IP Code

The IP Code, International Protection Marking, IEC standard 60529, sometimes interpreted as Ingress Protection Marking, classifies and rates the degree of protection provided against intrusion (body parts such as hands and fingers), dust, accidental contact, and water by mechanical casings and electrical enclosures. It is published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

The standard aims to provide users more detailed information than vague marketing terms such as waterproof. The digits (characteristic numerals) indicate conformity with the conditions summarized in the tables below. Where there is no data available to specify a protection rating with regard to one of the criteria, the digit is replaced with the letter X. The digit 0 is used where no protection is provided.

A rating of X for one or more of the protection criteria can be erroneously misinterpreted as "no protection." To illustrate, a piece of electronic equipment rated IPX7 will almost certainly demonstrate a robust resistance to the ingress of particles, even though a rating for ingress of solids hasn't been formally assigned. Hence, an X designation shouldn't be automatically misconstrued as a lack of protection.

For example, an electrical socket rated IP22 is protected against insertion of fingers and will not be damaged or become unsafe during a specified test in which it is exposed to vertically or nearly vertically dripping water. For example, a particular cellular phone rated at IP58 is "dust resistant" and can be "immersed in 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes". IP22 or 2X are typical minimum requirements for the design of electrical accessories for indoor use.

The ratings for water ingress are not cumulative beyond IPX6. A device which is compliant with IPX7, covering immersion in water, need not be compliant with IPX5 or IPX6, covering exposure to water jets. A device which meets both tests is indicated by listing both tests separated by a slash, e.g. IPX5/IPX7.

There are no hyphens in a genuine IP code. IPX-8 (for example) is thus a false IP code.

Code breakdown

Solid particle protection

The first digit indicates the level of protection that the enclosure provides against access to hazardous parts (e.g., electrical conductors, moving parts) and the ingress of solid foreign objects.

Liquid ingress protection

The second digit indicates the level of protection that the enclosure provides against harmful ingress of water.^[1]

(The IPx9K level is defined by DIN 40050-9, and not the original IEC 60529.)

Additional letters

The standard defines additional letters that can be appended to classify only the level of protection against access to hazardous parts by persons:

Further letters can be appended to provide additional information related to the protection of the device:

Mechanical impact resistance

An additional number has sometimes been used to specify the resistance of equipment to mechanical impact. This mechanical impact is identified by the energy needed to qualify a specified resistance level, which is measured in joules (J). This has now been superseded by the separate 'IK code' specified in EN 62262.

Although dropped from the 3rd edition of IEC 60529 onwards, and not present in the EN version, older enclosure specifications will sometimes be seen with an optional third IP digit denoting impact resistance. Newer products are likely to be given an IK rating instead. However, there is not an exact correspondence of values between the old and new standards.

IP69K

German standard DIN 40050-9 extends the IEC 60529 rating system described above with an IP69K rating for high-pressure, high-temperature wash-down applications.^[2] Such enclosures must not only be dust-tight (IP6X), but it must also be able to withstand high-pressure and steam cleaning.

The test specifies a spray nozzle that is fed with 80 °C water at 8–10 MPa (80–100 bar) and a flow rate of 14–16 L/min. The nozzle is held 10–15 cm from the tested device at angles of 0°, 30°, 60° and 90° for 30 seconds each. The test device sits on a turntable that rotates once every 12 seconds (5 rpm).

The IP69K test specification was initially developed for road vehicles, especially those that need regular intensive cleaning (dump trucks, cement mixers, etc.), but it also finds use in other areas (for example, the food industry and car wash centers).

NEMA rating

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association defines NEMA enclosure types in NEMA standard number 250. Ratings are not directly equivalent between the two standards, but the following table outlines the NEMA ratings that would correspond to the performance required by an IP code. NEMA ratings also require additional product features and tests (such as functionality under icing conditions, enclosures for hazardous areas, knock-outs for cable connections and others) not addressed by IP ratings.

Ingress Protection for consumer electronics

The inclusion of an Ingress Protection rating has become increasingly common for use in the consumer electronics market with devices such as mobile phones, tablet computers and cameras now being sold as water resistant, waterproof and dustproof.

Mobile phones

With more than 1 billion mobile devices shipped worldwide from 2013, mobile phones are being carried daily into various environments where water, dust and finer microparticles are a threat to the continued usage of electronic devices.

Manufacturers such as Samsung and Sony have now started to market handsets that offer IP ratings with devices in their Samsung Galaxy S series and Sony Xperia Z series respectively, aimed at consumers who are worried about their handsets flooding or getting covered in dust.

While various ranges of smartphones do offer protection against the elements they aren't always protected against drops and can still break easily when dropped onto hard surfaces. Due to this, the need for ruggedised mobile phones^[3] has also increased significantly with specialist manufacturers like Bullitt Group offering devices that combine both Ingress Protection ratings and MIL-STD 810G standards which protect against a range of environmental conditions such as; Low Pressure (Altitude), High Temperature, Low Temperature, Contamination by Fluids, Solar Radiation (Sunshine), Humidity, Salt Fog, Sand and Dust.

The combination of both Ingress Protection ratings and MIL-STD 810 has provided the ruggedised consumer market an extra dimension to consider when marketing products towards those who enjoy outdoor recreation, extreme sports as well as manual workers in skilled trades.

Tablet computers

Tablet computers have become increasingly popular thanks namely to the release of the Apple iPad with many consumers now owning both a smartphone and tablet computer, with the pair often carried daily. It is now common to find ruggedised tablet computers on construction sites, and when out in the field their increased screen size and power make them a valuable addition to emergency, security & armed forces around the world.

Similar to mobile phones, many tablet computers offer both Ingress Protection abilities combined with MIL-STD 810 standards.

Cameras

Digital photography is another area that has seen an increase in the number of devices offering protection against water and dust as well as protection against drops, shocks, vibrations and temperature variations. Popular devices like the Nikon 1 AW1 and the Olympus Stylus Tough TG-860 offer high-spec photography with the added protection that IP and MIL-STD standards provide.

Photographers, both professional and amateur, can make good use of ruggedised photography equipment in environments where conditions are unpredictable, and where the device/camera may require added protection against the elements.

See also

• EN 62262 – IK code on resistance to mechanical impacts
• MIL-STD-810
• U.S. Military connector specifications for military equivalents
• Water Resistant mark on wrist watches and eye bands

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to IP code.