Many gadgets and even cell phones are now offered with an IP protection class. We will explain what the IP68 protection class means in this practical tip.
IP68 protection class: What does that mean?
The IP protection class indicates how resistant the casing of an electronic device – such as your cell phone – is to the ingress of foreign bodies and water. The two numbers of the protection class have the following meaning:
- The first digit indicates how resistant the housing is to the penetration of foreign bodies.
- The second digit indicates the resistance to water.
Meaning of the first digit of the IP protection class
The first number indicates how resistant the housing is to foreign bodies. There are the following six levels:
- Protected against solid foreign bodies with a diameter of 50 mm or more.
- Protected against solid foreign bodies with a diameter of 12.5 mm or more.
- Protected against solid foreign bodies with a diameter of 2.5 mm or more.
- Protected against solid foreign bodies with a diameter of 1.0 mm or more.
- Protected against dust in harmful quantities.
- Dustproof.
Meaning of the second digit of the IP protection class
The second number indicates how waterproof the case is. There are eight levels here.
- Protection against dripping water.
- Protection against falling dripping water when the housing is tilted up to 15°.
- Protection against falling spray water up to 60° from the vertical.
- Protection against splash water from all sides.
- Protection against water jets (nozzles) from any angle.
- Protection against strong water jets.
- Protection against temporary submersion.
- Protection against permanent submersion.
This means protection class IP68
To understand the meaning of protection class IP68, let’s look at the two digits one by one.
- According to the first table, the first digit, six, means that the device is dustproof.
- The second digit, eight, means, according to the second table, protection against permanent immersion.
- This means that a device with protection class IP68 is dust and waterproof.
IP68 certification
Under the IP68–Certification you understand that the device is dust and waterproof.
In the next practical tip we will explain what the protection class IP67 means.