What is a pressure sensor?

Pressure sensors are devices that measure the amount of pressure exerted by a gas or liquid. These sensors have a wide variety of applications, such as pressure measurement in desalination systems, wind tunnel pressure measurement, differential tank pressure measurement, oxidizer tank pressure monitoring, and also for sensing altitude, flow, level, depth, and even to test for leaks.

So how does a pressure sensor work?

A pressure sensor converts pressure into an electrical signal. For FUTEK pressure sensors, strain gauges are mounted onto a diaphragm. As pressure changes, the diaphragm changes shape, causing the resistance in the strain gauges to change, allowing the pressure changes to be measured electrically. Our pressure sensors naturally produce an electrical signal in millivolts that varies proportionally with the load. However, we offer pressure sensors with internal analog amplifiers. The pressure sensors with built-in amplifiers generate signals either in varying voltage, i.e. +/-10V, or varying current, i.e. 4-20 mA.

At FUTEK, we produce a wide range of sensors each designed with different use cases in mind. 

Types of pressure sensors: