Pressure gauges are essential tools in industrial processes and applications. With the development of digital pressure gauges, people are shifting away from manual analog ones, even though they provide quick and reliable readings.

However, they are still widely used and give tough competition to their digital counterparts. Both gauges are used for the same purpose, measuring pressure. However, they are equipped with different technologies and used in different applications. Let’s have a look at the key differences between the two types of gauges.

Analog gauges were developed over 150 years ago and became an essential tool during the Industrial revolution. Since then, the technology has evolved to make the gauges more reliable and accurate. Analog gauges are also known as dial gauges that have a needle attached. This needle directly responds to changes in pressure and points to the number corresponding to the pressure sensed by the measuring element in the tool.

Analog gauges are purely mechanical, which means that they don’t require a power source to operate. This makes them relatively inexpensive to use and, in most instances, provides accurate and reliable reading. However, due to their mechanical nature, they are more susceptible to damage in harsh environments.

They might get damaged due to excessive vibrations, especially the moving parts within the equipment. These damages can lead to inaccurate reading and measurement, which can be detrimental to the respective industrial process. Furthermore, they also require constant recalibration.

Digital gauges are the new kid on the block, with advanced technological features which have made pressure readings more accurate and sustainable. They use pressure transducers to display readings on a digital scale. Clear readability and fast results are the highlights of digital pressure gauges. However, these readings are based on the user inputs before measurement observation.

One of the major advantages that digital gauges have over analog ones is their durability. They can survive in harsh conditions, excessive vibrations, and areas subject to corrosion. They are designed with thick metals such as aluminum and crack-free plastics. Furthermore, they are digitally calibrated, which means there is less room for error.

Another useful feature of digital gauges is customizing them to suit your needs and particular application. Modern digital gauges come with features such as changing engineering units and creating custom ones. Furthermore, their dials display clear and easy-to-read measurements. Interpreting readings from analog gauges require a manual thought process, as you’d need to gauge the position of the needle. However, you just need to look at the numbers with digital gauges to determine the right or wrong pressure.

One setback of using a digital gauge is that it requires a power source. If you don’t need gauges frequently, then digital ones won’t be the ideal choice. Furthermore, you’d need to spend a consistent amount of money replacing batteries within the gauge, and the devices themselves are also expensive.

When choosing the right gauge, you’d need to consider the frequency of use, industrial application, and your budget. While digital gauges have their advantages, they can be expensive and need a constant power supply. If you’re looking for quality pressure gauges resistant to extreme environments that are not heavy on your pocket, check out the products at Contact Instruments.

As a leading OEM drilling instrumentation manufacturers, we provide qualitystandpipe gauges, mud pressure gauges, electronic gauges, Type D pressure gauges, Type F standpipe pressure gauges. Furthermore, we also have load cells & pressure sensors that can withstand moisture and corrosive atmosphere. Contact us to learn more about our products and services.