A Guide to Pressure Measurement Sensors and Gauges
Why is it important to choose the right pressure instruments? In addition to optimizing your productivity, output and efficiency, choosing the right type of pressure gauge will ensure you are meeting the highest standards for safety.
As they say, there’s a right tool for every job, and pressure measurement instruments are no exception.
Obtaining accurate pressure measurements is important for a variety of industries beyond manufacturing.
Let’s dive in a little deeper to sort out the differences between sensor and gauge types, features and functions, and which is the right pressure measurement instrument for your operation.
What’s the Difference Between a Pressure Sensor and a Pressure Gauge?
While the terms pressure gauge and pressure sensor are often used interchangeably, there is a slight difference in meaning. Pressure sensors are the equipment used to measure the amount of pressure. That information is converted into an electrical signal. Pressure gauge is a unit of measure on a scale. So in short, the pressure sensor is the instrument of measurement, while gauge is how the data is read and received.
Pressure Sensor - a device that senses pressure and converts it into an electrical signal.
Pressure Gauge – a unit of measure of how the pressure sensor data is received.
With different models and types of pressure sensors available from various manufacturers, there are sometimes too many options to know which one is best suited for your application.
Let’s break them down into their three main types.
The Three Types of Pressure Sensors
Here are short definitions of each of the three major types of pressure sensors:
Absolute Pressure Sensor: With absolute pressure sensors, the reference point is always zero or the closest to the vacuum value.