If you are looking to buy an inspection camera, borescope or endoscope, then the question of borescope vs endoscope is one that must be answered! It can be difficult to know which type of inspection camera you need and which is better for your needs. This article will answer these questions and many more so that when it comes time to make a purchase, you’ll have all the information necessary.
What is a borescope and how does it work
The borescope is a flexible tube with an eyepiece at one end that allows one person to see inside inaccessible areas such as pipes or other small spaces where traditional tools cannot fit. The borescope uses fiber optic cable technology to allow viewing without contact with its surroundings. This also means no dust particles entering the device.
Borescopes are used to gather data or inspect objects, taking advantage of the borescope’s ability to see into otherwise inaccessible areas such as pipes. A borescope is inserted into a borehole and advanced through various dimensions of an object being inspected. The borehole may also be drilled by the borescope for sampling purposes or inspection from inside a pipe with limited access without releasing its contents.
A borescope can provide high-resolution video images which offer views that would not be possible using human eyes alone because it does not have any physical contact with its surroundings when in use.
What is an endoscope and how does it work?
An endoscope is a flexible, tube-like instrument that can be inserted into the body for visual inspection or surgery. The borescope and endoscopes are known as “inspection cameras.”
Endoscopy has been around since 1854 when it was invented by Hermann von Helmholtz to visualize the interior of his father’s stomach during an autopsy.
As opposed to a borescope, an endoscope is often used as a medical device. The use of endoscopy in medicine has grown tremendously over the last 20 years and is now considered to be one of the most important diagnostic tools for identifying diseases, including cancer. For example, because an endoscope can provide images from all angles (360°). It allows doctors to identify abnormalities such as polyps or tumors that might not show up on other types of imaging procedures like X-rays or CT scans.
Endoscopes are widely used in:
- gastroenterology where they’re inserted into the patient’s mouth and down their throat;
- ophthalmology when examining inside eyes, ears, nose and sinuses;
- urology when inspecting urinary tract/bladder via endoscope camera.
The difference between borescope vs endoscope
One of the most common questions we’re asked is what’s the difference between borescope and endoscope. The answer is: borescopes are typically used to inspect surfaces, while an endoscope can be inserted into a human body for diagnostic purposes.
Borescopes are mainly used in industrial applications such as when inspecting inaccessible areas like jet engines or car brakes, often uses in plumbing. They also have some medical applications where access might otherwise be difficult – for example
- on delicate eye tissue during surgery;
- inside bleeding gums that need treatment by dental specialists;
- around damaged teeth before extracting them from patients (avoiding damage), etc.
- Endoscopy enables doctors to get a closer examination of internal organs without having to make any incisions/cuts onto the patient’s skin.
Endoscopies are mainly used in medical applications such as gastroenterology, urology, and gynecology. They can also be used to examine the inside of blood vessels with a technique called angiography (a type of X-ray).
A borescope or endoscope is an instrument that enables a person to view things that would otherwise not be visible using normal senses. It’s made up of two parts: an optical system at one end for viewing and a cable/wire connecting it to another device like a computer monitor (or TV), DVD recorder, etc., on the other end.
Uses for the endoscope vs borescope
One of the main differences between borescope and endoscope is their use.
A borescope or a fiber optic endoscope can be used in many ways, which are:
- Observing hard to reach places inside machinery such as engines; this is called “borescoping”
- As an inspection device for pipes, wires (Fiberscopes), etc.; it’s called “endoscopy”
- In dentistry to examine teeth that cannot be seen with visible light when someone has a mouth full of dental work on one or both sides of his/her arch (called intraoral); this is called “dentiscopy.” Unlike other scopes, this type of borescope does not have batteries because power comes from the light source.
- A borescope is inserted into a bore of the pipe, for example, to inspect the inside surface and can be used on other similar things such as an oil or gas line.
Endoscopes are often much larger than borescopes because they need to have room for all sorts of interchangeable attachments (such as lenses, monitors) whereas borescopes only require one lens which means that there’s more space available internally. This makes borescopes ideal for use when you want to access hard-to-reach spaces but don’t really know what will be found at the end – this way it doesn’t matter if the attachment isn’t there yet when needed. Endoscopy requires a dedicated channel through which it travels to the end destination which means borescopes are better for when you don’t want to drill a hole or cut out a section of the wall.
How to choose which one to buy based on your needs
Borescope: borescopes are cheaper, require less space, and can be used in smaller spaces. Because borescopes don’t have an attachment to another endoscope or camera, the borescope also needs a dedicated screen for viewing – this could mean that you need extra equipment like a monitor or laptop which means additional costs when compared with endoscopy.
Endoscope: because endoscopies use attachments it requires more time (and money) to set up as there is always preparation involved before being able to start using it but does offer better image quality than Borescope devices. Endoscopic cameras come with everything included so no external screens are needed, unlike borescopes.
Conclusion
The borescope is a device that allows you to inspect what’s just out of reach, but it requires an extra monitor or laptop which means more costs. The endoscope also offers better image quality and doesn’t require any additional equipment – the trade-off is the time required for setting up before use (and money spent).
Inspection cameras do not all have one specific application: they depend on your needs and budget so make sure you know your requirements when looking at different borescopes vs endoscopies!
It’s important to know the difference between these two devices in order to make an appropriate choice when selecting one as your inspection tool of choice!
