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Industrial Terminology Glossary – D

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D’Arsonval Movement

A meter movement based upon the permanent-magnet DC motor principle: a small coil of wire supported on jewel bearings or taut band between the poles of a permanent magnet. The magnetic field of the DC current passing through the coil interacts with the magnet’s field, causing rotation of the coil and an attached pointer against the restoring force of coil springs

Dashpot

A damping device which resists motion with viscous friction. The resulting force is proportional to velocity, but acts in the opposite direction.

Data Logger

A versatile electronic device designed to autonomously record various data points over time, including temperature, pressure, and humidity. Read More…

Decibel (dB)

A logarithmic measurement scale of the ratio of two voltages. Every 20dBs correspond to a voltage ratio of 10, every 10 dBs to voltage ratio of 3.162. Often used to measure sound or relative power in microwave frequency circuits.

Dead Load

Dead load refers to the mass of a vehicle, such as a car or truck, when it does not contain any passengers or cargo. It is also referred to as “curb weight.” Read More…

Dead Weight Tester

A highly accurate device for calibrating pressure gauges and other pressure-measuring instruments. Read More…

Deadband (Hysteresis)

In a digital controller, there may be one switching point at which the signal increases and another switching point at which the signal decreases. The difference between the two switching points is called hysteresis or deadband.

Decade boxes 

A box with a series of resistors, capacitors, or inductors which allows the user to select specific values. In calibration, decade boxes are often high-precision, allowing them to be used to calibrate a variety of electrical testers and meters.

Deflection

The movement of a needle or the change in a digital display which indicates a change in the measured value. For example, a scale deflects to indicate a change in weight on its pan.

Delta Connection

A circuit formed by connecting three electrical devices in series to form a closed loop; most often used in three-phase connections.

Depth Gauge

Any of a variety of gauges used for measuring the depth of grooves, holes or other concavities.

Diameter Tape

A specialized tool used for measuring the diameter of cylindrical objects. Read More…

Dielectric Strength

The maximum electrical field that an insulating material may be exposed to before its insulating properties break down.

Differential Pressure Gauge

A visual indicator, designed to measure and illustrate the difference between two input pressures.

Differential Probe

Any of a variety of probes used for measuring the electrical voltage or current difference between two test points where neither test point is at ground.

DIN (Deutsche Industrie Norm)

A set of German standards recognized throughout the world. The 1/8 DIN standard for panel meters specifies an outer bezel dimension of 96 x 48 mm and a panel cutout of 92 x 45 mm.

Distortion Factor (%DF)

Total difference between apparent power and true power at all harmonic frequencies.

Distortion Meter

A type of electronic test equipment used to determine specific frequencies that cause distortion in electronic devices.

Divisions (Display)

The maximum the scale can read divided by the minimum it can read is the number of divisions.

Dormant Scale

A dormant scale, flush mount scale, or pit scale, is an industrial weighing device permanently integrated into the ground. Read More…

Draft Shield (Weight and Scale)

A contraption used to safeguard the precision of a balance or scale by shielding it from the disruptions caused by air movements. Read More…

Drift

The incremental alteration in the precision of a measurement device over time. Several factors, including wear and tear, fluctuations in temperature, and environmental variables, can contribute to this phenomenon. Read More…

Dropout

A momentary loss of signal in a communications system, usually caused by noise, propagation anomalies, or system malfunctions.

Dry Block

Also called a dry well, versatile temperature calibrator that works by heating or cooling a metal block to a specific temperature and maintaining that temperature

Dual-Slope Conversion

A digital technique for converting a measured analog quantity to a precise digital equivalent, for display as a numerical value. During a fixed interval of time, the output of an integrating circuit rises linearly at a rate proportional to the measured analog input quantity. The circuit input is then switched to a precise reference-voltage source of opposite polarity, causing the output to descend at a fixed rate, while a counting circuit counts clock pulses delivered by an internal pulse generator. As the integrator output reaches its base level, the count is terminated; the total count (numerically equivalent to the analog input quantity) is then displayed in a digital readout as a voltage, current, resistance, or other parametric quantity.

Duplex Sensor

A dual element RTD or thermocouple wherein the elements are isolated from each other and contained in the same housing or sheath.

Durometer

A specialized device extensively utilized in the field of materials science and quality control to quantify the hardness of plastics and rubber. Read More…

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