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This section provides an overview for current probes as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 26 current probe manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked current probe companies as of December, 2024: 1.Algodue Elettronica s.r.l., 2.A.H. Systems, inc., 3.Chauvin Arnoux, Inc..
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A current probe is a probe for measuring current directly on an oscilloscope.
The current waveform is observed by clamping the cable with the head where the current to be measured flows. A clamp meter is an instrument designed to measure the current flowing through a cable without cutting the cable.
The major advantage is that the current can be measured while lighting and equipment are operating as usual, since there is no need to disconnect the cable each time a measurement is made. Like clamp meters, current probes can also observe current waveforms without disconnecting cables.
Current probes are used to observe current waveforms using an oscilloscope. Applications include current measurement in industrial and electronic equipment. Specifically, there are various applications such as current measurement of inverter equipment, load current of motors, measurement of switching power supplies, and evaluation of LED lighting drive circuits.
Various models are available for high current, low current, and high speed current, depending on the magnitude of the current and the application. There are also current probes for both DC and AC currents, and AC-only current probes that can measure only AC currents.
Current probes use the magnetic flux generated when current flows through a power cable, so unlike inserting an ammeter, measurement can be made without disconnecting the circuit under test. The head of the current probe (the part that clamps the cable) is made of a high permeability magnetic material (iron-based material such as Permalloy), similar to the core of a transformer, to trap the magnetic flux generated by the cable.
However, the method of magnetic flux detection differs between AC-only current probes and dual-use AC/DC current probes.
A transformer is capable of converting AC applied to the primary into a voltage or current on the secondary side according to the turn ratio. In a current probe, when a cable carrying AC current is placed in the space enclosed by the core, it acts like the primary winding of a transformer.
The core is wound with a coil that corresponds to the secondary winding, and the value of the current flowing in the cable can be determined from the voltage that appears at both ends of the coil in response to changes in the magnetic flux in the core. This method is mainly used in current probes dedicated to alternating current.
However, since there is no magnetic flux change in direct current, no voltage appears in the secondary winding. Therefore, the above method using the transformer principle cannot be used.
The AC-DC dual-use type, which can also measure DC current, uses a head with a Hall element embedded inside the core. The Hall element outputs a voltage corresponding to the magnetic flux density due to the Hall effect for both DC and AC, and when this voltage is input to the oscilloscope terminals, the current value (waveform) is drawn on the display.
The following two items should be adjusted before using the current probe.
Offset Cancellation
However, a DC offset is unavoidable because a Hall element is used for current detection, and its output is amplified by a DC amplifier and connected to the input terminal of the oscilloscope. Therefore, it is necessary to cancel it for accurate measurement.
The procedure is as follows:
Skew Adjustment
When observing current and voltage waveforms simultaneously using current and voltage probes, such as a power measurement in a power circuit, it is necessary to adjust the phase of the signal waveforms, so-called skew adjustment, because the delay time of signals arriving at the oscilloscope body is different for each probe. Adjustment devices, such as power measurement de-skew fixtures, are available and can be used to adjust the phase between probes.
As mentioned above, AC current probes use the transformer principle to detect the current flowing in the circuit under test, but the waveform is observed to be small at low frequency currents. In particular, low-speed pulse signals cause waveform distortion due to sag.
Therefore, when measuring low-frequency signals, including DC, it is important to select a dual-use AC/DC current probe.
The magnitude of current that can be handled by a current probe depends on its frequency, and the higher the frequency, the lower the current that can be measured. This is because the higher the frequency, the more heat is generated in the core and the transformer.
The model of probe to be used should be selected based on the frequency of the current to be measured.
Attaching a current probe to the circuit under test involves inserting a small impedance into the circuit under test. The effect of this impedance on the circuit is so small that it can usually be ignored.
However, if the line through which the current flows is wound around the core multiple times in order to measure a small current, the aforementioned impedance becomes twice as large as the number of times it is wound, thus increasing the likelihood that it will affect the circuit under test.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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With over 35 years of experience, Algodue Elettronica has specialized in the design and manufacture of instruments for the measurement of energy, the monitor of electrical usage, and the analysis of energy power quality for low voltage systems. Starting with the in-house development of our products, we provide technical knowledge and consulting service to research and realize custom-made solutions according to special requirements. Every instrument from Algodue product range allows an efficient and performative measurement of power consumption, and establish the actions needed to reduce energy costs. Each instrument covers multiple requirements coming from the main sectors like industry, manufacturing, commercial, residential, and the ever-increasing renewable energies. Algodue supports all customers with a dedicated team of specialized technicians and engineers for pre-sale consultancy service for device adaptation and design of specific projects, and after-sale activities to follow every request of support and service. We invest 10% of our yearly profit on research and innovation,to guarantee customers with always up-to-date solutions in line with the latest market trends.
