Signal Conditioners

Signal conditioning products provide amplification, filtering, converting, and other processes required to make sensor outputs suitable for reading by computer boards. Signal conditioning products are used primarily for data acquisition, in which sensor signals must be normalized and filtered to levels suitable for analog-to-digital conversion so they can be read by computerized devices. Signal conditioning type, form factor, device specifications, signal inputs, sensor inputs, specialized inputs, transducers and excitation, outputs and user interface are important parameters to consider when searching for signal conditioning products Other specifications to consider when selecting signal conditioning products include application, software, memory and storage, network specifications, filter specifications, amplifier specifications, and environmental parameters.

Common form factors for signal conditioning products include IC or board mount, circuit board, panel or chassis mount, modular bay or slot system, rack mount, DIN rail, and stand-alone. Device specifications that are important to consider when searching for signal conditioning products include differential analog input channels, digital I/O channels, and accuracy. Differential channels use the difference between two signals as an input; common mode is filtered out. In some signal conditioners, differential inputs are combinations of two single-ended inputs; in this case, twice the number of differential channels would be available as single-ended inputs. Digital or discrete channels are used for low-level on-off signals used in applications such as communication, user interface, or control. Accuracy depends on the signal conditioning linearity, hysteresis, temperature considerations, etc. It is represented as percent full scale of measurement range.

Signal inputs accepted by signal conditioning products include DC voltage and current, AC voltage and current, frequency and charge.  Sensor inputs can be accelerometer, thermocouple, thermistor, RTD, strain gauge or bridge, and LVDT or RVDT.  Specialized inputs include encoder, counter or tachometer, timer or clock, relay or switch, and other specialized inputs. Outputs for signal conditioning products can be voltage, current, frequency, timer or counter, relay, resistance or potentiometer, and other specialized outputs. Many different products use signal conditioning products. Examples include signal filters, instrument amplifiers, sample-and-hold amplifiers, isolation amplifiers, signal isolators, multiplexers, bridge conditioners, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), digital-to-analog converters (DACs), frequency converters or translators, voltage converters or inverters, frequency-to-voltage converters, voltage-to-frequency converters, current-to-voltage converters, current loop converters, and charge converters.

• Technical Bulletin #3 - High-Response, Low-Noise Signal Conditioners
  The CDV-700A/CDA-700A series are advanced signal conditioners specially developed for high re¬sponse and low noise. Through incorporation of sophisticated CPU, they offer improved operating ease and...
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• AN116 Why Use Isolated Signal Conditioners?
  Isolating power sources and sensor signals is the most effective method for eliminating undesirable ground loop currents and induced electrical noise. Dataforth Signal Conditioning Modules (SCMs) use...
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• Signal Conditioners: The Little Hidden Boxes That Manipulate Your Process Signals

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Part Numbers for Signal Conditioners