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When it comes to selecting a pressure gauge for your application, understanding the differences between mechanical and digital options can help you make the right choice. Both have unique features and benefits that are best suited to different scenarios. In this Understanding the Basics series, you will get a high-level overview of the features, benefits and uses of these two pressure gauge options, including when to use one over the other and when to use both. Plus, you will receive recommendations for additional resources that can provide a deeper understanding of pressure gauges as a whole. The information in this article is based on more than 40 years of industry experience with temperature and pressure measurement, design, engineering, and product management, which includes 17 years working with Ashcroft - a leader in temperature and pressure instrumentation.

This article was originally published on June 27, 2022, and was updated on March 20, 2024. Critical process applications demand implementing critical safety measures. The safety of your operators and your customers depends on using high-quality pressure measuring instruments that can help you avoid disaster. The one thing I've learned in over 25 years of industry experience is that you can never be too careful. Unfortunately, when I visit process plants and other facilities, I often find that proper instrumentation is not installed on many applications. Understanding which instruments to use can be the difference between a successful operation and a dangerous one. In this article, you will learn why installing both an analog pressure gauge and a pressure transmitter to monitor air, gas or liquid pressure in challenging industrial applications is a good safety strategy. They each have a specific job to do. When you are finished reading, you can decide if having both types of instruments working for you is the right decision. You will also get links to additional information that you may find useful.