 3D Stereo Measurement technologies,
Mentor Visual iQ pushes the boundaries of the inspection
landscape. And now, with High Definition TrueSight Imaging
and a new long-range 3D Phase Measurement tip, inspectors
can detect and quantify smaller indications from greater
distances and readily share that findings with others via
enhanced digital connectivity.
Waygate Technologies Mentor Visual iQ delivers
unprecedented measurement precision and accuracy
for faster, more informed decision-making by providing
the portability, advanced assessment features,enhanced connectivity, and custom tools andaccessories needed to improve inspection efficiencies
and measurement quality in industry today.
To experience how Waygate Technologies is
continuing to revolutionize the digital inspection
landscape, contact your sales representative fora demo, or learn more at waygate-tech.com.

Waygate Technologies, formerly GE Inspection Technologies,
is a global leader in NDT solutions with more than 125 years ofexperience in ensuring quality, safety and productivity.

Copyright 2020 Baker Hughes Company. All rights reserved.
BHCS33781		

(10/2020)

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