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This section provides an overview for clamp-on meters as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 15 clamp-on meter manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked clamp-on meter companies as of December, 2024: 1.Kyoritsu, 2.Good Will Instrument Co., Ltd, 3.Sanwa Electric Instrument Co., Ltd..
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Categories Related to Clamp-On Meters
A clamp-on meter is an instrument that measures the current flowing in a circuit.
Ordinary ammeters must be built into the current circuit, and the circuit must be stopped once. On the other hand, a Clamp-on meter can measure current by simply clamping the wire section from the outside. The work can be done quickly and safely without the need to interrupt the circuit.
Clamp-on meters are used in situations where the value of the current flowing in a circuit needs to be determined simply. The following are examples of use.
Another feature of clamp-on meters is that they can be used without power interruption. It can be applied to equipment in continuous operation.
Clamp-on meters do not measure the current but measure the magnetic field generated by the current and output it as a current equivalent value.
The clamp part of the clamp-on meters has a magnetic core that detects the magnetic field and converts it to a current value. Since the polarity of the magnetic field differs between AC and DC, the principle is different.
Among the various measurement methods, the Hall element method can detect both DC and AC. In this method, a Hall element is built into the magnetic core to measure the magnetic field of the circuit under test as a voltage, which is converted to a current value via a built-in amplifier.
Current circuits include both DC and AC circuits. It is important to select an appropriate clamp-on meter according to the current component of the circuit you wish to measure and the accuracy at which you wish to measure.
If you do not require great accuracy, a Hall element-type clamp-on meter that can handle both DC and AC circuits is a safe choice. However, it is assumed that the clamp may not clamp well, depending on the installation position of the circuit.
For AC, select a Rogowski-type clamp-on meter without a core, which allows measurement while bending the clamping section.
Leakage current is an essential inspection item in the maintenance of electrical equipment because it can cause electric shock. A leakage current clamp-on meter is used to measure leakage current.
The leakage current is a very small current, and the leakage current clamp-on meters are equipped with a sensitive current transformer. Permalloy, which has high magnetic permeability and is suitable for detecting minute currents, is used for the current transformer.
Leakage current is measured in two ways: "measurement of zero-phase current" and "measurement of earth line current."
Measurement of Zero-Phase Current
In the measurement of zero-phase current, all phases are clamped together. The clamp-on meters detect the magnetic field caused by the current and convert it into a current value, but the magnetic fields caused by the current flowing against the load cancel each other out. However, if there is a leakage current, the magnetic fields become unbalanced, and a current value is displayed on the clamp-on meters. By reading this current value, the magnitude of the leakage current can be measured.
Measuring Ground Wire Current
Electrical equipment is grounded with a ground wire. In the event of leakage current, the leakage current flows through the ground wire to the earth, so the current value can be measured by directly clamping the ground wire.
There are two types of AC measurement methods: "average value type" and "effective value type".
Average value type
In the average value type, the current value for a half cycle of AC is averaged, and the average value is multiplied by the waveform factor to obtain the measurement value.
RMS value type
In the RMS value type, the current value is periodically sampled and measured, and the RMS value is obtained by performing the RMS operation on the measured value.
In current measurement, if the current to be measured is a sinusoidal wave, the value is the same regardless of the measurement method. However, if the current to be measured is a distorted wave, the harmonic component prevents the average value type clamp-on meters from obtaining the correct RMS value.
On the other hand, RMS value-indicating clamp-on meters can be measured without any loss of measurement accuracy if the sampling frequency is sufficiently high. As described above, if the current to be measured contains distortion waves, RMS-type clamp-on meters should be used. However, inexpensive clamp-on meters are of the moving coil type of the average value type.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Headquartered in Everett, Washington, Fluke is an American-born company operating since 1948. Fluke offers a variety of testing equipment including digital multimeters, thermal cameras, solar PV testing equipment, thermometers, oscilloscopes, leak detection devices, as well as testing-equipment related accessories. Fluke offers direct online sales.
Keysight Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1939 and headquartered in Santa Rosa, California. Keysight is a global developer and manufacturer of electronic design and test solutions to communications, networking, aerospace, defense, and government, automotive, energy, semiconductor, electronic, and education industries. Keysight’s communications solutions group solutions include electronic design automation software; radio frequency and microwave test solutions, hardware and virtual network test platforms and software applications, as well as optical laser source solutions. Keysight’s electronic industrial solutions group offers various design tools and verification tools. Keysight offers product support, technical support, and training and consulting services. It sells its products through direct sales force, distributors, resellers, and manufacturer's representatives.
Sanwa Electric Instrument Co., Ltd. was established in 1941, in Tokyo as a manufacturer of measuring instruments. Their product portfolio consists of Digital Multimeters, Analog Multitesters, Insulation, Earth testers, speedometers, and related instruments. Calibrators, detectors, LCR, and clamp meters are also part of the production. The equipment helps with measuring AC/DC voltages, and current, along with resistance and insulation, and for specific measuring applications. Many various industries benefit from Sanwa's products such as speedometers for the measurement of escalator emergency stop distance and detectors to test the direction of Motor rotation before connection of the power supply.
GW Instek or Good Will Instruments is a Taiwanese instrument maker founded in 1975. GW Instek has over 300 product lines, which include Oscilloscopes, Spectrum Analyzers, Signal Sources, Basic Tests and Measurement Instruments, Safety Monitoring Systems, and more. Leading manufacturers choose them as their test and measurement provider. GW Instek has become the leading brand in the electronic test and measurement industry. They help electronic industries reduce testing costs and increase competitiveness. GW Instek has subsidiaries in five countries and is sold to more than 80. Their mission is to reduce total costs and create customers value from cost savings.
