How do you calculate maximum gauge error in pressure measurement with a bourdon gauge instrument?
The cardinal point or division markings on the dial face of a Bourdon tube pressure gauge can be separated by a large amount making it difficult to read the pressure precisely and therefore it is not possible to read the error directly when applying an exact calibration pressure setpoint.
When calibrating Bourdon tube type or any other type of analogue dial pressure gauge you should adjust the pressure calibrator so that the applied pressure is set to the cardinal point on the pressure gauge. The error can then be read to a much higher precision from the calibrator.
Featured pressure gauge products
DS200P Sanitary Low Range Pressure Gauge, Switch and Sensor - All in one electronic switch, gauge and sensor designed specifically for use in the food, drink and biomedical industry for measuring process pressures.- 10 bar g steam pressure transmitter, indicator and PNP switch - Steam pressure transmitter with LED display indicator for measuring 0 to 10 bars with in-built temperature reducer
For example a 30 bar gauge with 1 bar incremental marks is calibrated using a 30 bar calibrator with 0.1 bar incremental marks or resolution. To calibrate at the mid point of 15 bar, apply pressure to the gauge until the dial needle is lined up exactly with the 15 bar cardinal point.
Next, note down the pressure on the calibrator, which for this example let’s say is 15.3 bar. If the calibration was performed the other way around you would have to approximate the 0.3 bar error since there is no markers between 14, 15 and 16 bar.
Once you have collected your bourdon tube pressure gauge calibration readings go to the online calculator below to determine the errors in pressure units or as a percentage of full scale.
Featured pressure gauge products
Pressure Gauges with Integral Data Logger - Digital pressure gauges combined with a programmable data logger for recording pneumatic or hydraulic pressures at set time periods.- 10 bar g steam pressure transmitter, indicator and PNP switch - Steam pressure transmitter with LED display indicator for measuring 0 to 10 bars with in-built temperature reducer
Related Help Guides
- Determine range of pressure gauge needed to measure force generated by hydraulic press
- Simulating 8000 foot altitude with a pressure gauge
- Reduce calibration costs of analogue pressure gauges
Related Technical Terms
Related Product and Application Guides
Related Application Questions and Answers
- 16 bar, 200°C steam pressure transmitter and gauge
- 270 degC gas pressure indicator
- Measuring force of a hydraulic press using a pressure gauge
- Leak testing set for checking 1mb/min drop at negative 10 mbar vacuum
- Clean room temp, RH and pressure monitoring
- Hastelloy diaphragm -100 to 50 kPa g range manometer
- Push and Pull 700 bar hydraulic cylinder pressure sensors & indicator
- Glycol/Water mixture peak pressure gauge to measure up to 15 bar
- Hydraulic puller-tensioner bar pressure to kilonewton load HMI display & logger
- -1 to 20 kg/cm² digital pressure gauge for live computer data acquisition
- Autoclave pressure sensor and display with 10 bar range
- Vacuum digital gauge to measure 0 to 1000 mbar absolute
Contact us about this Determining calibration error of Bourdon tube pressure gauge page to request more information, or to discuss your application requirements.