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This article was originally published on June 1, 2021, and updated on December 9, 2024. Hydraulic machinery outperforms nearly all other mechanical power transmission methods in extreme environments. Excavators, tree harvesters, mining trucks, tow trucks, and other hydraulic vehicles handle the toughest tasks on uneven terrains, carrying heavy loads that exert immense forces on hydraulic systems. These operations can cause severe shocks and vibrations, along with significant changes in temperature, dust, and moisture. Additionally, pressure spikes or impulses within hydraulic systems can pose a major challenge to the reliability of internal components like pressure instruments. So, how can you enhance the performance of your mobile hydraulics to withstand these hazards? Pressure control and monitoring devices are essential for managing hydraulic systems and enhancing power, flexibility, speed, and safety. They regulate and monitor hydraulic fluid pressure levels to provide the necessary force to overcome resistance. They also detect unsafe conditions, trigger alarms, or automatically shut down hydraulic pumps to prevent overpressure situations. In my extensive experience in this industry, I have learned how to effectively apply pressure transducers in mobile hydraulics control systems. This article will guide you through the challenges of pressure control and measurement, including shock, vibration, pressure spikes, pulsation, and environmental factors, and show you how to maintain your mobile hydraulic machines in top condition.

This article was originally published on July 5, 2022, and updated on November 4, 2024. Critical environments like cleanrooms, data centers, laboratories, hospital operating rooms, isolation rooms and other controlled spaces must adhere to strict environmental guidelines requiring close pressure monitoring. To ensure these areas are not compromised, your pressure-measuring instruments must be highly accurate, reliable and compliant with these very specific requirements. Choosing the wrong instrument can result in equipment damage, worker injury or incorrect measurements. As the product manager who oversees the low-pressure sensor product line at Ashcroft, I understand the complexities of these environments and am often asked for guidance on selecting sensors for critical applications such as these. In this article, you will learn some factors to consider when choosing a low-pressure transducer for critical environments, so you’ll know you’re getting the proper equipment for your process. You will also be directed to additional resources that can help answer other common questions about this topic.

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is a process used to create highly advanced, field-proven, thin film technology for pressure sensors that are used in mid- to high-pressure applications. These sensors are designed to deliver consistently accurate, reliable and repeatable pressure measurements under some of the most difficult conditions. If you are an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), you know that your operations are among the most rugged in any industry. As such, you require instrumentation that is both consistently accurate and able to meet the shock, vibration, temperature and high cycle demands of your applications. As a recognized leader in pressure and temperature instrumentation, Ashcroft pressure transducers offer OEM customers everything they need in a high-quality pressure transducer. Our CVD-based sensors are produced in Japan by our parent company, Nagano Keiki, and are used in many of our pressure sensors, especially those needed for OEMs. In this article, you will learn how CVD technology works in the manufacturing process, applications where you will find this technology and the benefits it offers to OEM manufacturers and others who use it. When you are done reading, you will see other related resources that will help you learn more about the pressure instruments that incorporate CVD technology and the applications where they are used.

Pressure sensors, including pressure transducers and pressure transmitters, are a critical aspect of semiconductor manufacturing. These instruments measure pressure to control the flow and distribution of ultrahigh purity (UHP) gases and liquids safely and effectively throughout the production process. In my last article about transducers for semiconductor UHP gas applications, I explained how Ashcroft and our parent company Nagano Keiki Co. LTD, have been providing pressure and temperature instrumentation to semiconductor manufacturing customers globally for decades. This piece will provide more insight into the liquid process of semiconductor manufacturing and review the pressure monitoring features to look for in instruments that are designed to perform well in these complex processes. When you are done reading, I hope you will have a better understanding of the use of UHP fluids in semiconductor applications and the solutions employed to accurately measure pressure. You will also find related articles and guides that you can use as references for this evolving topic.

A pressure transducer, which can also be referred to as a pressure transmitter or pressure sensor, is an electronic device that measures and monitors the air, gas or liquid pressure flowing through industrial systems. Although they appear small, these instruments are built with advanced technology to provide accurate and reliable pressure measurements at different stages of the process. Ashcroft is an industry leader in pressure measurement instrumentation and created this article to provide a basic foundation of information about transducers for the industry novice. Read on to learn how they work and where they are used. You will also get a high-level overview of the different types of sensors, manufacturing standards, sensor accuracy and more. When you are done reading, you will also find additional resources about transducers that may interest you.

Freezing temperatures can damage sensitive electronic pressure-measuring instrumentation, such as a pressure transducer/transmitter. Regardless of whether an operator tries their best to remove all the water from their system to prevent freezing, it is still possible that a small diaphragm cavity or pressure passage within the transducer's sensor will retain water. When this water freezes, it can cause excessive pressure on the sensor diaphragm element, exceeding its normal range of motion, and resulting in permanent distortion. Even when the ice melts with warmer temperatures, the transducer will no longer be able to return to its original zero position, making it unusable and necessitating replacement. Ashcroft, a leading manufacturer of pressure and temperature instruments since 1852, has explored this challenge extensively and offers a solution to help you prevent this from happening in your water-based applications. In this article, we will discuss what exactly happens to pressure-sensing instruments when they are exposed to freezing temperatures, the common applications where this occurs and a cost-saving solution for protecting your instruments and keeping your operation running effectively.