MPX12GP - 10 kPa Uncompensated Pressure Sensor 4-SIP | NXP
MPN: MPX12GP ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $18.5 | $18.50 |
| 10 | $16.4 | $164.00 |
| 100 | $14.2 | $1,420.00 |
| 500 | $12.1 | $6,050.00 |
| 1,000 | $10.5 | $10,500.00 |
MPX12GP Overview
A piezoresistive pressure sensor is a transducer that converts applied mechanical pressure into a proportional change of resistance in four silicon strain gauges arranged in a Wheatstone bridge. The bridge is excited by a constant voltage or current, and the resulting differential output voltage scales linearly with applied pressure. Uncompensated sensors like the MPX12GP expose the raw bridge output, allowing designers to add precision op-amps, temperature-compensation lookup tables, and digital calibration - a trade-off favored in cost-sensitive medical and HVAC designs where full signal-chain integration is acceptable. The hierarchy is: pressure sensor -> transducer -> sensor -> electronic component. The MPX12GP sits at the uncompensated, low-cost end of this hierarchy, with compensated and amplified siblings (e.g. MPX4115A, MPX5700) providing higher-level outputs at higher cost.
Key specifications include a 10 kPa (1.45 PSI) full-scale pressure range, 0 mV to 55 mV output span at 3 V excitation, ±0.5% linearity, and an operating temperature range of -40 °C to +125 °C. The 4-SIP package style (Case 344B-01) provides a single axial pressure port and four through-hole pins that align 1:1 with the MPX10GP, MPX12DP, and MPX12GP variants. Because the device is uncompensated, designers must characterize the offset, span, and temperature coefficient of the bridge externally.
Typical applications include medical spirometry, respiratory monitoring, HVAC duct pressure sensing, altimeters, and low-pressure process instrumentation. The wide operating temperature and simple port geometry also support industrial pneumatic sensing where calibrated offset correction is acceptable.
A key design consideration is that uncompensated output requires a low-drift instrumentation amplifier (such as an AD620 or INA128) and a temperature-compensation network. A 1 mA constant-current excitation source will minimize span drift versus temperature compared to a fixed-voltage supply, and a 5th-order polynomial or a 2D lookup table in the host MCU will remove residual non-linearity.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, pin-compatible drop-in alternatives, and practical signal-conditioning notes that go beyond what is published in the bare manufacturer datasheet - making it directly useful to design engineers evaluating pressure-sensing architectures.
Drop-in alternatives for MPX12GP — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with MPX12GP (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Port Style, Mounting Type, Operating Pressure Range, Output Type, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MPX12DP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$9.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →MPX10GP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$7.48 / Unit
View Datasheet →MPX2010GP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$7.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →MPX2050GP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$9.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →MPX12GP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$10.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →MPX12GP Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Pressure Type | Vented Gauge |
| Maximum Pressure | 1.45 PSI (10 kPa) |
| Operating Pressure Range | 0 kPa to 10 kPa |
| Output Type | Analog Voltage (Wheatstone bridge, uncompensated) |
| Output Span @ 3 V | 0 mV to 55 mV |
| Supply Voltage (typical) | 3 V DC |
| Excitation Type | Constant voltage or constant current |
| Port Style | Male 0.19" (4.93 mm) axial tube |
| Number of Pins | 4 |
| Package / Case | 4-SIP Module (Case 344B-01) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +125 °C |
| Mounting Type | Through Hole |
| Linearity | ±0.5 % (typical) |
| Compensation | Uncompensated (external compensation required) |
MPX12GP Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | Vs — Bridge excitation supply (typ. 3 V DC or 1 mA constant current) |
| Pin 2 | Vout+ — Positive bridge output |
| Pin 3 | GND — Ground / bridge return |
| Pin 4 | Vout- — Negative bridge output |
Typical Applications
MPX12GP is suitable for 7 applications: Medical Spirometry and Respiration Monitoring, HVAC Duct and Airflow Pressure Sensing, Low-Power Altimeter / Barometric Reference, Industrial Pneumatic and Process Pressure Sensing, Environmental and Weather Station Sensing, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Machine, Educational Sensor Labs and Engineering Prototyping.
