Dataforth's twenty-six page signal conditioning tutorial has been a popular handout! So, we've turned it into an Adobe pdf file that you can now download and print or reference at your convenience.... here's the link:

Dataforth's Signal Conditioning Tutorial (1,130Kb pdf file)

This booklet contains all the 'classic concerns' you should use to plan your next data acquisition or control application.

The tutorial starts out with considerations of environment --- How to best deal with the electrical noise in the control room or on the factory floor and what to use for your wiring types and wiring runs.

Six pages are dedicated to sensor application. Temperature inputs using thermocouples, RTDs (resistor temperature detectors) and thermistors are covered in practical, and useful detail. More info is given on motion sensors, slidewire or potentiometer sensors, strain gages - including full, 1/2, and 1/4 bridge gages.

Three pages present information on two-wire, three-wire and four- wire loop applications. Although current loops are more familiar, frequency-mode loops are also discussed.

Five pages cover signal integrity! These pages cover sources of error and what to do to avoid them, such as, capacitive and magnetic coupling as well as EMI, RFI, ground loops, and the effects of voltage surges and transients.

There are many things to consider! Fortunately, Dataforth's Signal Conditioning Products relieve you of most of the concern. Your input signals are:
• Protected up to 240VAC continuous input overvoltage!
• Isolated to 1500Vrms continuous input to output to ground
• Amplified from +/-1mV (or attenuated from 460VAC)
• Filtered with up to 6 poles of fast response Butterworth
• Delivered as a high-level Instrument Class output!

Remember, our Application Engineers can assist you with signal conditioner selection over the phone or via fax and email. Call Dataforth at 520-741-1404 (fax 520-741-0762) or Email us at techinfo@dataforth.com.