Title: How to Read Pressure
Course: Fluid Power Pneumatics (Sandbox) > Section: Module 3: Pneumatic Systems and Components - 10 Hours

Pressure Gauges

In pneumatic systems, it is vital that we know what our pressure is in the system. A lot of problems happen in a pneumatic system because of pressure problems. We need to know what the pressure in the system is at any time. To do this, we use pressure gauges. Below is a picture of a typical pressure gauge.

Notice that this pressure gauge has two different scales: one in PSI and one in kPa. PSI stands for Pounds Per Square Inch, which is English Standard, and kPa is Kilo Pascals, which is metric. For this class, we will be dealing with PSI.

A pressure gauge allows us to know what the pressure is at any point in the system. It also is a very important tool used in troubleshooting. If, for instance, we are working as a technician and we get a report that one of the machines that uses pneumatics is not working correctly, we could check the incoming pressure on a pressure gauge. This will at least tell us if we have a pneumatic problem with the machine or if it is something else.

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