Many businesses in the manufacturing industry rely on instruments and equipment to facilitate their products and outcome. The state and functionality of these instruments and equipment affect the performance, efficiency, and quality of products. Manufacturers aim to keep an eye on each instrument and equipment in their process line to ensure optimal functionality, safety, and overall manufacturing success.

Instrumentation involves controlling, analyzing, and measuring physical quantities using various types of interconnected process control instruments. In the manufacturing world, businesses use an array of instrumentation to measure essential variables like gas, temperature, fluid flow rate, pH, pressure, fluid levels, etc. All of these variables are essential to the outcome of production and manufacturing.

The standard instrumentation and process control products include continuous water analyzer, controllers, monitoring systems, analyzers, detectors, flow, pressure and level sensors, and much more. Engineering professionals often leverage these sensors and other types of instrumentation to stay on top of things while also maintaining process control equipment for better production, quality management, production and product consistency, workplace safety, and more. The proper functionality of process control instrumentation is also essential for promoting safety on the manufacturing and processing floors, thus preventing critical issues like explosions or fires, especially in facilities that produce or store products like chemicals, gas, oil, and other combustible substances.

Many industries leverage processing control equipment and instrument. Some of the key players include;

  • Food and beverage
  • Oil and gas
  • Marine
  • Mining
  • Waste and Wastewater
  • Semiconductor manufacturing
  • And several others.

Process Control Instruments for Industrial Applications 

The type of instrumentation a manufacturer needs will depend on their industry and application. For example, a food and beverage manufacturer may have different specific needs when compared to a mining company or one in the oil and gas sector. It is best for each business to know the proper instrumentation that works for their industry and facilitates the best product and production consistency. In this section of the article, you will learn about the various instrumentation types you need to achieve excellent manufacturing and production outputs.

Automation Products 

Automation instrumentation products are designed to take over the manufacturing process and help improve workplace safety. These products also help streamline product and production sequences, identify the common areas that need improvement, and notify against common dangers on the manufacturing floor. There are various types of automation products, depending on the business’s industry. Standard instrumentation types include machine safety and monitoring products, encoders, HMI displays, signal conditioners, e-stops, on/off sensors, and more.

Flow Products

Flow products comprise a range of devices whose primary function is to measure and analyze gasses or fluids’ flow speed and movement through pipes and other channels. These products help manufacturers keep tabs on flow irregularities that can affect the outcome of their product or put their production line at risk. Some of the common types of instrumentation in the flow instrumentation line include pressure-based meters, mechanical flow meters, thermal mass flow meters, Coriolis meters, magnetic flow meters, and more. Manufacturers must ensure that their flow products are sourced from leading manufacturers in the industry to ensure consistency in the quality of their products or outcomes.

Gas Analytics Products 

Manufacturers or businesses in petrochemical, mining, pharmaceuticals, and other related industries are at risk of gas leaks, fires, explosions, and other catastrophic events. Gas analytics products are essential for detecting and arresting such situations. There are many gas analytics products based on specific needs across industries. Some of the common ones include toxic gas detectors, flame detection sensors, multi-gas analyzers, ambient air monitoring systems, and more.

Liquid Analytics Products 

These products are essential for testing the quality and concentration of liquids in the production system or plant. These products also detect the presence of contaminants in liquids. There are several liquid analytics products to choose from on the market, depending on the business’s industry. For example, wastewater management and liquid analytics products are pretty different from those used in the food and beverage industry.

Level Instrumentation Products

Level instrumentation products ensure that dry and liquid levels in tanks, storage containers, silos, and vessels are adequately monitored. These instruments provide both point-level and continuous-level instrumentation solutions. They include various options like ultrasonic sensors, hydrostatic pressure transmitters, rotating paddle switches guided and through air radar, mechanical floats, and more.

Temperature Products 

Industrial temperature monitoring is essential for many reasons, including safety and production consistency. In the food and beverage industry, temperature below the required range can cause undercooking, while above the required threshold may overcook the product. Higher temperatures above the required range of oil and gas may cause safety issues. There are many types of temperature control products and sensors that can be used to achieve optimal production levels.