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This article was originally published on July 18, 2022, and updated on April 28, 2025. There are many factors to consider when selecting your pressure gauge size, including how and where it will be used, gauge readability, distance from the operator and more. As a leading authority in pressure gauges, Ashcroft is often asked which pressure gauge size is best for a particular application. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer. However, we can help guide you. Read this article for expert insights and additional resources that can help deepen your knowledge about pressure gauges.

This article was originally published on July 11, 2022, and updated on April 23, 2025. In operations that involve a risk of fire or explosion, using the wrong pressure instruments can result in severe consequences, including operator injury, equipment damage or worse. To reduce the risk of anything catastrophic happening, pressure switches and other instruments used in these environments must adhere to strict class and division codes. During my extensive career in pressure and temperature measurement, my expertise in this area is a requirement. I write about it often to help others know what to look for when purchasing instruments for their hazardous location applications. Read this article to learn about the different class and division codes and which ones will apply to your specific needs. You will also be directed to additional resources designed to deepen your knowledge even further about pressure instruments and hazardous locations.

Generally speaking, a siphon is a small, heat dissipation device used to protect pressure instruments from high-temperature media and reduce the possible damaging effects of rapid temperature change. There are different types of siphons, each designed for specific applications, from industrial to everyday use. This article will focus on industrial applications found in power generation, oil and gas, chemical and petrochemical plants and water/wastewater management, to name a few. As part of Ashcroft's Understanding the Basics series, this article will explore the different types of siphons used as heat dissipators in both steam and non-steam applications. Continue reading to learn which siphons are used for these purposes and how they work. You will also see links to additional information on these instruments and resources to enhance your understanding of maintaining instrument safety in challenging environments.

This article was originally published on February 14, 2022, and updated on March 17, 2025. Accurate low-pressure monitoring is crucial for safety in air flow measurement, leak detection systems cleanrooms, isolation rooms and other critical applications in healthcare, semiconductor manufacturing and more. However, measuring very low pressures in small volumes with accuracy and repeatability requires a specialized sensor. It is the sensor’s design, manufacturing process and installation method that will determine whether or not it can deliver the long-term stability, accuracy and resolution necessary to provide meaningful measurements. That's where microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) can help. Ashcroft, a recognized leader in pressure and temperature instrumentation, and its parent company Nagano Keiki Co. LTD have a proven track record of manufacturing excellence in low-pressure pressure sensors with MEMS technology. Read this article to learn more about MEMS, how it works in low-pressure applications and the pressure sensors available to keep low-pressure environments working with precision and reliability.

If you are just starting a career in oil and gas, chemical processing or any industry that involves flammable materials, dust and other potentially ignitable substances, you need to understand the dangers associated with hazardous locations. This includes knowing what to look for when purchasing instruments for challenging and potentially explosive applications. As a product technical leader at Ashcroft - a recognized authority in pressure and temperature measurement instrumentation - I understand these challenges well. In this article, you will find valuable insights to help you navigate the complexities of monitoring temperature in hazardous location applications. This includes a definition of a hazardous location, the agency standards and approvals required for equipment used in these areas and why temperature instruments, in particular, to be fully certified to ensure the safety and compliance of your operation. When you are done reading, you will have a foundation of information and be more confident about your instrument choices for these challenging applications. You will also have access to additional resources that will deepen your knowledge of RTDs and thermocouples.

This article was originally published on January 24, 2022, and updated on March 3, 2025. If you work in oil and gas pipelines, chemical plants, refineries or anywhere that will require a thermowell to protect your temperature sensor from the process media, it is important to ensure that the device will work in the application. For instance, wake turbulence caused by your process has the potential to break the thermowell and damage your equipment. Calculating thermowell wake frequency can help. As a product leader at Ashcroft, with more than 40 years of industry experience, this is a topic that I talk to customers about often. In this article, you will learn what thermowell wake frequency is and how to calculate it. When you are done reading, you will understand the need to have a wake frequency calculation done and be more confident in your thermowell's ability to protect your temperature sensor. Plus, we will share additional resources that will deepen your knowledge of thermowells even further.