Used almost interchangeably across the sensor industry today, the terms transducer and transmitter actually have fundamentally different meanings. Before going into those differences, a transducer and a transmitter are both sensors; in this case both sensing pressure. A pressure sensor converts an applied pressure of a gas or liquid into a usable output. The type of output the sensor gives, defines whether a unit is considered a transducer or transmitter.
The term transducer means that the sensor has a voltage output directly proportional to a variation in pressure or other mediums. Typically transducers have lower operating power and consumption requirements than a transmitter, making them ideal for use in remote or OEM applications where available power is at a premium.
The term transmitter means that the sensor has a current output directly proportional to a variation in pressure or other mediums. Typically transmitters offer an output of 4 to 20 mA that can be read into many different data collection systems. While transmitters consume more power during operation, the sensor is less susceptible to electrical noise as cable lengths increase in the applications.
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