Laser MicroMap™Tube Inspection System

The Tube Inspection System is a standard Laser MicroMap™ system, designed for tube and bore inspection and analysis. Compatible with all of LTC's core sensor technologies, the Tube Inspection System provides high-resolution non-contact maps of the otherwise difficult-to-access inner surfaces of tubes, pipes and high length-to-diameter aspect parts. Sensors are interchangeable and easy to install. Standard rotary laser profiling sensors generate both a surface map and a LaserVideo™ image, — a near-photographic quality image which can reveal small scratches, discoloration and surface roughness — features that are not detected in the dimensional profile data.

The Tube Inspection System is an ideal instrument for any application where high-resolution quantitative surface mapping of bores or tubing is needed. Advantages of the Tube Inspection System include:

High-resolution – up to 0.001 inch (0.025 mm) spatial resolution and 0.0001 inch (0.0025 mm) depth resolution

Quantitative results – can be processed and stored for comparison over time or between samples

Automated inspection of surfaces that are inacessible by direct visual inspection

No optical distortion, unlike mirrors or borescopes

Up to 100% coverage of scan area

Can be integrated with other NDT methods, such as eddy current or ultrasound

Can be configured for straight or bent tubing

Applications

Gun tubes — flame erosion and pitting, manufacturing QC

Boiler and heat exchanger tubes — corrosion, pitting and erosion

Nuclear steam generator tubes — ovality and denting

Piping — ovality, pitting and denting

System Components

The tube inspection system includes a rotary probe and a probe pusher and is offered in two configurations. A stage-based pusher is ideal for rigid sensors that only have to travel a short distance into a tube or bore. Commercial probe pushers are used with sensors with flexible umbilicals when the probe must travel a long distance or through curved tubing.

The Tube Inspection System is composed of:

LP-2000™ Control Unit

Field-grade computer with LaserViewer™ software and data acquisition and control boards

One or more rotary sensors, such as our rotary laser profiling sensors or rotary LSPI™ sensors

Probe pusher