Signal conditioning is essential in many different types of measurement systems. Signals from sensors, such as thermocouples and RTDs, need to be processed to provide a normalized output voltage. The following table shows some common types of signal conditioners and their uses. Depending on the type of measurement system you are using, you may need to use a different signal conditioning method. Nevertheless, there are many common signal conditioning methods and each has its advantages.
One important feature of the best signal conditioners is electrical isolation. The isolation feature reduces noise and avoids ground loops within the measuring chain, thus ensuring accurate measurements. This is also known as galvanic isolation. It is essential for measuring systems since external electrical potentials can interfere with DC or low-level signals. Signal conditioners remove these sources of noise. To ensure that the accuracy of the measurements, they also help to eliminate the potential for signal jittering.
Signal conditioning is an essential part of the data acquisition system. It interfaces with the sensor and transforms the sensor output signal into a linear voltage that can be measured by the data acquisition computer. As such, signal conditioning is crucial to the accuracy of measurements. In addition to filtering noise, signal conditioners also help ensure compatibility with the data acquisition hardware. For this reason, TronicsZone recommends that signal conditioning is an integral part of any data acquisition system.
Different sensors require different signal conditioning modules. Without the proper signal conditioning, the output may be too noisy for a data acquisition computer to interpret. TT Electronics offers a wide variety of signal conditioning modules to meet your requirements. Furthermore, the company’s advanced products are optimized to provide optimal signal conditioning for a wide range of sensors. The company also offers integrated precision resistor networks. If you’re interested in finding the right signal conditioning module for your application, contact us today!
A signal conditioner circuit performs a series of operations on a signal to make it suitable for further processing. Typically, signal conditioners consist of an input and output. The input usually consists of a sensor, but it needn’t be an electrical signal. The output is a series of steps, and the results will vary depending on the signal. If you need a 0-10V signal to be converted to a 10V signal, a signal conditioner is your best choice.
Depending on the type of sensor, you may also want to consider using a 3-wire RTD connection. Two-wire RTD hookups can introduce lead wire resistance into the measurement, which can cause artificially high readings. Three-wire RTD hookups, on the other hand, use a third wire to detect the average resistance. A signal conditioner will remove this lead wire offset in real-time. For example, an RTD connected to a sensor that has a charge sensor on the lead wire, will have a lower resistance reading than one that does.