Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1412702
16 | September - October 2021 | www . machinerylubrication.com Factor: H6M Learn More: noria.com/ascend/ Factor: H6M – Machinery Inspection Devices and Practices Level: Management and Training(M) Stage: Lubricant Handling & Application About: Routinely inspecting machinery lubrication systems and recording inspection results is an easy and efficient way to avoid equipment failure. LUBRICANT HANDLING & APPLICATION More about this ASCEND ™ Factor If you have been in the reliability realm for any length of time, you have prob- ably been taught the importance of machine inspections; you may have even performed some. Sensory inspections using sight, sound, and smell are probably the most common forms of inspections. On more crit- ical equipment, a thorough, in-depth inspection might be performed using tools such as oil analysis, thermog- raphy, or ultrasound. While these are great inspection tools, they only give us information about what might be going on in the machine from the outside. One tool that can allow you to get actual footage of the inner workings of the machine is a borescope. What is a Borescope? A borescope, in simple terms, is a viewing device wired to a camera at the end of rigid, flexible tubing. e camera is sent inside the machine via the tubing, allowing the viewer to inspect the machine parts and surfaces from outside the body (such as the case of a gearbox). ese devices can be customized to fit the need of the application by changing the size of the camera, adding an articulating head to widen the viewing range, or even adding a light to the end for a better view. Where Would You Use a Borescope? Typical applications for borescope inspections include: • Equipment with high criticality • Equipment that cannot be easily repaired or replaced • Equipment that, if a failure occurs, could result in severe harm or injury • Machines where access is difficult, and inspection oppor- tunities are limited ere are other circumstances, such as diagnosing a failure or looking for contaminants in the bottom of a hydraulic system, where a borescope might also be used. A typical borescope with acces- sories for these types of situations might cost upward of t went y thousand dollars. However, some borescopes can cost less than one hundred dollars. How to Inspect a Dry Dump with a Bore- scope With this type of inspection being intrusive, it is essential that the component be de-energized and a LOTO (Lock Out, Tag Out) proce- dure be performed; this will ensure the safety of the technician and prevent damage to the camera. Once Travis Richardson | Noria Corporation How Borescopes Can Help Inspect Equipment