Ingress Protection (IP) rating on linear actuators, all you need to know

Regner® Editorial Team

Aiguaviva -

31/01/2017

What does it mean for a device to be waterproof, airtight or sealed? Are these adjectives clear enough to determine if you can safely operate a device in harsh conditions? Unfortunately, they actually aren’t. Professional and technical applications need clear-cut information, and this is the reason the Ingress Protection rating (or Degrees of protection) was established by the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) in their standard 60529. Junto con pruebas de verificación determinantes como las de seguridad, las de compatibilidad electromagnética y las de fatiga, la prueba de Ingress Protection (protección de entrada) es fundamental para proporcionar a los usuarios información precisa sobre la resistencia de un producto al polvo, a la arena, a la suciedad, a los líquidos y a otros agentes extraños.

The weak point of linear actuators regarding ingress protection (IP)

Different linear actuators need different levels of Ingress Protection, since they are applied in vastly different fields. With outdoor applications that require higher protection becoming incresasingly usual, achieving the appropriate IP rating has become a key point in the mechanical development of linear actuators.

The housing of high-tech linear actuators is made of anodized aluminum—with more structural rigidity and durability than plastic ones—, which solves waterproofing issues. Potential electric problems are taken care of by using high-quality cables and sealed connectors. Thus, only one weak point remains in the whole assembly: the seams. Seals and gaskets are responsible for keeping liquids and solid agents out of the actuator.

At REGNER® we work together with one of the leading gasket manufacturers in Europe to guarantee high Ingress Protection for years. We use gaskets made with state-of-the-art materials and technologies, and, depending on the potential application, they can be rigid (which provide high structural stability and better protection) or flexible (which have better adaptability and functionality).

How to read the IP (Ingress protection) code

According to the IEC, the definition of the degree of protection of an enclosure is threefold. First, it refers to the protection of users against access to dangerous parts of the device. Second, to the protection of the equipment and materials located inside the enclosure from foreign solid bodies. And, finally, to the protection of the inner parts of the device from harmful effects caused by water.

An IP code is formed by two numbers, but it can also include two letters. The first digit of the code (from 0 to 6) is related to the protection of people and the ingress of solid bodies. The second digit (from 0 to 9) is related to the penetration of liquids in the enclosure. When the code only indicates one of these two types of protection, the remaining type is represented with an ‘X’. his does not mean that the device has no protection, it only points out that this information is not relevant or necessary, or that it has not been tested. For example, a linear actuator with an IPX7 rating is a device that can be submerged in water, but there is no information about its protection from solid objects.

Interpretation of the first number of the ingress protection (IP) code

NUMBER	EFFECTIVE AGAINST	DESCRIPTION	TEST CONDITIONS
X	–	Not tested/not applicable.	–
0	None	No protection.	–
1	> 50 mm \| hand	Protection against solid foreign objects greater than 50 mm, such as the back of a hand.	A 50 mm probe pushed with a force of 50 N must have adequate clearance from hazardous parts and must not be able to fully penetrate the item.
2	> 12,5 mm \| finger	Protection against solid objects greater than 12.5 mm, such as a finger.	A standardised 12 mm diameter test finger with a force of 10 N must not be able to fully penetrate the item, and a 12,5 mm sphere with a force of 30 N must have adequate clearance from hazardous parts.
3	> 2,5 mm \| tool	A standardised 12 mm diameter test finger with a force of 10 N must not be able to fully penetrate the item, and a 12,5 mm sphere with a force of 30 N must have adequate clearance from hazardous parts.	A 2.5 mm probe in the form of a steel wire and pushed with a force of 3 N must not be able to penetrate the item.
4	> 1 mm \| wire	Protection against solid foreign objects greater than 1.0 mm, such as a wire.	A 1 mm probe in the form of a steel wire and pushed with a force of 1 N must not be able to penetrate the item.
5	Dust protected	Partial protection against dust. The quantities of dust penetrating the device must not damage it, nor prevent its satisfactory performance.	A 1 mm probe in the form of a steel wire and pushed with a force of 1 N must not be able to penetrate the item. Furthermore, the device must endure fine-grained circulating talcum powder in a dust chamber for 2- 8 hours without suffering any damage or having safety or performance issues.
6	Dust tight	Protection against the ingress of a wire and complete protection against dust..	A 1 mm probe in the form of a steel wire and pushed with a force of 1 N must not be able to penetrate the item Furthermore, fine-grained circulating talcum powder in a dust chamber for 2- 8 hours must not be able to penetrate the device.

Interpretation of the second number of the ingress protection (IP) code:

