Abstract
It should be remembered that the information in these two articles surveying digital transducer instruments was written for the American market, but has been included in Measurement and Control to show what is available outside the UK. In fact some are also available here.
The number of active digits is not necessarily an indication of the accuracy but of overall sensitivity of the instruments. If one is trying to compare these with European instruments, particularly to those approved to OIML or the BOT standards, the number of digits in these cases is restricted by the maximum error of the instrument. That is to say that if the instrument is being approved for 1 part in 3000 the error should not exceed 1 scale division.
This can hardly apply to some of the instruments that are listed in Al Brendel's chart which show performances of 1 part in 40 000.
The UK authorities would not normally expect to approve equipment better than 1 part in 5000, the norm being more like 1 part in 3500.
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