Instrumentation

This process is known as the . For example, a home air conditioner uses a thermometer (sensor) to measure the room temperature. If the temperature is higher than the set point (comparison), it turns on the compressor (action). This simple loop, repeated millions of times a day across every industry, is the essence of instrumentation.

As factories get more complex, safety becomes paramount. The IEC 61508 standard introduced the Safety Integrity Level (SIL) . A SIL-2 pressure transmitter has a failure probability 100 times lower than a standard commercial transmitter. These "safety-certified" instruments are mandatory for boiler flame safety and chemical reactor emergency shutdowns. instrumentation