What is an IP Rating? IP - Ingress Protection ratings from AutomationDirect

Environmental Protection Standards from AutomationDirect. When you are designing or implementing a system that includes electrical or electronic components, you don’t want to rely on vague marketing terms different manufacturers may use – phrases like “dust-proof” or “water resistant” just don’t give you enough information when you’re deciding how much environmental protection your application may need. The International Electrotechnical Commission’s Ingress Protection classification system provides a much more certain – and globally recognized – specification. Ingress Protection (IP) ratings are composed of 2 digits, the first denoting Ingress Protection vs solid objects, the second vs liquids. The higher the number, the higher the degree of protection. A zero means no protection. On the solid side, ratings above zero range from 1 to 6 - the higher the number, the higher the degree of protection. The ratings scale against liquid and moisture ingress is a little more complicated. Ratings from 1 to 6 refer to protection against splashing or spraying, and like on the solid side, the higher the number, the better protection. Ratings 7 and 8 refer to protection against submersion. An IP67 rated device is protected against any damage from temporary immersion in water up to a certain depth but may not be protected against strong jets of water. In other words, an IP67 is not just a higher version of IP66. For this reason, you may often see components with dual ratings, for example, IP65 and IP67. Rating 9 returns to referring to splash or spray, the next step up in protection from IP66. You will quite frequently see a 9K rating. The K suffix indicates a higher-pressure test specification. There are 4K and 6K ratings as well, referring to higher pressure specs for 4 or 6, but 9K is the most commonly seen use of the K designator. IP69K is considered the highest ingress protection rating a component can receive and is often required in industries such as food processing where frequent washdowns or steam cleanings are needed. Note that IP ratings refer specifically to Ingress Protection and say nothing about a device’s vulnerability against temperature extremes, humidity, or corrosion, for instance. Another thing to look out for is that some devices carry provisional IP ratings. This IO-Link Master, for instance, is rated IP67 – as long as all of its M12 ports are either connected to an IP67 rated cable or capped off with an appropriate port plug. With these couple of things in mind, you will want to pay close attention to the manufacturer's documentation for each component you are evaluating. U.S. customers may be more familiar with NEMA enclosure ratings. Though the two rating systems are not exactly interchangeable, there are some correlations that may help those familiar with the NEMA system choose the appropriate IP rating for their application. It’s important to consider the degree of protection needed for your application. Obviously, you don’t want to choose components with inadequate protection for the conditions your project will see, but likewise, you don’t need to budget for IP69K for every application either. Whatever you decide you need in the realm of industrial and automation controls, AutomationDirect.com is your best resource. IP ratings are available in the documentation and prominently displayed on the webstore for every product that carries them, and of course, if you have any questions, our top-rated customer support team is here to help. Click here to see more videos from AutomationDirect.com. Click here to subscribe to AutomationDirect’s YouTube channel.