Pressure gauges are a common tool that is used in a wide range of industries for a variety of applications. While analog pressure gauges have been around as reliable instruments, digital gauges are increasing in popularity. Which raises the question is analog or digital the best pressure gauge for your company?

The Role of a Pressure Gauge

A pressure gauge is a tool that provides a direct way of measuring gas and liquid pressure. The analog pressure gauge has been around for over 150 years and while it has changed over time, the basic mechanics have not. Digital gauges give many advantages over analog, however, is it the technology you need?

Details of an Analog Pressure Gauge

Analog pressure gauges are also called dial gauges. An analog gauge has a needle that directly reacts to changes by pointing to the number on the scale. The movement of the needle translates to variations in temperature or flow.
Analog pressure gauges are easy to use, they do not require a power source, and can be a fairly inexpensive piece of equipment. They do have a lot of internal moving parts.
Because analog gauges are mechanical, they are more easily susceptible to damage from conditions in a lab, but especially in the field. Analog pressure gauges are prone to mechanical vibration, when used in applications with pressure pulsation, the parts can wear out quickly. Thus, causing inaccurate readings. They are sensitive to overpressure, extreme temperatures, corrosion, and clogging, so they need to be calibrated often.

Specifics of Digital Pressure Gauges

Digital pressure gauges use pressure transducers to display pressure readings on a digital indicator. They are powered by battery, loop, or solar power and give rapid results.
The design of digital gauges is different than analog in that they can withstand more abuse and extreme temperatures. They are more durable and resistant to vibration than its counterpart. However, since they require a power source if you don’t need it often then it may not be the best choice.
The readability is significantly clearer on digital and never requires interpretation, like needle reading on analog does. It is common that we often misread analog gauges because of parallax error.

Digital pressure gauges can stay calibrated for longer periods of time and when they are calibrated it is done with software, so the accuracy is more precise. When comparing pricing digital is more expensive as the use microprocessors, more expensive equipment, and customization options. There are digital gauges that can be customized to allow pressure to be displayed in torque or force units for those applications that require it.

Still Unsure?

The choice of which type of gauge will be best will come down to the requirements of your application. There will always be a need for both analog and digital so one will not as of yet become obsolete. If you are unsure about the best choice, contact the engineering team at SRP control systems ltd. They work with the top product manufacturers and understand calibration. There is no wrong choice when it comes to analog or digital pressure gauges, it is about finding the best match for your requirements.