Purity comes first? The "high precision myth" of pressure transmitters

The accuracy of pressure transmitters is not getting better and better. It needs to be comprehensively judged in combination with the actual application scenarios. The key lies in "adaptability". The following is an analysis from several core perspectives:  

1.The actual significance and limitations of precision

The advantage of high precision    

In situations where strict pressure measurement is required (such as laboratory calibration, precise chemical reaction control, and high-end medical equipment, etc.), high precision (such as 0.05 class, 0.1 class) can ensure the accuracy of the data and reduce the impact of errors on the process.          

The "excess" issue of precision

If the application scenario does not have high requirements for measurement accuracy (such as general industrial pipeline pressure monitoring, civilian water supply pressure control, etc.), excessively high accuracy may lead to waste of resources. For instance, the pipeline pressure only needs to be controlled within the range of ±0.5 MPa. Choosing a 0.1-level accuracy or a 0.5-level accuracy would not make much difference in practical effect, but the former would be more costly.    

2. Core factors influencing choices    
                
Application scenario requirements

Firstly, clearly define the allowable error range for the measurement. If the process requires a pressure control accuracy of ±0.2%, then a 0.1 class or 0.2 class accuracy is sufficient; if only a ±1% control accuracy is needed, a 0.5 class or 1 class accuracy is adequate.                
                
Cost factor   

For every increase in accuracy level, the manufacturing cost of the transmitter (such as the material of the sensor and the calibration process) may rise significantly, and the procurement and maintenance costs will also increase. Blind pursuit of high accuracy will lead to a decrease in cost-effectiveness.     

Environmental suitability                
High-precision transmitters are more sensitive to environmental factors (such as temperature, vibration, and electromagnetic interference). If the application environment is harsh (such as high temperature and strong vibration), high precision may not be able to be maintained stably, and even due to the influence of the environment, the actual error may be greater than that of the low-precision model.

System compatibility                
If the subsequent data collection and the accuracy of the control system are relatively low (for example, the analog input accuracy of the PLC is 0.5%), even if the transmitter has an accuracy of 0.1 grade, the final accuracy of the entire system will still be limited by the downstream equipment, and high accuracy will not be able to demonstrate its value.  

Conclusion:                 
When choosing a pressure transmitter, it is necessary to determine based on the actual measurement requirements, environmental conditions, overall accuracy matching of the system, and cost budget. It is not advisable to simply pursue the "higher the better" principle. An appropriate level of accuracy can not only meet the process requirements but also avoid resource waste, and is a more reasonable choice.