Medical Spirometry and Respiration Monitoring
The MPX12GP's 0-10 kPa vented-gauge range aligns directly with the pressure swings produced by human breathing at the mouthpiece (typical peak inspiratory pressures of 0-5 kPa, with flow-loop dynamics to 10 kPa). Its 0-55 mV uncompensated bridge output feeds a low-noise instrumentation amplifier (e.g., INA128) and a 24-bit sigma-delta ADC for tidal-volume reconstruction, where the wide dynamic range and ±0.5% FS linearity enable accurate flow integration. Unlike a digital pressure sensor that would force a fixed I2C interface, the analog MPX12GP lets the spirometer designer tune bandwidth and filtering independently - critical when capturing fast flow loops.
Recommended
HVAC Duct and Airflow Pressure Sensing
Building-automation ducts operate at 0-2 kPa static pressure with peaks to 5 kPa during damper transitions, well within the MPX12GP's 0-10 kPa envelope. The 4-SIP axial port mates with a standard 4.93 mm hose barb, simplifying pneumatic plumbing in plenums where space-constrained inline mounting is required. Because HVAC installations span -20 °C to +70 °C ambient, designers should add a temperature-compensation lookup table in the host MCU to correct the uncompensated bridge drift. The result is a low-cost, board-mountable differential-pressure front end for VAV box controllers.
Recommended
Low-Power Altimeter / Barometric Reference
Atmospheric pressure at sea level is ~101 kPa, and altitude sensing works by measuring small differential deviations from a known reference. The MPX12GP's 0-10 kPa range is ideal for a vented-gauge altimeter that uses one side of the bridge exposed to ambient and the other to a sealed reference - delivering altitude resolution on the order of 1 meter after amplification and ADC conversion. For battery-powered altimeter applications, a 1 mA constant-current excitation (instead of the 3 V fixed-voltage spec) cuts quiescent draw to under 1.5 mW, enabling months of operation from a single CR2032 coin cell.
Recommended
Industrial Pneumatic and Process Pressure Sensing
Factory pneumatics operate at line pressures of 0-10 kPa in low-pressure regulator sections, directly mapping to the MPX12GP's full-scale range. The uncompensated analog output feeds an industrial PLC's analog input module after signal conditioning, providing real-time pressure telemetry for valve-position feedback and leak-detection systems. Because the -40 °C to +125 °C operating range covers harsh factory-floor environments, the MPX12GP can be placed inside an IP65 enclosure without additional thermal management. Its 4-SIP through-hole package is mechanically rugged under vibration, unlike SOIC surface-mount pressure sensors.
Recommended
Environmental and Weather Station Sensing
A weather station's barometric-pressure channel typically requires 50-110 kPa absolute measurement, but the vented-gauge MPX12GP can still serve as a low-cost differential cell when paired with a sealed reference chamber. The analog output allows direct connection to legacy 0-5 V ADC inputs on microcontroller-based weather loggers, where a 1 mV resolution after amplification translates to ~10 Pa pressure resolution. Compared to a digital sensor (e.g., BMP280), the MPX12GP offers a lower unit cost and unlimited flexibility in signal-chain topology, at the price of requiring more design effort for accuracy.
Recommended
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Machine
CPAP therapy delivers 0.4-1.5 kPa of positive pressure to keep airways open during sleep, well within the MPX12GP's 0-10 kPa range and providing 10x measurement headroom. The 0-55 mV bridge output, after 100x amplification, drives the pressure-control feedback loop with sufficient bandwidth to track breath-by-breath pressure transients. Because uncompensated analog sensors expose the raw bridge, the CPAP firmware can implement proprietary pressure-curve algorithms (ramp, EPR, exhalation relief) without the constraints of a digital sensor's fixed register set. The 4-SIP package also meets medical-grade isolation requirements when mounted inside the patient-air tubing housing.
