As electronic products become more ubiquitous in our daily lives, it’s important to understand how they’re designed to withstand environmental factors such as water and dust.
As electronic products become more ubiquitous in our daily lives, it’s important to understand how they’re designed to withstand environmental factors such as water and dust. This is where IP ratings come in. The IP rating comes from a set of international standards that define the degree of protection that an electronic device provides against intrusion by solid objects (like dust) and liquids (like water). They ensure that the device can operate as intended in a variety of environments.
Understanding what the IP rating means enables a purchaser to make an informed decision between products by helping them to better understand if a product is suited to how they intend to use it.
IP ratings are important for manufacturers, as they can use them as a selling point for their products. Additionally, they help ensure that products meet safety standards and regulations set by governments and other organisations.
Products gain their IP rating when the manufacturer submits them to a certified laboratory or other qualified test facility for formal testing. If a product meets the requirements for any given level of ingress protection, the testing laboratory is then able to issue a certificate or other statement to the manufacturer as evidence of the attainment. While some manufacturers self-certify to IP ratings, Chiptech wearable products with water resistance and waterproof claims are independently tested and certified.
When comparing the IP ratings of products, it’s important to realise that while a higher IP rating does indicate a stronger level of ingress protection (compared to a lower rating), this doesn’t mean that a lower-rated product is necessarily a poor or unsuitable choice for a person’s particular use. The correct choice of product for any user will depend on their exposure to various environmental and situational risks.
Let’s look at an example of an IP rating to better understand what it means.
Consider the Pearl Product range from Chiptech, which has an IP rating of IP68. The letters ‘IP’ stand for ‘Ingress Protection’. ‘Ingress’ is the ability to gain access into something.
The first digit in an IP rating indicates a product’s ability to keep solid objects out, and is on a scale from 1 to 6, with 6 being the highest degree of protection possible. X is used to indicate where a product has not been tested. A product with a rating of 6 such as the Pearl personal help buttons, signifies the device is completely dust-proof and that not even very tiny dust particles can get inside it.
The second digit in an IP rating indicates a product’s ability to keep liquid out and this is on a scale from 1 to 8, with 8 being the highest degree of protection possible for immersion in water. There is a level of 9 on the scale but this is reserved uniquely for products which may be subjected to high pressure jets of hot water, and it doesn’t include any immersion testing at all. Pearl Advanced Fall Detector has a water rating of 7, which means that the device can be immersed in water up to a depth of 1 metre for 30 minutes. A rating of 8 applies to Pearl Pendant and Pearl Wristwatch and means that it can be immersed at a depth greater than 1 metre for a prolonged period.
First Digit (Protection against solid objects):
|
Digit
|
Description
|
|---|---|
|
X
|
Not tested
|
|
O
|
No protection against solid objects
|
|
1
|
Protection against solid objects larger than 50mm (e.g. a hand)
|
|
2
|
Protection against solid objects larger than 12.5mm (e.g. fingers)
|
|
3
|
Protection against solid objects larger than 2.5mm (e.g. tools and thick wires)
|
|
4
|
Protection against solid objects larger than 1mm (e.g. small tools and wires)
|
|
5
|
Dust-protected (limited ingress of dust is permitted, but it must not interfere with the proper operation of the device)
|
|
6
|
Dust-tight (no ingress of dust is permitted)
|
Second Digit (Protection against liquids):
|
Digit
|
Description
|
|---|---|
|
X
|
Not tested
|
|
O
|
No protection against liquids
|
|
1
|
Protection against vertically falling drops of water (e.g. rain)
|
|
2
|
Protection against direct sprays of water up to 15 degrees from vertical
|
|
3
|
Protection against direct sprays of water up to 60 degrees from vertical
|
|
4
|
Protection against water splashing from any direction
|
|
5
|
Protection against low-pressure water jets from any direction
|
|
6
|
Protection against high-pressure water jets from any direction
|
|
7
|
Protection against the effects of immersion in water up to 1 meter for 30 minutes
|
|
8
|
Protection against the effects of continuous immersion beyond 1meter in water under conditions specified by the manufacturer
|
|
9
|
High-pressure, hot water jets. Note: immersion not tested
|
A common question is – what is the difference between level 7 and 8 for water protection, after all if level 8 is better than level 7 and wouldn’t I always just want that? Certainly, an IP rating of 68 is more robust than a rating of 67 however when you consider the needs of an end user this level of protection is more suitable for devices such as waterproof cameras, diving watches, and other outdoor equipment that may be exposed to water for longer periods of time or at greater depths. Similarly, an IP rating of 69 is for protection from high pressure and hot water, typically for pressurised jets or steam cleaning purposes and would not be applicable to many user scenarios.
During the manufacturing process Chiptech conducts immersion testing in hot water on 100% of the personal help buttons and GO mPERS we manufacture, so that people can be fully confident in the product’s ability to withstand the sorts of situations that can arise during everyday use – such as washing hands with Pearl Wristwatch on, wearing the device in bath or shower, walking the rain etc.
Users can also be confident that regular exposure to moisture and dust won’t have any effect on reliability and the ongoing performance of the Chiptech device. These are the IP ratings of the Chiptech wearable devices.
|
Chiptech Product
|
IP Rating
|
|---|---|
|
IP67
|
|
|
GO Safe*
|
IP67
|
|
IP67
|
|
|
IP68
|
|
|
IP68
|
|
|
IP67
|
*GO Safe to be released in 2023
As a result of the excellent IP ratings for Chiptech products, they can be regularly cleaned with no risk of water ingression. Before you start, ensure all cleaning agents are pH-neutral, non-abrasive, non-toxic and non-corrosive.
Chiptech recommends that Chiptech GO devices are cleaned with a damp cloth and a non-corrosive, non-abrasive cleaner. Do not spray directly, but spray cleaner on a cloth and then wipe over the devices. Ensure you wipe off any spray residue with a clean, damp, lint free cloth. To remove any debris, use a soft brush. When cleaning it is important not to push hard/sharp objects into either the microphone hole or the speaker hole as this could damage the mesh.
Pearl personal help buttons can be immersed in warm soapy pH-neutral water for cleaning. The temperature should not exceed 60˚C for more than ten minutes. Pearl chains and watch straps should be thoroughly cleaned with antiseptic cleaner in hot water.
Chiptech designs and builds rugged products that are supported by strong IP ratings, and that are intended to provide years of reliable operation despite being exposed to water and dust.
Everyday, these products deliver confidence and independence to the end user, and when it matters, they bring help.
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