Protection levels of industrial panel computers, from IP54 to IP69K

There are various protection specifications for industrial equipment to ensure safe and reliable operation. One very important specification is the IP degree of protection. This degree informs about the device's adaptability to various environmental conditions. Devices often used in harsh and demanding environments are industrial computers and panel computers. It is important for panel and industrial computers to be protected against the ingress of dirt, dust and water. Using IP classes, these requirements can be clearly classified.

What exactly is and what does IP protection provide?

The IP rating is the ingress protection standardized for all countries by the International Electrotechnical Commission in IEC 60529. It tells you the extent to which a device is protected from the outside elements and from user access to their internal parts. It makes it easier to understand how much a device such as a panel computer with a given IP rating can withstand before there is a risk of water or dust ingress.

There are two digits after the abbreviation IP that indicate the corresponding protection range. The first digit indicates protection against ingress of solid objects and physical contact. The second digit, meanwhile, is based on 2 standards: ISO 20653 for water protection tests and DIN EN 60529 for dust protection tests.

degree_protection_IP

Differences between IP degrees of protection in panel computers

IP54 - this degree of protection in panel computers is quite low. According to the official interpretation, the number 5 means protection against dust/dust, but not total protection, while the number 4 protects against a small amount of water. In practice, this means that the computer has a little protection against gentle splashes, but cannot be submerged in water. Such computers are used in light commercial projects.

Industrial panel computers, in order to operate in very harsh environments, must have the highest possible degree of protection. These include IP65, IP66, IP67, IP68, IP69 and IP69K. The first digit is the highest possible and the same, i.e. the number 6, it means flushproof / full protection against touch. In contrast, the difference of the second digit after IP refers to water, which characterizes:

  • IP65 - provides protection against water jet (nozzle) at any angle + dustproof / full protection against touch
  • IP66 - provides protection against strong water jet + dustproof / full protection against touch
  • IP67 - gives protection against momentary immersion + dustproof / full protection against touch
  • IP68 - gives protection against permanent immersion (unless otherwise specified, protection is provided up to a depth of 1 meter) + dustproof / full touch protection
  • IP69 - provides protection against water during steam/high-pressure jet cleaning, especially in agriculture + dustproof / full touch protection

IP69K - this is the highest level of protection! These panel computers are typically used in the food or pharmaceutical industry. Hygiene plays a particularly important role here. For this reason, stainless steel touch panels are most often used. They are particularly resistant to aggressive cleaning agents. They even withstand the action of high-pressure washers.

The TPC6000-A172 panel computer is IP65-rated, which means full protection against touching live or internal moving parts. It also protects the panel computer from the complete ingress of dust and from water jets from the nozzle directed from any direction.

TPC6000-A172

Depending on how demanding the environmental conditions in which panel PCs, touchscreen monitors or industrial computers operate, the higher the degree of protection you should choose.

Our products include industrial panel computers: