Understanding Ingress Protection Ratings for Automated Equipment

Electrical devices on automated equipment can fail or malfunction if exposed to high levels of dust, dirt or liquid. Fortunately, enclosures for electrical devices and components generally carry an Ingress Protection rating, also called an IP rating, which is used to measure the resistance of the enclosure against the intrusion of solids and liquids. While it can be difficult to decipher IP code designations, understanding them goes a long way toward ensuring that the components and enclosures selected for automated equipment will operate safely and reliably within the environment in which they will be placed. 

This blog is intended to help automation engineers understand the basics of IP code designations and will provide an IP rating table for reference. 

What is an Ingress Protection Rating? 

Because they are standardized, IP ratings are recognized around the world. 

IP code designations consist of two-digit numbers, as follows:

• The first number rates protection against solid objects, such as dirt and dust, and is rated on a scale from 0 to 6, with zero being no protection and six being dust tight. 

• The second number defines protection against liquids on a scale from 0 to 9, with zero being no protection and 9 being fully protected against high-pressure hot water from different angles. 

To receive a rating, electrical products must be tested at approved facilities where they are assigned a specific numeric rating that can be deciphered using an IP rating table, such as the one below: 

Solids	Water
0 No protection from solids	0 No protection from moisture
1 Protected against solid objects greater than 50 mm at 50N of force	1 Protected against vertically falling drops of water for 10 minutes at a rate of 1mm/min.
2 Protected against solid objects greater than 12.5 mm at 10N of force	2 Protected against diagonally falling drops of water for 10 minutes at a rate of 3mm/min.
3 Protected against solid objects greater than 2.5 mm at 3N of force	3 Protected against diagonally falling sprays of water for 5 minutes at 0.7 LPM at 80-100kPa.
4 Protected against solid objects greater than 1 mm at 3N of force.	4 Protected against water splashed from all directions for 5 minutes at 10 LPM at 80-100 kPa.
5 Dust protected. Limited ingress of dust permitted. Will not interfere with operation of the equipment.	5 Protected against a 6.3mm water nozzle for 3 minutes at 12.5 LPM at 30 kPa from a distance of 3 meters.
6 Dust tight with no possible ingress of dust	6 Protected against a 12.5 mm water nozzle for 3 minutes at 100 LPM at 100 kPa from a distance of 3 meters.
	7 Protected against 30-minute submersion at a depth of 1 meter
	8 Protected against continuous submersion for long periods of time at a depth of 3 meters.
	9K Protected against powerful, high-temperature water jets and steam cleaning.

Using this table, for example, an electrical product or enclosure with an IP44 rating would provide protection against larger solid objects (such as a hand) and would be splashproof, but not waterproof. A product or enclosure with an IP52 rating would withstand limited dust and water splashes. An enclosure or product with an IP68 Ingress Protection rating is completely dust tight and can withstand immersion in water for long periods of time, while an IP69 rating means the enclosure is completely dust tight and is protected against powerful, high-temperature water jets and steam cleaning. 

So, a food manufacturing facility that uses clean-in-place techniques to wash down equipment will likely require an IP69 rating for its automated equipment components, while a light-duty, general manufacturing facility with no washdown and an indoor location in an area with no water may be able to get by with an IP52-rated electrical enclosure. 

Why are Ingress Protection Ratings Important for Automated Equipment? 

To ensure adequate protection and safe, problem-free operation of equipment, the Ingress Protection rating is crucial as it determines whether the electrical enclosure meets the specifications of the operating conditions in which it will be placed. 

In very dusty environments, particulates can damage exposed electrical components on automated machinery, creating dangerous operational conditions or equipment malfunctions. For this reason, it’s essential to evaluate the amount of dust present in the process or facility to determine the required IP rating. Remember, the first number of the IP rating pertains to solids/dust. 

Water and electrical components do not play well together, so when selecting equipment for an automation project in a facility that uses water and cleaning solutions in the process, it’s important to determine the proper Ingress Protection rating for the level of wetness so that the chosen electrical equipment will withstand washdown procedures. The second number in the IP code designation is for liquid resistance. 

Facilities that have both dusty and wet environments will need to select a product with an enclosure that is IP-rated as dust-proof and able to withstand immersion in water or protection from water jets and steam cleaning for their automation needs. Both numbers in the IP code are important in these conditions. 

Determining the level of Ingress Protection rating needed for an automation project, requires engineers to carefully evaluate the operational environment, the properties of the process and product being manufactured, as well as any cleaning procedures. Taking the time to carefully assess plant conditions will help ensure selection of properly rated equipment. 

For assistance in finding automation equipment and components with IP code designations that meet the needs and specifications of your facility and ensure safe, long-term operation of your automated systems, please contact the automation experts at JHFOSTER, a Tavoron company.