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Across industries like manufacturing, energy, HVAC, and process control, accurate pressure measurement is critical to maintaining safety, efficiency, and product quality. Over time, even high-quality pressure transducers can experience drift — a gradual deviation between actual and measured pressure caused by vibration, temperature changes, or normal wear. Calibration restores accuracy by comparing the transducer’s output to a known reference standard and adjusting as needed. But with multiple calibration methods available, the right approach depends on your environment, equipment and accuracy requirements. As a recognized leader in pressure and temperature instrumentation, Ashcroft addresses this challenge with customers frequently. In this article, you’ll learn why pressure transducer calibration is essential, how zero and span adjustability preserve accuracy over time, the difference between primary and secondary calibration standards, and the lab and field methods that are best suited for both every day and hazardous applications.

This article was first published on September 12, 2022, and updated on February 19, 2025. Not every application will require the same level of pressure gauge accuracy. For instance, the pressure of a home water system does not necessarily need to be as precise as a medical sterilizer. However, over time, even the highest quality pressure instruments can become less accurate due to factors such as wear and tear, environmental conditions, and mechanical stress. This gradual decline in accuracy poses can lead to inefficiencies, safety risks, and compromised operations, making it critical to periodically calibrate your instruments to ensure they provide accurate readings. During my 13 years as a precision product leader at Ashcroft, I am often asked how calibration is done. Read this article to learn what is involved in pressure gauge calibration and the instruments you can use to ensure it is done correctly. At the end of the article, you will also see links to additional resources to help deepen your knowledge on this subject and more.