No industrial process is completely risk free. New technologies can help reduce risks in the manufacturing process, but many industries still have manufacturing hazards that can badly hurt people and equipment. For example, combustible gases are a risk factor in industries like oil, petrochemical, and mining, but new technologies like combustible gas sensors can alleviate risks associated with these gases. Accurate sensors are essential to monitoring industrial processes to detect deviations from the norm and to properly address any potential dangers.
Most, if not all, modern-day sensors take some physical quantity and convert it into a voltage. A temperature sensor, for instance, contains an electrical element that changes with temperature. A change in temperature is measured as a change in voltage, which in turn is converted to a temperature in degrees. For a single sensor, making a decision can be simple: if it gets too hot, turn the machinery off. But what if that sensor is not perfectly accurate? Most sensors have some amount of uncertainty in their spec sheet. What if, instead of just one sensor, you have hundreds or thousands? Making a simple rule to govern your equipment becomes nearly impossible.