IP Ratings Explained

In our world of packaging equipment, it is common to see various products promoted as having IP ratings.

Examples of this include some of our Labeling & Coding products:

Citronix CIJ inkjet printers are rated as IP55, with IP65 as an option.

EPI MFlex™ labeling systems are rated as IP65.

But what does this actually mean, and how can it help you when deciding whether a particular packaging machine will be able to handle the environmental conditions encountered on your packaging line?

The IP (or Ingress Protection) rating consists of the letters IP, followed by two numerals.

The first number shows the protection of the product against solid objects, and the second is the protection against water.

This is shown in the following table:

As you can see, for protection against solid objects, the IP rating ranges from zero (no protection) up to 6 (totally protected from dust), while for water, the rating ranges from zero to 9.

This means that the IP55-rated Citronix CIJ printer mentioned above has a level of dust protection (a little ingress is allowed), as well as protection from low-pressure water jets.

The MFlex labelers are designed for use in harsh environments, so they are built with IP65 as standard, meaning they are dust-proof, as well as able to withstand low-pressure water jets.

If you are looking to acquire new labeling or coding equipment and are unsure which IP rating you need for your environment, we’d love to help you.

You can contact us at IDT@ProMachBuilt.com, and we’ll help you get started!