Under Earthing This refers to the conductive connection between electrical installations, devices, or equipment and ground potential. It serves both to protect people and equipment and to ensure the trouble-free operation of electrical and electronic systems.
In electrical, measurement, and automation technology, grounding serves various purposes. In addition to protecting against hazardous touch voltages, it helps dissipate interference, reduce electromagnetic interference, and improve the quality of measurement signals.
Generally speaking, there are two main types of grounding:
Protective grounding (PE – Protective Earth)
The Protective Grounding is designed to protect people, animals, and property. In the event of a fault—such as insulation damage or a short circuit to an equipment enclosure—dangerous fault currents are safely diverted to ground. This allows protective devices such as fuses or residual current devices (RCDs) to trip and shut off the power supply.
Typical functions of protective grounding:
- Protection Against Electric Shock
- Dissipation of Fault Currents
- Increased operational safety
- Protection of Equipment and Facilities
Functional Grounding (FE)
The Functional Grounding is not primarily intended for personal protection, but rather to fulfill a technical function within a system. It is used to divert interference currents and electromagnetic disturbances, thereby improving signal quality.
Functional grounding plays an important role, particularly in measurement and automation technology, since even minor disturbances can affect the accuracy of measurements. The shields of sensor, measurement, or communication cables are often connected via functional grounding.
Typical applications of functional grounding:
- Reduction of Electromagnetic Interference
- Improving Signal Quality
- Dissipation of Interference Currents
- Grounding of Cable Shielding
- Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Support
Grounding in Measurement and Automation Technology
Proper grounding is essential for the reliable operation of measurement systems. Incorrect grounding designs can lead to signal noise, measurement errors, communication problems, or ground loops.
Modern measurement and data acquisition systems therefore often rely on galvanically isolated inputs and outputs, as well as well-designed grounding and shielding concepts, to ensure high measurement accuracy even in industrial environments.