What Is a Sensor? A sensor is a type of component which is used to either detect or measure input relative to its application. Many sensors will then act or react to the input depending on their main purpose. The input could be a range of different matters, a few examples are; Pressure Temperature Weight Movement / Motion Moisture Light The output measured by the sensor is usually converted into a readable format for the user and shown on a display. What is a Sensor? - Different types of Sensors To measure the different inputs, different sensors are used. They come in many different shapes and sizes to suit the different uses and application requirements. You will notice that we are surrounded by sensors; smartphones, laptops, light switches, coffee machines, elevators, heating controls - the list goes on. This guide gives a brief overview of different types of sensors on the market today and what they are used for. If you would like more information on any of the products we offer please contact us: +44(0)1327 351004 What is a Sensor? - Pressure Sensors There are two main types of pressure sensors; pressure transducers and pressure switches. Pressure switches are programmed to a limit and will “switch” off or on when that limit is reached. Typical application examples; Oxygen tanks Fans and filters Coffee machines Tyre pressure Pressure transducers give readings of the actual pressure within a given environment. Typical application examples; Braking systems Hydraulic systems Diesel and gas engines Read more about pressure sensors and applications in these articles; Hydraulic Pressure Sensors What is a Pressure Sensor? What is differential Pressure? Selecting a Pressure Sensor for Industrial Applications What is a Pressure Switch? Take a look at all of the pressure sensors we can offer here What is a sensor? - Position Sensors Position Sensors are used to measure the position of a given object. This can be in a linear motion (up and down or side to side) or a rotary motion (round). They use either contacting or non-contacting technology depending on the requirements of the application. Rotary position sensor application examples; Steering angle measurement in vehicles Wind direction measurement Barriers and gate angle measurement Linear position sensor application examples; Throttle pedal controls Movable ramp and bridge positioning Flight simulators Read more about position sensors and applications here; Position Sensors for Motorsport Consideration for selecting a Position Sensor What is a Hall Effect Sensor? LVDT vs Linear Potentiometer See all of the position sensors we offer on the Position page of our website What is a Sensor? - Temperature Sensors Temperature sensors come in a whole array of sizes and shapes and are highly diverse. Temperature probes, NTC thermistors, RTD sensors, and thermocouples - are just some of the products within our range. Many temperature sensors use resistance as an indicator of temperature. They are often wired into an electrical circuit measuring the resistance of the electricity being passed through the element. Application examples of temperature sensors; Engine and gearbox monitoring on sports cars In alcohol breathalysers to measure breath temperature Measuring the heat on electric radiators Patient Monitoring Find out more about temperature sensors by reading the following articles. How Does an RTD Work? Temperature Sensor Applications Selecting a Temperature Sensor; Things to Consider Temperature Probe Definition Types of Thermistors Take a look at all of our temperature sensors on our website What is a Sensor? - Weight Sensors Sensors used to measure weight are referred to as load cells or force sensors. There are many different types of load cells, they measure weight based on the amount of compression which is detected by the sensors within the cells. Very often strain gauges are used for this process. Different types of load cells are suitable for different capacities. Some common applications for load cells are; On-board weighing - the process of weighing the capacity of what is “on-board” a truck, lorry or vehicle Platform scales - used within warehouses to measure the weight of pallets or boxes Other applications include; Force applied on the needle of a record player for optimum sound Counting scales Tank weighing Sealing force on bag sealing machine To find out more about load cells, take a look at these articles. Load cell Types and Applications Industrial Load Cells What is a Single Point Load Cell? Load Cells for Silo, Tank and Hopper Weight Management The Benefits of On-Board Weighing Take a look at all of our Load Cells on our website Other Sensors These four types of sensors - position, pressure, temperature and load - are our most popular product ranges. We also provide sensors to measure; Vibration Humidity Strain Photo optic We are part of Variohm Holdings Ltd, as a group, we can cover any type of measurement within one of our subsidiaries For switches - Herga Technology Ltd For motion control - Heason Technology Ltd For patented linear position technology - Positek Ltd For test and measurement - Ixthus Instrumentation Ltd If you require a sensor for any application please contact us at +44(0)1327 351004 at sales@variohm.com Article published on: 25/07/2019 Article last updated on: 25/07/2019