IP (Ingress Protection) and IK (Impact Protection) ratings are industry standards used to define the level of protection provided by enclosures or cases against various environmental factors, such as dirt, moisture, and physical impacts.
These ratings are defined in international standards:
- IP Ratings are based on EN 60529 (British BS EN 60529:1992, European IEC 60509:1989).
- IK Ratings are based on EN 62262 (British BS EN 62262:2002, European IEC 62262 Ed. 1.0 B:2002).
Understanding IP Ratings
The IP rating consists of two digits:
- The first digit indicates protection against solid objects (e.g., dust, tools, etc.).
- The second digit indicates protection against moisture (e.g., rain, splashes, immersion).
Here’s a breakdown of each number:
First Digit - Protection Against Solid Objects:
- 0: No protection.
- 1: Protection against objects 50mm or larger (e.g., hands).
- 2: Protection against objects 12mm or larger (e.g., fingers).
- 3: Protection against objects 2.5mm or larger (e.g., tools or wires).
- 4: Protection against objects 1mm or larger (e.g., small wires).
- 5: Dust protected (dust does not interfere with operation).
- 6: Dust tight (no ingress of dust).
Second Digit - Protection Against Moisture:
- 0: No protection.
- 1: Protection against dripping water (vertical drops).
- 2: Protection against dripping water when tilted up to 15º.
- 3: Protection against spraying water (up to 60º angle).
- 4: Protection against splashing water (from any direction).
- 5: Protection against water jets (from a nozzle).
- 6: Protection against heavy seas (powerful water jets).
- 7: Protection against temporary immersion (defined pressure and time).
- 8: Protection against continuous immersion (as specified by the manufacturer).
Understanding IK Ratings
The IK rating measures the impact protection of an enclosure. It is indicated by a two-digit number:
- IK00: No protection.
- IK01 to IK10: Protection against increasing levels of impact energy, measured in joules (J).
For example:
- IK01: Protected against 0.14 joules (equivalent to a 0.25 kg mass dropped from 56mm).
- IK10: Protected against 20 joules (equivalent to a 5 kg mass dropped from 400mm).
This rating helps determine how well a case or enclosure can withstand physical impacts, such as knocks or drops.
Summary
- IP Ratings specify how well a case resists dirt and moisture.
- IK Ratings specify how resistant a case is to physical impacts.
Both ratings help you assess the durability of cases in various environments.