Isolationfree

Isolationfree is a term used in electronics and information technology to describe systems, components, or architectures that operate without galvanic isolation between subsystems. In such designs, the same electrical ground reference is shared across interfaces, and signals and power may pass directly between parts of the system without isolation barriers such as opto-couplers, transformers, or digital isolators. Isolationfree approaches are typically pursued to reduce latency, simplify design, lower cost, and shrink form factor, particularly in environments where safety concerns allow or are mitigated by other means.

Because galvanic isolation protects against ground loops, electrical faults, and electrical noise, isolationfree designs trade safety and immunity to disturbances for simplicity and speed. They may be used in benign environments, in tightly integrated instrumentation, or where all subcomponents share a common chassis ground and the user is exposed to minimal risk. In industrial practice, they are generally avoided in high-voltage or safety-critical contexts.

Common deployment patterns include direct sensor interfaces in a controlled enclosure, single-supply microcontroller systems, and differential signaling with common ground. Designers may adopt measures such as robust PCB layout, shielding, short signal paths, and rigorous fault containment to manage issues like ground loops and electromagnetic interference within a shared-ground architecture.

Trade-offs include increased risk of ground loops, higher potential for catastrophic fault propagation, EMI susceptibility, and regulatory challenges for safety-critical applications. Documentation and risk assessment are important to justify the isolation-free choice.

See also: galvanic isolation, optocoupler, transformer isolation, common-mode rejection, ground loop. The term remains context-dependent and may be used loosely in marketing or design discussions as opposed to a formal engineering standard.