NUMBER	EFFECTIVE AGAINST	DESCRIPTION	TEST CONDITIONS
X	–	Not tested / not applicable.	–
0	None	No protection	–
1	Dripping water	Protection against vertically falling drops of water.	Dripping water with a flow rate of 1 mm/min for 10 minutes must not penetrate the device in such a quantity or position that it prevents satisfactory operation or presents a safety risk.
2	Dripping water when tilted at 15°	Protection against vertically dripping water when the device is tilted at an angle of 15°.	With the equipment mounted in four different positions tilted at a 15º angle, dripping water with a flow rate of 3 mm/min for 2.5 minutes at every position must not penetrate the device in such a quantity or position that it prevents satisfactory operation or presents a safety risk.
3	Spraying water	Protection against water sprayed at an angle up to 60° from the vertical.	The test can be performed using an oscillating fixture or a spray nozzle. With the oscillating fixture, a water volume of 0.07 l/min per hole is sprayed for 10 minutes. With the spray nozzle, a water volume of 10 l/min is sprayed for 1 min/m2, with a minimum of ⁵ minutes. In either case, spray must not exceed 60° from the vertical and water must not penetrate the device in such a quantity or position that it prevents satisfactory operation or presents a safety risk.
4	Splashing of water	Protection against splashing water from any direction..	As for the IPX3, the test can be performed using an oscillating fixture or a spray nozzle. With the oscillating fixture, a water volume of 0.07 l/min per hole is sprayed for 10 minutes. With the spray nozzle, a water volume of 10 l/min is sprayed for 1 min/m2, with a minimum of ⁵minutes. In either case, spray is projected from all directions and water must not penetrate the device in such a quantity or position that it prevents satisfactory operation or presents a safety risk.
5	Water jets	Protection against splashing water from any direction.	A jet of water projected from a Ø 6.3 mm nozzle at a distance of 2.5-3 m from the device with a flow rate of 12.5 l/min for 1 min/m2for a^{t least 3 minutes}, must not penetrate the device in such a quantity or position that it prevents satisfactory operation or presents a safety risk.
6	Powerful water jets	Protection against strong water jets projected from any angle.	A jet of water projected from a Ø 12.5 mm nozzle at a distance of 2.5-3 m from the device with a flow rate of 100 l/min for 1 min/m2,^{for at least 3 minutes,} must not penetrate the device in such a quantity or position that it prevents satisfactory operation or presents a safety risk.
6K (DIN 40050)	Powerful water jets with increased pressure	Protection against high-pressure water jets projected from any direction.	A jet of water projected from a Ø 6.3 mm nozzle at a distance of 2.5-3 m from the device with a flow rate of 75 l/min for 1 min/m2^{for at least 3 minutes}, must not penetrate the device in such a quantity or position that it prevents satisfactory operation or presents a safety risk.
7	<1 m < depth immersion	Protection against temporary immersion in water at a maximum depth of 1 m.	The device—placed in its service position—is immersed in water for 30 minutes, with the lowest point of the equipment 1 m below the surface of the water, or the highest point 15 cm below the surface, whichever is deeper. Water must not penetrate the device in such a quantity or position that it prevents satisfactory operation or presents a safety risk.
8	>= 1 m > depth immersion	Protection against immersion in water at a greater depth and for a longer period.	The device is immersed in water following the duration, depth and conditions agreed upon by the manufacturer and the user. Water must not penetrate the device in such a quantity or position that it prevents satisfactory operation or presents a safety risk.
9K (DIN 40050)	Powerful high-temperature water jets	Protection against high-pressure hot water sprayed from any direction.	Water at a temperature of 80 °C projected 0.10-0.15 m from the device with a flow rate of 14-16 l/min and a pressure of 8-10 MPa, for 30 seconds in each of 4 angles (for a total of 2 minutes), must not penetrate the device in such a quantity or position that it prevents satisfactory operation or presents a safety risk.

Furthermore, up to two letters can accompany the two digits in the code: the additional letters (A, B, C, D) and the supplementary letters (f, H, M, S, W). Additional letters (A, B, C, D) indicate the degree of protection of people against access to the dangerous parts of the device. They only can be displayed if the real protection is higher than indicated by the first number of the IP code or when it refers exclusively to protection against dangerous parts. n that case, the first number of the code must be replaced by an ‘X’. Supplementary letters (f, H, M, S, W) provide complementary information.

ADDITIONAL LETTER DESCRIPTION:

LETTER	DESCRIPTION
A	Protection against access to hazardous parts with the back of a hand.
B	Protection against hazardous parts with fingers.
C	Protection against tools interfering with hazardous parts.
D	Protection against wire entering hazardous parts.

SUPPLEMENTARY LETTER DESCRIPTION:

LETTER	DESCRIPTION
f	Oil resistant device.
H	High voltage device.
M	Device moving during water test.
S	Device standing still during water test.
W	Weather conditions.

As an example, a linear actuator with an IP54 code is a device that will work properly in an outdoor environment, since it is protected against dust and spraying water, and that has gone through the dust chamber and undergone a water test, as illustrated below.

Thus, the IP code provides the user with exact information about the conditions used to test the product, and it proves it is safe to operate it.

In the past, the IP code has been also used to determine the resistance of the equipment to mechanical impact. In this case, a third IP number indicates this impact resistance. In this case, a third IP number indicates this impact resistance. Nevertheless, the IK rating (EN 62262) is the European standard currently used to refer to this property:

IK rating IK	IK00	IK01	IK02	IK03	IK04	IK05	IK06	IK07	IK08	IK09	IK10
Impact energy (joules)	Not protected	0,15	0,20	0,35	0,50	0,70	1	2	5	10	20

Let it be noted, finally, that the IP rating is a European standard. In the US, the most commonly used standard is theNEMA, which disposes of very similar tests for the equipment,but requires additional product features and tests, and is thus not an exact equivalent.

NEMA	IP Code
1	IP20
2	IP22
3, 3X, 3S, 3SX	IP55
3R, 3RX	IP24
4, 4X	IP66
5	IP53
6	IP67