Sensitivity and sensitivity limit of the instrument

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Instrument sensitivity is an important parameter of an instrument’s technical performance; it is the ratio of the change in the instrument’s display or output to the change in the parameter being measured. Under the same input change, a gauge with a large output change has high sensitivity, while one with a small output change has low sensitivity; this is also referred to as the gauge’s sensitivity to changes in the parameter being measured. Due to the material properties of the sensing elements and electronic components, as well as environmental factors, it is not possible for some instruments in practical applications to maintain linear sensitivity across the entire measurement range; even among instruments of the same type, different models can have varying levels of sensitivity. This article was first published on the WeChat official account “Automatic Control Academy”. When selecting instruments for design purposes, one should not solely pursue those with high sensitivity; instruments with high sensitivity come at a higher price. Therefore, when choosing instruments, we need to consider various factors as a whole, ensuring that they meet the production requirements while also having sufficient sensitivity. The sensitivity limit refers to the small change in the input quantity at the starting point of the scale that causes a corresponding change in the output; such a slight change does not result in any noticeable effect. This range is known as the sensitivity limit, and it is often referred to as the instrument’s dead zone. The higher the value of the sensitivity limit, the less sensitive the instrument is. .