Favorite] A chart to read the IP protection level, dustproof and waterproof at a glance!

Product under test: Instrument panel, Waterproof rating: IPX7, Test pressure: -10kPa

As the demand for safety and quality increases, more and more consumers are choosing products with high IP protection ratings. Therefore, in today's increasingly competitive and even implosive world, if products want to gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace, they need to be tested for IPXX protection ratings.

Ⅰ.What is an IPXX rating?

The IP Dust and Water Resistance Rating is a standard set by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) to evaluate the protection of electrical equipment against dust and water.The IP rating consists of two numbers, the first number indicating the dust rating and the second number indicating the water rating. The higher the number, the better the protection.

精度越高的Airtightness Tester，比如精诚工科差压仪器精度可达 0.1Pa，意味着能够检测到的泄漏量越小，从而提供更准确的检测结果，为产品质量把好关。

1. Dust protection class

• IP0X: Unprotected.
• IP1X: Protects against solid objects larger than 50 mm.
• IP2X: Protects against solid objects larger than 12 mm.
• IP3X: Protects against solid objects larger than 2.5 mm.
• IP4X: Protects against solid objects larger than 1 mm.
• IP5X: Protects against harmful dust buildup.
• IP6X: Fully dustproof.

2. Waterproof rating

• IPX0: No protection.
• IPX1: Protection against vertical water fall, preventing water droplets from falling into the product when it is used indoors.
• IPX2: Protection against tilted water flow, preventing continuous water penetration when the product is tilted at a maximum of 15°.
• IPX3: Protected against water jets, such as rainwater, when the product is tilted at a maximum of 60°.
• IPX4: Protected against water splashes, able to withstand water jets from all directions, simulating rain splash situations.
• IPX5: Protected against low-pressure water jets, capable of withstanding water jets with a 6.3mm I.D. from the nozzle.
• IPX6: Protected against strong water jets, capable of withstanding strong water jets with a 12.5mm internal diameter coming from the nozzle.
• IPX7: Protected against temporary immersion, able to withstand submergence under water for a specified period of time and under pressure.
• IPX8: Protected against continuous submersion, the device can be continuously submerged underwater and maintain normal operation. 
• IPX9: Protected against high pressure/high temperature cleaning and able to withstand the intensive and powerful water flow of high pressure washers.

Ⅱ.Products with a dust and waterproof rating have the following advantages:

Safeguard product safety:IPXX protection rating testing can help ensure that your product is safe from dust and water during use.

Extended product life:IPXX protection rating testing can help extend the life of your product. When a product is exposed to dust and water, it can accelerate wear and aging, which can shorten the life of the product.

Enhance product quality: IPXX protection rating testing can help improve the quality of your products. When a product has a high IP protection rating, it demonstrates that the manufacturing process and materials are of high quality, thus enhancing the quality of the product.

Meeting market thresholds: Obtain protection level certification to meet the market entry threshold and improve product competitiveness.

Reduce after-sales costs:When a product fails, the cause of the failure may not be determined if the product has not been tested for IPXX protection, resulting in higher after-sales costs for the product.

It can be said that IP protection test can comprehensively verify and guarantee the dustproof and waterproof performance of the product, make the product more reliable and competitive, and thus enhance the user's trust. It is an indispensable testing method in the process of product development and production.

III.What are the common dust and waterproofing tests?

The differences and advantages of our common IP53, IP65, IP66, IP67, IP68 standards are listed below:

IP53:

- Dust resistance: Prevents entry of particles with a diameter of 2.5mm or more.

- Water resistance: protection against splashing water, equivalent to spraying water from any direction.

- Advantage: better dust and splash-proof effect, suitable for general indoor and outdoor use.

IP65: 

- Dust resistance: Fully dustproof, no particles entering.

- Water resistance: Protection against low-pressure water jets.

- Advantage: Dustproof absolute, can also withstand strong water flow, wide range of use.

IP66:

- Dust and water resistance is the same as IP65.

- Advantage: More stringent than IP65 rating, with higher water flow pressure and time requirements.

IP67:

- Dust and water resistance is the same as IP65 and IP66.

- Advantage: It can wade through water for a short time to be immersed, and is more waterproof.

IP68:

- Dust and water resistance are at the highest level.

- Advantage: Continuous and prolonged water immersion without damage.

IV.So how do you test a product for IP67 waterproofing?

The IP67 waterproof rating is tested as follows:

1. Dust test (first digit 6)

1. Place the product in a dust-proof room where the content of dense dust should be 75mg/m3±5mg/m3.
2. The product is kept in a dust-proof room for 8 hours.
3. Remove the product and inspect the interior for dust accumulation.

2、Waterproof test (second number 7)

1. Place the product in a sealed container filled with water.
2. Place the container in water to a depth of 1 meter.
3. Remove the product after 30 minutes of soaking.
4. Check that no water enters inside the product.
5. If no water enters the product internally, the product has passed the IP67 waterproof rating test.

防水测试除了泡水之外，还可以使用Airtightness Tester来测试 IP67 防水等级。

Airtightness Tester的工作原理是将产品密封后，然后向其内部充入压缩空气，然后观察气体是否外泄。

Pros:High detection accuracy, fast testing efficiency, can detect smaller vulnerabilities, easy to operate.

Drawbacks:Requires additional air supply for use with appropriate test plugs or molds.

使用 JCGK 精诚工科Airtightness Tester测试 IP67 防水等级的步骤如下：

1. Prepare the product under test:Place the product to be tested into the tooling fixture.
2. Connect the air source and air line:将Airtightness Tester与工厂气源（或增压泵）连接，并确认治具和仪器气路畅通。
3. Set the test parameters:Depending on the waterproofing requirements of the product under test, set the appropriate IP67 test parameters, such as pressure range, test time, leak rate, etc.
4. Start testing:Press the test button, the instrument will automatically carry out the test and display the test result. If the test result meets the requirements, the green light will be on and the instrument interface will display OK, then the product airtightness is qualified; if it does not meet the requirements, the red light will be on and the instrument interface will display NG, then the product airtightness is unqualified.
5. Record test results:Record the test results in the history test record and categorize them for storage, which can be exported via USB flash drive.
6. Maintenance and upkeep:After the test, the instrument needs to be maintained and serviced to ensure long-term stable operation.

To learn more detailed airtightness waterproof testing program and application cases, please pay attention to [Jingcheng Engineering Airtightness].