From Borescopes to Crawlers: Choosing the Right Visual Inspection Tool
When it comes to Remote Visual Inspection (RVI), the idea of grabbing the nearest camera and getting the job done couldn’t be further from the truth.
Visual inspection technologies vary greatly in design, capability, and application; and choosing the wrong one can lead to inaccurate data, repeat site visits, or even missed defects.
That’s why understanding when to use a borescope, a push rod camera, or a pipe crawler is critical to success.
Start With the Basics: What Are You Inspecting?
Before reaching for any tool, ask yourself: What’s the size, shape, and condition of the inspection area? From there, you can narrow down the best visual inspection approach.
Borescopes: For Tight, Complex Spaces
Borescopes are often rigid or flexible – ideal for small-diameter inspections where access is limited. Think engines, valves, turbine housings, or heat exchangers. They’re often used for internal inspections where entry points are tight and straight-line access isn’t guaranteed.
- Diameter: As small as a few millimeters
- Flexibility: Available in rigid or semi-flexible forms
- Camera control: Tip articulation and direction-of-view options allow you to inspect sidewalls and joints
- Use case: Turbines, pipes, engines, confined chambers
Push Rod Cameras: For Small to Medium Pipes
When borescopes can’t reach far enough or you need more reliable footage, push rod cameras are the next step up. These are flexible systems with a self-contained cable, camera head, and control unit, often used for plumbing, tanks, and non-pressurised piping.
- Diameter: Typically 25mm and up
- Length: Commonly 20–80 metres
- Camera options: Axial, pan/tilt, and self-levelling heads available
- Control units: Vary in recording capability, power options, screen size, and integration
- Use case: Sewer pipes, drainage, HVAC, small tanks
Pipe Crawlers: For Large or Demanding Environments
For larger-diameter pipes, long distances, or areas where a push rod won’t suffice, robotic crawlers offer serious capability. These systems are motorised, often tethered, and can carry advanced cameras, lighting, and even additional NDT tools or payloads.
- Diameter: Starts around 100mm, depending on crawler size
- Mobility: Designed to navigate bends, branches, and long pipe runs
- Payloads: Can include 4k cameras, lighting, laser profilers, or ultrasonic tools
- Use case: Municipal pipelines, water mains, process piping, tank floor runs
You May Need Multiple RVI Solutions
Every inspection environment is different, and assuming one camera system can handle all situations is a costly mistake. At Nexxis, we believe in fitting the right tool to the job.
From utilities and mining to oil & gas – we’ve matched inspectors with visual inspection systems that work for their specific access, lighting, and data needs. Whether it’s a 6mm borescope or a tracked crawler with 4K video and reporting, we’ll help you choose wisely.
And with various rent, buy and leasing options, we can always get you the right tool for the right application. Not sure on a particular tool? We can help you find your match. Get in touch here
