API Instrumentation
Pressure gauges from API deliver dependable, easy-to-understand measurements in pressure systems across a range of demanding environments. Even in diverse industrial settings where you may find API pressure gauges (machinery repair shops, for example), it's still possible to see the unmistakable clarity that these brands offer in direct, analogue pressure readings.
Many API pressure gauges are built with a classic design and robust features that allow for them to be used in a wide variety of applications without added concern for installation or operational safety. You can find them in components of hydraulic systems, wired into pressure lines for pumps and compressors, and incorporated into the shell of high-capacity water treatment equipment. And in those spaces, part of what allows these gauges to perform optimally is that many of them are not only vibration-safe but also vibration-tuned.
FAQs
What are API pressure gauges used for?
API pressure gauges are used to monitor system pressure in industrial equipment such as pumps, compressors, hydraulics, and water treatment systems.
What pressure ranges are available from API?
API offers a wide range of pressure scales, from low-pressure models to high-pressure gauges suitable for heavy industrial systems.
Does API offer glycerin-filled pressure gauges?
Yes. API provides glycerin-filled gauges to help dampen needle vibration and improve readability in pulsating or high-vibration environments.
What connection types do API gauges support?
API gauges come in various configurations, including bottom, rear, and panel mounts with standard NPT or custom fitting options.
Can API pressure gauges be used for water and wastewater applications?
Yes. Their corrosion-resistant materials and stable performance make API gauges a common choice for water, wastewater, and utility systems.
Analog and Digital Control Signals: The Basics
Digital Signals
Digital signals are represented in either a true or false. There is no gray area with digital signals. An example of this might be a light switch. A light switch is either on or off. Another example of this might be a motor that is running or not running. Digital signals can be generated with both AC and DC circuits with varying voltages, currents and resistance. Some practical examples of using digital signals in an industrial environment might be if a pump is running or not running or a whether a valve is open or closed.
Analog Signals
Analog signals convey information in the form of a range. A light switch might be on or off as a digital signal, but a dimmer switch would be an analog signal. It can be on or off, but it can also be somewhere in between. A practical example of using analog signals in an industrial environment would be if there is a need to measure the level of a tank; whether it's full, empty or somewhere in between. Analog signals can take many different forms with some of the more common being a 4 to 20 milliamp signal or a 0 to 5 or 0 to 10 volt signal.
Communication
Communication in a device can either be sent or received. Whether that data is sent or received depends on the type of information. Is there a need to monitor the status of something? If so, an input needs to be received about that information. Is there a need to control something? If so, an output needs to be sent about what needs to occur. Receiving inputs and setting outputs are both things that can be accomplished by using both digital and analog signal types. Therefore, the signals are referred to as analog outputs (AO), analog inputs (AI), digital inputs (DI) or digital outputs (DO).