Rugged Technology IP Ratings Explained

When you’re looking at rugged technology and trying to decide which device will be right for the job, you’ve probably come across IP ratings – the letters IP, followed by a number, for example IP65 or IP67. So what exactly do they mean and how much notice should you take of them?

What are IP ratings?

The initials IP stand for ‘ingress protection’, and IP ratings are a system that defines the level of sealing effectiveness of equipment casings against dirt, dust, liquid and foreign particles. They are laid out by the following international standards: EN 60529, British BS EN 60529:1992 and European IEC 60509:1989.

How to interpret IP ratings

IP ratings are followed by two digits. The first one refers to the level of protection the casing gives the device against solid particles or foreign bodies and the second one indicates the how protective the casing is against moisture, ranging from condensation to full immersion. An x in the place of either digit means that the casing in question isn’t rated for that particular issue.

The first digit on an IP rating means:

1. Not protected against contact and ingress of objects
2. Protected against objects larger than 50mm – so for example, large parts of the body such as the hand
3. Protected against objects larger than 12.5mm and longer than 80mm, such as fingers
4. Protection from tools and thick wires greater than 2.5mm
5. Protected against objects greater than 1mm
6. Protected from dust damage and from contact
7. Dust proof with no ingress of dust particles

The second digit of IP ratings relates to moisture protection:

1. No protection at all
2. Safe from dripping water
3. Protected from dripping water even when tilted to a 15º angle
4. Safe from spraying water at any angle up to 60º from vertical
5. Water splashing against the casing from any angle will have no harmful effect
6. Safe from water projected out of water jets of up to 6.3mm
7. Protected from water spraying out of jets of up to 12.5mm
8. Water ingress resulting from immersion of up to 1m will have no harmful effect
9. This equipment is suitable for immersion in deeper water and any ingress resulting will have no harmful effect

The combination of these two numbers will give you an indication of the level of ruggedness of the device in question and tell you whether it’s suitable for the use you have in mind.

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