The image quality of many printing systems is dependent on the surface characteristics of a variety of rollers, cylinders and belts that are components of the print engine. Once cylinders and rollers are integrated into the print engine assembly, print testing can be used to verify overall system performance, but often diagnostics can be challenging and reworking costs can be prohibitive. To keep costs down, parts are often inspected visually prior to assembly into the print engine. As with all subjective analyses, this process can be time consuming, fatiguing and variable.Automated inspection requires high-speed, automated processes to support production volumes. Challenges such as illumination, image capture, defect analysis and throughput need to be addressed.This paper will present a novel inspection approach using line scan camera technology and mature image analysis software for inspecting the surfaces of cylindrical components.