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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.

Measuring very low-pressure in controlled environments like data centers, isolation rooms, labs, and operating rooms, for example, is challenging because they must maintain a very specific and very controlled atmosphere. If these environments are compromised in any way, it puts the people and the equipment you are protecting at risk. That's why you must ensure your pressure measurement instrumentation meets the specified guidelines for accuracy and reliability. As a product manager at Ashcroft, I have 26 years of industry experience, including the past eight years working exclusively on low-pressure sensing technology. In this article, you will see how we define 'very low' pressure, see examples of controlled environments where low-pressure measurements are required, and learn how pressure is measured in these applications. You will also gain a better understanding of the impact temperature has on pressure measurement and what to look for in a pressure measurement instrument to ensure your controlled environment stays secure. When you are done reading, you will also be directed to additional articles and resources that may be of interest for other questions you may have.

If you work with any of the critical mechanical applications found in the modern world - including mobile construction equipment, and fuel pumps for example - it is likely you also manage hydraulic systems. Because these systems use liquids in various forms to generate power, you know that the inherent pressure feature of hydraulics has to be managed properly. In the best-case scenario, a lack of sufficient management of pressure levels in a system could lead to inferior output. In the worst cases, it could cause damage to equipment or physical harm to system operators. Hydraulic pressure gauges play a critical role in regulating pressure by monitoring levels in either a specified part or the entire system to ensure things are operating normally. So how do you know which pressure gauge will work best in your hydraulic system? Just know what you’re looking for and choose carefully! Sounds simple, right? As a pressure gauge product lead at Ashcroft - a recognized authority in temperature and pressure solutions - I have seen many scenarios where the wrong pressure gauges were selected and the impact that decision had on operations. In this article, you will learn about the five pressure gauge features I consider most important for hydraulic applications so you can be confident about selecting the best option to meet your specific needs. Let’s get started.