Original Date: 08/08/1994
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

CSTA has implemented a video borescoping technique for 25mm guns that provides a permanent videotape record of the inspection. This method provides a major benefit in that the video record is not subject to the ambiguity of a written narrative.

Gun tubes are required to be inspected periodically for wear, erosion, and cracking. The inspection documents tube degradation throughout the testing process and assesses the safety of the tube. The previous process used a conventional light borescope that was manually moved, and anomalies were manually recorded in narrative form. This method was highly subjective and operator dependant. The inspectors would record information differently depending on who was conducting the inspection. This resulted in discontinuities between the data and the previous inspection.

Another process was necessary to accommodate a significant increase in inspections required for the 25mm tubes and the need for a quicker turnaround time. A video borescoping system was developed using off-the-shelf equipment that included a video camera, monitor, video recorder, and a metal positioning track for the borescope.

Using the new setup allows the inspector and the customer to view the gun bore surface simultaneously. A permanent record of each inspection is maintained for future reference on videotape. The inspection time was decreased by 25 to 50% or better depending on tube condition. The turnaround time for the inspection is now less than one hour and is no longer dependent on tube condition. The subjectivity of the written narrative description has been eliminated by storing the visual record.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.