A.H. Systems, Inc., established in 1974 and headquartered in Camarillo, California, USA, is a manufacturer and supplier of antennas for compliance testing. The company's product range includes Antenna Kits, Biconical Antennas, Biological Antennas, Current Probes, and Dipole Antennas. These products satisfy many test standards, including CISPR, MIL-STD, FCC, IEC, and SAE. The company's services entail antenna calibration, antenna rental, and a discount warehouse. It is devoted to providing quality products and services to its customers. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified and has a long history of customer satisfaction.
Rohde and Shwarz, headquartered in Munich, Germany, is a technology business that creates, develops, and promotes innovative information and communication technology products for professionals. Customers all over the world rely on Rohde & Schwarz and its cutting-edge solutions in the test & measurement, secure communications, networks & cybersecurity, and broadcast & media areas. They were created in 1993 and have regional hubs in Asia and the United States.Rohde & Schwarz has invested heavily in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, the industrial internet of things (IIoT), 6G, cloud solutions, and quantum technology.
Teledyne LeCroy was founded in 1964 and is headquartered in Chestnut Ridge, New York, with sales, service, and development subsidiaries in the US and throughout Europe and Asia. The company serves a wide variety of industries including semiconductor & computer, consumer electronics, automotive, and telecommunications. The company’s product categories include oscilloscopes, electronic test equipment, protocol analysis solutions such as SATA and USB devices, modular data acquisition devices, and sensors and calibrators. The company provides services such as SSD testing, automotive and device interoperability testing, and technology training.
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.
JC Cherry, Inc. was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in San Jose, California. The company serves markets including semiconductors, medical, military, industrial, and automobile as a distributor of electronic components including RF connectors and round socket pins produced by JC Electronics Corporation of Tokyo, Japan. The company functions as an importer and exporter of electronic parts and instruments, arts, crafts, and industrial products. The company also manufactures electronics components including PCB connectors, sockets for transistors & diodes, and test sockets for IC devices.
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.
Tekbox Digital Solutions, founded in 2008 and located in Singapore, is a manufacturer of environmental monitoring products and test equipment. The company specifically fabricates multi-sensors remote terminal units, converters, sensor interfaces, antennas, and comb generators. It also produces coaxial adapter sets, self-powered active loads, high-pass filters, and anemometers. It applies electromagnetic compatibility pre compliance testing during the design phase that could reduce time to market and product development cost significantly. Its multi-sensors remote terminal units allow connecting up to 2 SDI-12 sensors, 2 analog sensors, and one pulse sensor.
Marposs S.p.A. is headquartered in Bentivoglio, Italy. The company serves industries such asa aerospace, semiconductors, machine tooling, and biomedical as a manufacturer and as a service provider. The company’s products vary by industry but include tools for gauging, profiling, and monitoring, as well as data management systems and machines for testing and automation. The company’s services include after sales service, customer training, original spare parts, retrofit and upgrade of existing machinery, and project management consulting services.
Impedans Ltd. is a manufacturer of plasma and radio frequency (RF) measurement technology that was established in 2005 in Dublin, Ireland. The company produces various RF and plasma sensors, as well as diagnostic systems. These products include substrate level sensors that use retarding field analyzers, bulk plasma sensors utilizing Langmuir probes for measuring key plasma parameters, and RF sensors that use impedance analyzers. The company‘s products are mainly used by semiconductor manufacturers, research institutions, and green energy distribution facilities.
GFUVE ELECTRONICS, founded in 2005 and headquartered in Beijing, China, is a manufacturer of electronic measurement and test equipment. The company offers an extensive product portfolio, including split-core current transformers, high-voltage ammeter recorders, IEC61850 test suite software, monitoring systems for pumping units, and phantom load power sources. These products are applied by researchers and engineers in laboratories and educational institutions, maintaining the stability and reliability of the electrical grid, controlling energy generation from sources like solar panels, and monitoring power distribution systems to track the flow of electricity.
Tes Electrical Electronic Corp., founded in 1988 and based in Taipei, Taiwan, is a manufacturer of test instruments that are sold worldwide. Its products include digital earth testers, LAN cable meters, micro-ohmmeters, power analyzers, and battery capacity testers, used in various areas, including clean room inspection, measuring electrical energy waste, evaluating solar system performance, light testing, and monitoring exposure levels of noise. The company has an annual revenue of 10 million USD. It is ISO 9002 certified, and its calibration laboratory is TAF (Taiwan Accreditation Foundation) and ilac-MRA accredited.
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.
RIGOL, established in 1998, has its R&D headquarters in China and is a manufacturer of electronic test equipment with over 400 employees serving more than 60 countries and regions worldwide. The company's main products include digital and mixed-signal oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, RF signal generators, waveform generators, sensitive measurement products, and data acquisition systems. RIGOL's products are used for IoT, EMC pre-compliance solutions, spectrum monitoring, RF device characterization, and complex demodulation by commercial and industrial clients.
