ISA 5.1 letter codes.
The first letter, second letter, and modifier letters of ISA 5.1 instrument identification. Every letter below carries the measured variable, the function letters that combine with it, and an example tag.
Three drawings included on a new account.
ISA 5.1 letter codes at a glance.
The first letter names the measured variable; the succeeding letters name the function. One row per first letter, with the function letters it commonly combines with and an example tag.
| Letter | Measured variable | Common function letters | Example tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Analysis | T, I, IC, E, AH, SH | AT-205 |
| B | Burner, Combustion | T, S, Y | BS-101 |
| C | User's choice, commonly Conductivity | T, I, E | CT-201 |
| D | User's choice, commonly Density | T, I, E | DT-401 |
| E | Voltage | T, I, AH | ET-501 |
| F | Flow | T, I, IC, Y, E, AL, AH, SH | FT-101 |
| G | User's choice, commonly Gauging or Gas | T, AH, SH | GT-301 |
| H | Hand | S, V, IC | HS-101 |
| I | Current, electrical | T, I, E, Y | IT-505 |
| J | Power | T, I | JT-605 |
| K | Time, time schedule | Y, I | KY-301 |
| L | Level | T, I, IC, G, SH, ALL, C | LT-301 |
| M | User's choice, commonly Moisture | T, I | MT-401 |
| N | User's choice | T | NT-105 |
| O | User's choice | T | OT-405 |
| P | Pressure | T, DT, I, IC, SV, RV, SHH, ALL | PT-501 |
| Q | Quantity | I, Y, T, R | QI-205 |
| R | Radiation | T, E, AH, SH | RT-901 |
| S | Speed, frequency | T, I, AH, SH | ST-205 |
| T | Temperature | T, I, IC, E, W, Y, SH, AHH | TT-201 |
| U | Multivariable | T, I | UT-301 |
| V | Vibration, mechanical analysis | T, E, AH, SHH | VT-101 |
| W | Weight, force | T, I | WT-501 |
| X | Unclassified | T, Y | XY-901 |
| Y | Event, state, presence | S, AH | YS-201 |
| Z | Position, dimension | T, I, S, SC, SO | ZSC-101 |
First letter by succeeding letter.
Read across the row: the first letter is what the tag measures, the column is the succeeding letter for what the instrument does, and the cell is the resulting ISA 5.1 tag. FT is a flow transmitter, LC is a level controller, PI is a pressure indicator. Add a middle function letter for a compound device: FIC is a flow indicating controller, PSH is a pressure switch, high.
| Measured variable | I · Indicate | T · Transmit | C · Control | R · Record | S · Switch | V · Valve | E · Element | A · Alarm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A · Analysis | AI | AT | AC | AR | AS | AV | AE | AA |
| B · Burner, Combustion | BI | BT | BC | BR | BS | BV | BE | BA |
| C · User's choice, commonly… | CI | CT | CC | CR | CS | CV | CE | CA |
| D · User's choice, commonly… | DI | DT | DC | DR | DS | DV | DE | DA |
| E · Voltage | EI | ET | EC | ER | ES | EV | EE | EA |
| F · Flow | FI | FT | FC | FR | FS | FV | FE | FA |
| G · User's choice, commonly… | GI | GT | GC | GR | GS | GV | GE | GA |
| H · Hand | HI | HT | HC | HR | HS | HV | HE | HA |
| I · Current, electrical | II | IT | IC | IR | IS | IV | IE | IA |
| J · Power | JI | JT | JC | JR | JS | JV | JE | JA |
| K · Time, time schedule | KI | KT | KC | KR | KS | KV | KE | KA |
| L · Level | LI | LT | LC | LR | LS | LV | LE | LA |
| M · User's choice, commonly… | MI | MT | MC | MR | MS | MV | ME | MA |
| N · User's choice | NI | NT | NC | NR | NS | NV | NE | NA |
| O · User's choice | OI | OT | OC | OR | OS | OV | OE | OA |
| P · Pressure | PI | PT | PC | PR | PS | PV | PE | PA |
| Q · Quantity | QI | QT | QC | QR | QS | QV | QE | QA |
| R · Radiation | RI | RT | RC | RR | RS | RV | RE | RA |
| S · Speed, frequency | SI | ST | SC | SR | SS | SV | SE | SA |
| T · Temperature | TI | TT | TC | TR | TS | TV | TE | TA |
| U · Multivariable | UI | UT | UC | UR | US | UV | UE | UA |
| V · Vibration, mechanical… | VI | VT | VC | VR | VS | VV | VE | VA |
| W · Weight, force | WI | WT | WC | WR | WS | WV | WE | WA |
| X · Unclassified | XI | XT | XC | XR | XS | XV | XE | XA |
| Y · Event, state, presence | YI | YT | YC | YR | YS | YV | YE | YA |
| Z · Position, dimension | ZI | ZT | ZC | ZR | ZS | ZV | ZE | ZA |
Using a non-ISA standard.
Tagsight also reads KKS, IEC 81346, DIN 19227, NORSOK, JIS B 0125, and in-house operator conventions. Tags extract as drawn, no forced normalization to ISA 5.1.