Digital vs Analog pressure sensors
Learn when and why it is best to use digital pressure sensors in industrial applications.
One advantage of using analog pressure sensors is the simplicity in set-up if the existing system is based on analog control. If only one signal is needed for measuring dynamic processes, an analog sensor coupled to an analog-to-digital (ADC) converter would be a simpler solution as opposed to a digital pressure sensor which requires a specified protocol to establish communication with the device. If system electronics need very fast active feedback control loops, pure analog pressure sensors are the best solution. For systems that do not require a response time of faster than approximately 0.5ms, digital pressure sensors should be considered since they simplify networking with multiple digital devices and make the system more future-proof.
The right time to consider switching to digital pressure sensors in an analog system is when upgrading the components to include programmable microchips. Now that modern microchips are more affordable and more easily programmed, incorporating them into components like pressure sensors simplifies maintenance and system upgrades. This saves on potential hardware costs as digital sensors can then be updated with software instead of replacing entire components.
In applications with battery-operated systems, like in remote locations, digital sensors with low power consumption are preferred over analog pressure sensors, which require constant power. Digital pressure sensors are easier to control and provide power-saving benefits to the system. For example, the ability to schedule when digital pressure sensors record or sleep can reduce power consumption by up to 500x when compared to analog sensors.
The plug-and-play design and shorter cable lengths of digital pressure sensors streamline system set-up and reduce the overall cost of installation in applications that are set up for digital communications.
When digital pressure sensors are combined with GPS trackers, remote cloud-based systems can be located and monitored in real-time from afar.
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