Vacuum Gauge Measurement and Control

Edwards offers a wide choice of vacuum measurement and control products from dial gauges to microprocessor based gauge controllers. Within each line is a family of models designed to meet the widest range of user specification. The first step in choosing the right gauge to meet your application is to decide the range of pressures that you wish to measure at each of your desired measuring points. The chart below indicates the broad pressure ranges covered by the spectrum of Edwards instruments and can be used as a primary guide to the choice of gauge.

The second step is to establish the requirement for the pressure measurement. If you simply want an indication that a certain level of vacuum has been reached in order, for example, to open a valve or start a process then a vacuum switch or Active gauge head alone may be appropriate. If you want to display the pressure locally, then a dial gauge may be suitable. If you need the display to be remote from the measurement point (e.g in a control panel) then the 501, Active Gauge Display, Active Gauge Controller or Active Digital Display should be selected, depending on the features required. It will, of course, also be necessary to select appropriate gauge head(s) to accompany these controllers. It may be that your control system (such as PLC, PC or dedicated microprocessor controller) needs to know the pressure to make sequence decisions but that it is not necessary to have a separate vacuum display. In this case the best option may be to use an Active gauge head as a stand alone transducer connected to an appropriate power supply and control system analog input.

The exacting requirements of R&D systems may need a combination of many gauge types on one system.

The environment in which a gauge will have to operate must be considered as part of the selection process

The key consideration that needs to be established before finally selecting the gauge package is the environment that the gauge heads will be used in. This means selecting a gauge suitable for the process that it will be monitoring, constructed to meet the external environment that it will be exposed to. When looking at the process that the gauge will be monitoring, consideration should not only be made as to whether the gauge will survive in the process, but also the effect on the gaugeÕs measurement. For example, the measurement made by mechanical gauges (vacuum switches, dial gauges, strain gauges and capacitance manometers) is unaffected by gas type whereas that made by other types is gas dependent. The Active range of vacuum gauges and controllers give you the flexibility to design and configure a system which will fulfill your needs precisely. Our Technical Support team is on hand to advise you on the best system for your application.