OWON - Fujian Lilliput Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd is based in China since 1990 as a manufacturer and supplier of test and measurement equipment. The company produces Digital Oscilloscopes available as handheld, virtual, tablet, and benchtop types as well as probes. They have Single Channel and Dual Channel Waveform Generators, along with Digital Multimeters and Programmable DC series Power Suppliers. There are also different types of Thermal Imagers, Spectrum Analyzers, and Anenmo Meters that can provide more than one kind of measurement.
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.
Power Electronic Measurements Ltd., founded in 1991, is a British manufacturer headquartered in Long Eaton, Nottingham, specializing in wide-bandwidth current measuring devices. PEM is the forefront in manufacturing Rogowski coil-based current transducers, utilizing coils that are thin, lightweight, and flexible while being resistant to overload current. The company currently offers the RCT product line, consisting of alternating current (AC) transducers designed as an alternative to current transformers. Additionally, PEM's CWT product line features wide-bandwidth Rogowski coil-based current sensors, specifically designed for measuring complex current waveforms. These products find industrial applications with regard to power measurement and more.
TEKTRONIX, INC., founded in 1946, is a manufacturer of measurement solutions used in 3D sensing, EMI/ EMC testing, high-speed serial communication, material science engineering, and Wireless & RF testing. The products include oscilloscopes & probes, signal generators, margin testers, multimeters, and analyzers. The company's products are used in advanced research, aerospace & defense, automotive, power semiconductor, and medical industries. The Bracknell Berkshire company offers calibration, repair, asset management, package assembling, and testing services following NEMA, HAlT & HASS, environmental, and shock-vibration testing.
Kimo Electronic Pvt. Ltd., established in 1997 and headquartered in Mumbai, India, operates as a manufacturer, supplier, and distributor of industrial and electronic components. Its product line includes electronic motor soft starters from 0.25kW to 50,000 kW (50 mW) and up to 15,000Volts or 15kV for motor acceleration control, industrial brake systems for machinery deceleration and safety, as well as power transmissions for efficient power transfer, and motor control solutions for regulating industrial electric motors. The company is ISO 9000 certified, emphasizing effective quality management.
Rockwell Automation, Inc. was founded in 1903 and is headquartered in Milwakee, WI. Rockwell Automation provides industrial automation and digital transformation solutions around the world. Rockwell Automation operates through their intelligent devices, software & control, and lifecycle services segments with both hardware and software products and services. The Intelligent Devices segment offers drives, motion, safety, sensing, industrial components, and configured-to-order products. The Software & Control segment provides control and visualization software and hardware, information software, and network and security infrastructure solutions. The Lifecycle Services segment provides consulting, professional services and solutions, and connected and maintenance services through independent distributors.
Aim and Thurlby Thandar Instruments, founded in 1989 and based in Huntingdon, UK, is a manufacturer of electronic test and measurement equipment and laboratory supplies. Its products include EMC analyzers, waveform amplifiers, pulse generators, multimeters, and DC power supplies. It also provides accessories related to the products, including power adaptors, cases, rack mounts, cables, and connectors. The company complies with the WEEE directive, and all its products are listed in Annex I of the RoHS directive. It sells its products worldwide through various distributors, and all the products are designed and manufactured at the Huntingdon facility.
TEXIO TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION has been in operation in Japan for over 60 years. TEXIO specializes in custom orders of a variety of different products including power supplies. TEXIO also specializes in DC power supplies, oscilloscopes, multimeters, function generators, and safety testers.
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.
Pico Technology was established in 1991 and is headquartered in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom where it designs, manufactures, and supplies PC-based test and measurement instruments. The company deals in data acquisition, oscilloscopes, and automotive diagnostics with various test and measurement instruments, including oscilloscopes, data loggers, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, and automotive diagnostics tools. The products help engineers, scientists, researchers, and technicians capture, analyze, and interpret signals and data in various applications. The company also collaborates with academic and research organizations besides aerospace, telecommunications, electronics, and manufacturing industries.
Ranking as of December 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Algodue Elettronica s.r.l. |
79.2%
|
| 2 | A.H. Systems, inc. |
1.8%
|
| 3 | JC CHERRY INC. |
1.8%
|
| 4 | Good Will Instrument Co., Ltd |
1.8%
|
| 5 | Teledyne LeCroy |
1.6%
|
| 6 | IGOL TECHNOLOGIES, INC. |
1.6%
|
| 7 | Chauvin Arnoux, Inc. |
1.3%
|
| 8 | Power Electronic Measurements Ltd |
1.3%
|
| 9 | HIOKI E.E. CORPORATION |
1.1%
|
| 10 | Rohde & Schwarz USA, Inc. |
1.1%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the current probe 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 (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
United States of America
|
5 | 22.7% |
|
Japan
|
5 | 22.7% |
|
China
|
3 | 13.6% |
|
Italy
|
2 | 9.1% |
|
Taiwan
|
2 | 9.1% |
|
United Kingdom
|
2 | 9.1% |
|
Singapore
|
1 | 4.5% |
|
Ireland
|
1 | 4.5% |
|
India
|
1 | 4.5% |
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