Signal Conditioning
Signal conditioning, with respect to process monitoring and control engineering applications, is the practice of preparing a raw input signal for use with instrumentation in a data acquisition and/or control system. The signal conditioning process typically involves one or more of the following steps: isolating, filtering, amplifying, and converting a sensor input signal to a proportional output signal that is transmitted to another control device or system. Sometimes a signal conditioner can perform computation functions such as totalization, integration, pulse-width modulation, linearization, and other math operations on a signal.
Common industrial signal conditioners accept voltage, current, frequency, resistance, or strain gauge input types. Acromag’s various signal conditioning instruments are categorized as process transmitters, signal isolators, math/computation modules, panel meters, and remote I/O modules.
For more information, please refer to these resources.
Wikipedia: Signal Conditioning
Application Note: Signal Conditioning – Getting the most for your money
Whitepaper: Introduction to the Two-Wire Transmitter and the 4-20mA Current Loop
Technical Reference: Introduction to Strain & Strain Measurement