Temperature Transmitters Selection

The Temperature Transmitters Selection Guide includes selection criteria, supplier profiles, and strategies to help process manufacturing organizations select the correct temperature transmitters and supplier for their unique operations and business requirements.

Temperature Transmitters Selection Overview

The scope of the selection guide covers the functions of temperature transmitters including applications suitable for real-time temperature measurements, communications with systems, and networks.  The guide allows those involved in a temperature transmitter and other field transmitter devices selection process to make timely and fact-based decisions.

Temperature transmitters have been a mainstay of process production and manufacturing for decades.  The evolution trend for these devices is primarily in the accuracy and support information that is now available in these devices.  Support information includes the health of the transmitter as well as other conditions to ensure that the signal is accurately portraying the condition found in the operating processes.  This trend is gaining momentum by technological developments that make information available to more than just the control or monitoring function that temperature transmitters have traditionally been connected.

Selecting accurate and reliable temperature transmitters is critical.  The total process measurement solution has become complex and functionality involves the combination of an expanded range of capabilities and specific technology requirements.  While product plays a major role, suppliers have specific domain expertise, geographical presence, and knowledge of certain industry dynamics.  These must all be evaluated in a supplier selection process.

Temperature Transmitters Selection Strategic Issues

Understand and Incorporate Industrial IoT

End user organizations continue to face a shortfall of qualified personnel, as fewer new workforce entries perceive process automation, process engineering, chemical engineering, or similar technical fields as attractive career paths.  Furthermore, it can take up to two years to train a new hire effectively in the field of automation, and once trained, it may be difficult to retain that individual.  This “brain drain” is a major challenge for end user organizations, and they are looking at suppliers to take an essential role in filling this skills gap. 

Take Care When Specifying Accuracy and Stability

Temperature transmitters differ greatly in measurement accuracy. At the low end, one can expect accuracies of ±1°F.  At the high end, some transmitters deliver amazing accuracies of ±0.025°F.   Many factors can influence overall accuracy including input accuracy, output accuracy, resolution, linearity, load effect, line voltage effect, cold junction compensation (for thermocouples), repeatability, ambient temperature effect, EMI/RFI effect, and sensor lead resistance effect.  Complicating matters, the way that stated accuracy is determined, differs from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Match Sensor Type to Application

Temperature transmitter suppliers should be able to recommend the best sensor to match the user’s application.  In general, an RTD will give a more accurate, stable temperature measurement than a thermocouple (T/C), provided the somewhat more fragile RTD can withstand the environment.

More Temperature Transmitter Strategic Issues to Understand

ARC has been researching the temperature transmitters market for decades and we know the issues:

• Application fit and function
• Support and training
• Integration with automation and information systems
• Supporting domestic and international standards
• Certification levels
• Diagnostics requirements
• Supporting standards and de-facto standards for interoperability
• Measurement technology employed
• Parameters to be measured

This ARC Selection Guide will help you select the best available temperature transmitters to meet your needs now and in the future.