Setra Blog

Converting mA to voltage is common in HVAC when working with pressure transducers. Terminology to keep in mind includes:

• 1 mA = 0.001 AMP (short for amperes)
• Amps are referred to as CURRENT
• Resistor values are in OHMS (Ω is the symbol for ohms)
• VOLTAGE is the result of passing amps through a resistor

 Technicians at the Kennedy Space Center often work in cleanrooms, laboratories with high degrees of cleanliness provided by strict control of particles such as dust, lint, or human skin. These facilities must be contaminant-free environments where the air is repeatedly filtered and surfaces are smooth to prevent particles from getting lodged.

There are many applications for differential pressure transducers, but none are more critical than those measuring the pressure parameters in a cleanroom. A cleanroom is a critical area used to manufacture medications, containers, enclosures, and other medical devices that require the products to remain sterile from manufacturing through delivery to the customer. The products manufactured in these environments are used to treat and care for the general population and are handled differently than other products.

From August 14^th through the 17^th, Setra Systems will be exhibiting at the NCSL International Workshop & Symposium taking place at the Gaylord National Convention Center in National Harbor, MD.

The theme of this year’s symposium is “Precision & Performance with Measurement Science”:

Ensuring the accuracy of transducers used in the measurement of room pressure in critical environments is extremely important in order to maintain patient safety. Because the differences in measured pressure are so small (only fractions of an inch of water column) calibrating these devices can be very tedious and usually difficult to perform without the right tools and processes.

In general, there are two industry standard methods of low pressure calibration: hand pump calibration and automated calibration.

Calibration is important regardless of what type of pressure you are monitoring.

Calibration is especially significant for low pressure requirements in critical applications such as vivariums, pharmaceutical manufacturing, cleanrooms and hospital isolation rooms. Other applications for low pressure include medical instrumentation, environmental pollution control, boiler combustion efficiency, air flow and research and development test stands.  

Transducers are used across many applications to provide accurate, real-time data of how a system is working. Calibration is critical to maintaining a pressure transducer’s accuracy and it is not a one-time process. All pressure transducers used in critical applications should be regularly calibrated to maintain high performance. If a transducer drifts out of its specified pressure range, it can lead to false pressure readings causing decreased equipment performance and possible safety concerns. Calibration allows the user to be completely confident that their transducers are correctly performing and measuring the required pressure range accurately.

So, how often should you calibrate a pressure transducer? It is a common question we get asked all the time. Pressure transducers should be calibrated as often as needed in order to, maintain the necessary accuracy for the application. The amount of calibration required by the transducer can vary based on factors, such as the application and the transducer’s stability

Pressure transducers today are more rugged and reliable than ever. Made of stainless steel construction, they provide abundant overpressure protection, improved total error band, and offer negligible orientation and vibration effects. They are ideal for long-term use even in harsh environments of extreme temperature, humidity, and vibration.

The accuracy of differential pressure transducers has greatly improved to provide better solutions for demanding applications. This article discusses why accuracy is an important consideration when selecting a pressure transducer for low-differential, critical pressure applications.

Newly Added Restricted Products Under RoHS2 Affects Manufacturing

In 2013, RoHS2 was created by the European Union legislation, nearly a decade after the original RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive) was implemented.  RoHS2 is merely an evolution of RoHS1 that provides greater clarity on the legal scope of products that should adhere to the hazardous material guidelines. The combination of