Overview

Static transducer characteristics are determined by applying a series of non time varying signals to the input of the transducer and noting the corresponding outputs. Each transducer is designed by its manufacturer to make measurements over a certain range of input values. The manufacturer will state the upper and lower limits of this range in the specification sheet.

A pressure transducer, for example, may be designed to measure from 0 psig to 100 psig. In this case, the range is 0 to 100 psig. The lower range limit is 0 psig, while the upper range limit is 100 psig. Operating the transducer beyond these range limits may damage the transducer or permanently change one or more of the specifications. The manufacturer may build in mechanical stops that limit the amount of overrange, thus preventing permanent damage to the transducer. Other manufacturers will state the amount of overrange that can be tolerated before permanent damage occurs. The transducer will have a stated output signal range that is proportional to the input range. The output range for the pressure transducer that has a range of 0 to 100 psig may be 0 to 100 millivolts DC. In this case, the output from the transducer will be 0 millivolts when the input is 0 psig and 100 millivolts when the input is 100 psig. If this was an ideal, linear transducer, then the output values for intermediate input values would lie on a straight line between 0 millivolts and 100 millivolts. Thus, an...