Across various industries, measuring the pressure of a substance is an important part of the manufacturing process.  Obtaining accurate and meaningful data is important in determining the quality and consistency of the product.  For these reasons, accurate sensors are absolutely critical in obtaining this information.  Each sensor takes the physical pressure of the element and transfers it into electrical energy of some kind that can be measured. There are different types of sensors to choose from, each with their own strengths and limitations.

Bonded Foil Pressure Sensors:

Four foil gauges are bonded onto a stainless steel body in the form of a circuit.  The body responds to applied pressure by flexing and straining.  No O-Ring seal is used.  There’s a strong resistance to environments with too much pressure or pressure transients, which makes it a very adaptable piece of hardware.

Silicon-on-Sapphire Sensors:

Sapphire crystals are grown in a pure laboratory environment where they are cut into wafers, and then silicon crystals are cleanly deposited onto the surface of the sapphire.  These sensors work well in environments where chemicals are inert, and they operate efficiently in high temperatures.  No O-Ring seals are required, and they have a high resistance to pressure transients and over-pressure.

Thick-Film Sensors:

The construction of this sensor is very similar to that of the Bonded Foil Pressure Sensor; however, the resistance structures are screen printed onto a ceramic body and then joined with the rest of the casing.  An O-Ring seal is used in the stainless steel housing.  This sensor creates a very tight seal, but it is prone to rupture at extremely high pressures.

Isolated Silicon Sensor:

Utilizing a silicon semiconductor measuring diaphragm, this sensor requires an O-Ring seal as well, but it operates well in over-pressure and low pressure.  Furthermore, it has higher sensitivity than most other kinds of sensors.