If you are having difficulty understanding the differences between the Buy American Act (BAA) and Build America Buy America Act (BABAA), and how to ensure you comply with their requirements, you are not alone. Similar names and overlapping purposes make it easy to be confused about which law applies to you and how to ensure the products you purchase are in compliance with the law. As a global manufacturer of industrial pressure and temperature instrumentation for industries serving customers in the United States, Ashcroft understands how these laws affect our company and our customers. To help guide you, we’ve compiled a list of some of our customers’ frequently asked questions and documented our responses in this article. Read on for a high-level review of the BAA Act and BABAA Act, including similarities and differences between, the considerations for purchasing products for use in U.S.-based projects and how Ashcroft can help you find pressure and temperature instrumentation that meet your specific needs.

With the lowed cost of sensing technology and improved standardized protocols, the benefit of interfacing sensors with digital communication is finally being realized. Standardized protocols such as CANbus allow for direct communication between sensors and electronic control units (ECU). These protocols can help improve overall system efficiency and speed by reducing I/O uncertainties, simplify wiring and help to prioritize signals. They also help to define failure mode signals and error checks.