Borescope

A borescope is a remote visual inspection tool with a rigid or flexible tube, optics or camera, and built-in illumination, used to view internal or otherwise inaccessible areas without disassembly. In CNC machining and precision manufacturing, borescopes inspect bores, passages, manifolds, and deep features for burrs, surface defects, cracks, finish irregularities, and dimensional problems that external metrology cannot verify.

On the shop floor, a borescope earns its place after drilling, boring, reaming, gun drilling, or machining closed internal passages. Operators and inspectors use it to verify that chips, edge burrs, tool rub, chatter marks, coolant contamination, or breakout damage are not hiding inside the feature before the part moves to assembly, pressure testing, or a nonconformance hold. In a CNC cell, this quick internal look can eliminate teardown and scrap risk when a feature's mouth measures correctly but its depths remain unknown. The same logic applies to millwork and assembly contexts: hidden cavities, blind spaces, and internal channels become visible without cutting the part apart. Borescope inspection complements dimensional metrology by exposing internal defects that could cause leakage, seizure, contamination, poor fit, or premature failure. Modern units use a camera and display for real-time viewing and image capture.