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What is a Pressure Transducer?

A pressure Transducer (sometimes called a pressure transmitter), converts pressure into an analog electrical signal.
The most common type of pressure transducer is the strain-gage based transducer.
The conversion of pressure into an electrical signal is achieved by the physical deformation of strain gages which are bonded into the diaphragm of the pressure transducer.
Pressure applied to the pressure transducer produces a deflection of the diaphragm which introduces strain to the gages.
The strain will produce an electrical resistance change proportional to the pressure.

Pressure transducers are generally available with three types of electrical output:

• Millivolt Output Transducers are generally the most economically priced. Their output is nominally around 30mV. Because of their low output signal, millivolt transducers should not be located in electrically noisy areas and regulated power supplies should be used for input power.


• Voltage Output Transducers include integral signal conditioning, providing a much higher output level than millivolt transducers. Hence, they are much less susceptible to electrical noise than millivolt output transducers and can be used with unregulated power supplies.


• 4–20 mA Output Transducers are the least affected by electrical noise and resistance in signal wires making them the best choice for when their signal must be transmitted long distances.