Promax Test & Measurement SLU, founded in 1963 and based in Barcelona, Spain, is a manufacturer of telecommunication instrumentation and electronics equipment. The ISO 9001-certified company stocks products like digital modulators for broadcast, earth resistance meters, and optical fiber fusion splicers used to provide testing solutions for satellite, cable, and digital terrestrial television. It stocks over 200 products at its Barcelona facility, with 18 calibration centers and several service centers worldwide. It produces on-demand PCB circuit boards and electronic equipment and offers software development, training, and industrial design services.
Lumen was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Zielona Góra, Poland. The company is a manufacturer of industrial automation devices including transducers, network parameter analyzers, and analogy meters, primarily serving water & gas utilities, solar energy production, electronics, and manufacturing. The company’s product categories consist of network parameter meters and analyzers, digital and analog meters, current transformers, and shunts. The company offers customers OEM, EMS, and ODM services in the scope of housing, designing, electronics, mechanics, hardware, and software.
Founded in 1940, Kyoritsu has an 80 year history as a customer-focused organization specializing in multimeters. Kyoritsu provides analog multimeters as well as digital multimeters with and without clamps offering many varieties of measurement.
Yokogawa Test & Measurement Corporation was founded in Japan in 1954. Yokogawa currently serves a wide array of industries including the aerospace, automotive, consumer electronics, semiconductor and telecommunications industries with both hardware and software solutions. Among Yokogawa’s suite of products are oscilloscopes, voltage probes, power analyzers and meters, data acquisition tools, optical test equipment, a wide variety of handled meters, calibrators, and testers; analog instruments, and manometers.
Chauvin Arnoux began in 1893 in France and took off in 1905 with the invention of the magneto ohmmeter. Chauvin Arnoux is an integrated manufacturer of portable test and measurement instruments used in the electrical sector, education, laboratories, and maintenance. A sample of Chauvin Arnoux’s products include calibrators, electrochemical measurements, relays, analystical software, and accessories. Chauvin Arnoux also offers industrial subcontracting, leveraging its large network of independently operating yet functionally integrated subcontractors’ abilities to manufacture and install PCBs, specialty items, sheet metal, tooling, and more.
Benning, founded in 1938 and based in Germany, is a developer and manufacturer of OEM power supplies, electrical machines, testing measuring, and safety equipment. These products include UPS systems, traction motors, charging stations, appliance testers, and digital multimeters. The products offered by the company are used in the medical, power, distribution, water treatment, mining, and telecommunication sectors. The company also runs service centers for electrical machines to perform system checks, preventative maintenance, and calibration processing.
Kaise Corporation, established in 1955 and headquartered in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, is a manufacturer and supplier of electronic measuring instruments. Its product lineup includes battery checkers, jump starters, code readers, as well as oscilloscopes, and circuit testers, primarily used in automotive maintenance. Additionally, the company offers digital multimeters, clamp meters, and insulation resistance meters. Its SK-8550 Battery Checker received the 2016 Maintenance Support Award at the Automotive Newspaper Accessories Awards.
PCE Instruments UK Ltd., started in 199 and headquartered in Manchester, UK, is a manufacturer and supplier of test instruments, equipment, and tools for weighing, measuring, and control systems. The company offers more than 500 test equipment, including analyzers, inspection cameras, meters, detectors, and sensors, with applications in various fields like data acquisition, electrical engineering, environmental science, building inspection, and food processing. Its manufacturing and development division is ISO 9001 certified, all its test instruments, equipment, and tools are factory calibrated, and the company also provides services for custom test instrument design, installation, and maintenance.
Hioki E.E. Corporation was founded in 1935 and headquartered in Ueda, Nagano. Hioki provides testing & analysis, manufacturing & inspection, and equipment maintenance to industries including mobility, battery, motor, energy, electronic components, and infrastructure. Hioki’s has 10 primary product categories which are: recorders and data loggers including oscilloscopes, LCR/Resistance Meters, safety testing including signal generators and calibrators, power meters including power quality analyzers, probes & sensors, optical & PV maintenance & telecommunication, environmental measuring, DMM & testers & field measuring, IoT & new solutions & meter relay, and bare board & package testing.
GMC Instruments is the result of a merger in 1993 from companies originally dating back to 1906. Under the Gossen Metrawatt and Camille Bauer brands, the company provides hardware, software, and services to several industries including medical devices and manufacturing. The company’s hardware division provides electrical safety devices, photometry equipment, energy management systems, and vital signs measurement devices. The company’s software lineup includes database management software, power analysis software, and medical device software.
Ranking as of December 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HIOKI E.E. CORPORATION |
13.7%
|
| 2 | Kyoritsu |
11.9%
|
| 3 | Good Will Instrument Co., Ltd |
9.0%
|
| 4 | Sanwa Electric Instrument Co., Ltd. |
8.7%
|
| 5 | Yokogawa Test & Measurement Corporation |
7.9%
|
| 6 | LUMEL S.A. |
7.2%
|
| 7 | PROMAX Test & Measurement SLU |
7.2%
|
| 8 | BENNING Elektrotechnik und Elektronik GmbH & Co. KG |
6.9%
|
| 9 | Keysight Technologies |
6.9%
|
| 10 | FLUKE Corporation |
5.8%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the clamp-on meter page as of December 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
Japan
|
5 | 45.5% |
|
United States of America
|
2 | 18.2% |
|
Taiwan
|
1 | 9.1% |
|
Spain
|
1 | 9.1% |
|
Poland
|
1 | 9.1% |
|
United Kingdom
|
1 | 9.1% |
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