NullPunktSpannvorrichtungen

Nullpunktspannung, or zero-point voltage, is a reference voltage used to establish the zero level in an electronic measurement or control system. It denotes the input voltage value that produces a zero output for a given channel, code, or measurement path. In practice, the null point is defined by system ground, a dedicated voltage reference, or an internal offset adjustment in an amplifier.

In instrumentation and data acquisition, accurately locating and maintaining the null point is essential for linearity and accuracy. Offset voltages in operational amplifiers and analog-to-digital converters create a nonzero null point; temperature changes can shift it, a phenomenon known as offset drift. Designers mitigate this with calibration, offset trimming, or auto-zero and chopper-stabilized architectures.

Calibration methods include applying a known zero input to measure the output and apply compensation, software-based offset correction, or hardware trimming with potentiometers or reference networks. Some systems use zero-drift references to minimize long-term drift.

In applied circuits such as Wheatstone bridges, the null point (zero differential voltage) occurs when the bridge is balanced. The excitation and sensing paths determine a physical and electrical zero that serves as a reference for the measured quantity.

Terminology varies by language. In German engineering, Nullpunktspannung or Nullpunktsspannung describes the zero reference in voltage-measurement contexts; in English, zero-point voltage or offset voltage conveys the same idea. The term is descriptive rather than a universal standard.

Applications include ADCs, DACs, instrumentation amplifiers, sensor interfaces, and automated calibration procedures in laboratory and industrial measurement systems.