Length measurements on the Mentor Visual iQ+ VideoProbe 

In this article:

• Explains how Mentor Visual iQ+ VideoProbe length measurements capture straight‑line distances between cursor points, with options like Point‑to‑Line to improve edge‑based inspections. 
• Shows practical inspection use cases, including crack and indication sizing, wear or corrosion tracking, remaining material assessment, and locating features on a component. 
• Outlines best practices for accurate results, highlighting the 3D Surface Mask, precise cursor placement, focus and confidence indicators, and limits when measuring curved surfaces.

What length measurements are available on the Mentor Visual iQ+ VideoProbe?

Measures the straight-line distance between two selected cursor points.

Example Applications:

• Simple measurement of features or components
• Indication length measurement (i.e., cracks)
• Measurement of component size migration through expansion or erosion/corrosion/wear
• Determining the remaining size of wear indicators
• Measuring location/zone of indications on a part

3D Surface Mask:

When enabled in Settings, a blue mask will highlight surface points where planes perpendicular to the straight length 3D line between the cursor points intersect the viewed surface.

Best Practices to Improve Measurement Accuracy:

• Length is a straight-line measurement. It is not suitable to measure the distance across a curved surface.
• When measuring a distance from an edge, adjust the cursor positions such that the light blue 3D Surface Mask appears along the edge rather than at an angle to the edge. This will minimize error caused by measuring diagonally. Point to Line may also be a better option in such cases.
• Move the tip closer to make the target area as large in the center of the screen as possible, while keeping the cursor point areas in focus.
• Watch for orange advisory indicators to ensure the measurement distance is within the confidence interval.
• The zoom window can be helpful for accurate placement. It is important to start with a crisp image so that the cursors can be placed accurately on the indication.
• Use a Measurement Plane when red areas prevent proper cursor placement or 3D noise may be affecting