Over the last year I have been discussing IP rated products with people in various positions in the manufacturing world and I have encountered some false assumptions about IP67 protection. I want to quickly go over what an IP67 test actually is and then go into the assumptions I’ve seen.
IP67 Testing Requirements:
1) Dust-tight and complete protection against contact.
2) Protected from the effects of being completely immersed in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes at a constant temperature.
Assumption #1 – My product has an IP67 rating, if I use it, I have IP67 protection.
Actually if a product has an IP67 rating on it’s datasheet, its IP67 capable, not protected. If you have to connect to or open something on the product, these are points of failure. If the device requires a connector, the connector and subsequent o-ring all need to be seated properly to actually give you an IP67 rating. This usually involves reaching a specific torque rating on the connector or some type of clasp/lock.
Assumption #2 – I have a lot of fluids in my manufacturing process, IP67 is not good enough.
Most people have had bad experiences in the past with IP67 devices and heavy fluid presence. Most of the time, Assumption #1 plays a lot into these experiences. When your products are properly IP67 sealed, you can definitely have moderate contact with fluids or immersion. Now application to application, it of course needs to be reviewed, but it’s worth investigating because higher protection ratings have higher dollar amounts attached to them.
When choosing sensors, connectors or other products for most automation applications, just remember that IP67 is only IP67 when installed properly.
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Will Healy III
Will Healy III is enthusiastic about smart manufacturing & workforce development. A Purdue University mechanical engineer, Will loves to share his passion for automation as a leader with Balluff Worldwide & Cincinnati's Advanced Manufacturing Industry Partnership. He speaks from experience about creating value through workforce, IIoT, sensors & automation solutions.
Great question, and to be honest, I am not aware of an exact equation to determine IP67 for a connection; but I am guessing that it is related to the gasket/o-ring selected. That being said, if possible, the IP67 should still be tested against the standard testing procedures presented by the IEC publication 529 and the DIN standard number 40050.
On the connectors and cordsets I am responsible for, the gasket/connector combination requires that an M8 connector be torqued to 0.4 N-m without exceeding that value. If torqued to the proper spec, the connector will be IP67.
my product should support IP67 protection , my product has to te installed with connectors as well, is there any specefic calculation for meeting the requirement?