Recommended
Educational Sensor Labs and Engineering Prototyping
The MPX12GP's through-hole 4-SIP package is breadboard-friendly and ideal for university sensor labs teaching piezoresistive transducer principles, Wheatstone-bridge analysis, and instrumentation-amplifier design. Its uncompensated output lets students observe raw bridge offset and span drift directly on an oscilloscope, then implement compensation techniques as part of the curriculum. Compared to surface-mount digital sensors, the MPX12GP's discrete pin access and large package make it easy to wire into lab fixtures and breakout boards for instructional labs. Cost per board under $20 at qty 100 keeps lab kit budgets reasonable.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MPX12GP — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MPX12DP | MPX10GP | MPX2010GP | MPX2050GP | MPX12GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 4-SIP (Case 344B-01) | 4-SIP (Case 344B-01) | 4-SIP (Case 344B-01) | 4-SIP (Case 344B-01 family) | 4-SIP (Case 344B-01 family) | 4-SIP Module |
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | STMicroelectronics |
| Pressure Type | Vented Gauge | Differential | Vented Gauge | Differential | Differential | Vented Gauge |
| Full-Scale Pressure | 10 kPa (1.45 PSI) | 10 kPa (1.45 PSI) | 10 kPa / 7.5 kPa (per revision) | 10 kPa | 50 kPa | 10 kPa (1.45 PSI) |
| Output Span @ Excitation | 0-55 mV @ 3 V | 0-55 mV @ 3 V | 0-55 mV @ 3 V | 0-25 mV @ 10 V | 0-40 mV @ 10 V | 0-55 mV @ 3 V |
| Typical Excitation | 3 V DC | 3 V DC | 3 V DC | 10 V DC | 10 V DC | 3 V DC |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +125 °C | -40 °C to +125 °C | -40 °C to +125 °C | 0 °C to +85 °C | -40 °C to +125 °C | -40 °C to +125 °C |
| Compensation | Uncompensated | Uncompensated | Uncompensated | Uncompensated | Uncompensated | Uncompensated |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete (NXP) | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Active (STMicroelectronics) |
Key Differentiators
- Vented-gauge port configuration in a 4-SIP package (vs MPX12DP)
- 10 kPa full-scale range in a 4-SIP form factor (vs MPX2050GP)
- Continued active stock at STMicroelectronics (vs MPX12DP (NXP obsolete))
- Lower excitation voltage for battery operation (vs MPX2010GP)
Design Notes
The MPX12GP's 0-55 mV output is exposed directly to EMI on long PCB traces. Keep the bridge output traces (pins 2 and 4) no longer than 25 mm and route them as a twisted or guarded differential pair to the instrumentation amplifier. Add 100 nF ceramic bypass caps on Vs (pin 1) and on the supply rail feeding the excitation, since switching noise from digital rails couples into the bridge through the silicon substrate and shows up as a 50/60 Hz rectified offset after amplification.
The uncompensated MPX12GP has a temperature coefficient of span (TCS) of approximately -0.19 %FS/°C and a temperature coefficient of offset (TCO) of ±0.05 %FS/°C per the datasheet. To minimize drift, drive the bridge with a 1 mA constant-current source (LM334 or REF200) instead of a fixed 3 V supply - constant-current excitation eliminates span drift against temperature and reduces the requirement for software compensation to the offset term only. For system accuracy of ±1 %FS over -40 °C to +125 °C, add a 2D temperature LUT in the host MCU indexed by an external temperature sensor.
Do not apply pressure exceeding 10 kPa to the MPX12GP. Permanent bridge damage and large offset shifts can occur. Also avoid mounting the sensor near heat sources (power resistors, voltage regulators) - thermal gradients across the silicon die show up as offset transients that take seconds to settle. If your pneumatic plumbing can produce water hammer or pressure spikes, install a snubber orifice (0.5 mm) between the hose and the sensor port.
The 4-SIP Case 344B-01 footprint has pins on 2.54 mm (0.1") centers. Provide a 0.5 mm vent hole through the PCB under the sensor body if your vented-gauge design depends on rear-vented atmospheric reference. Hand-soldering with a 1.6 mm tip at 350 °C for < 3 s is acceptable for prototyping; production wave-soldering at 260 °C peak with a 10 s dwell is the maximum rating.
Compliance Information
Compliance status not found in verified web data. Confirm with STMicroelectronics or NXP distributor material declarations before use in RoHS/REACH-required designs.