IP Ratings for Medical Leak Testing Standards

Have you ever heard of IP ratings for medical leak testing? The IP rating system, also known as ingress protection rating system, is a set of standards that determine how well an enclosure can stand up against conditions on the outside such as dust and moisture. These standards are used in medical leak testing. The process of medical leak testing is crucial to ensure the safety of medical devices, and the IP rating system is a way to do that. That being said, the IP rating  system is not only for medical device manufacturing, but also many industries that involve electronics.

How Are IP Ratings Used in Medical Leak Testing?

There are many different uses for IP ratings, and medical devices can be quite confusing. The ideal ratings vary depending on the type of product and its function. It is important to first know how the ratings are set up: IP ratings are represented as a set of two digits. The first digit is the protection against ingress of solid objects going from one to six. Similarly, the second digit is protection against ingress of liquids, but is numbered from one to eight. The number for both digits actually would start at zero, but we exclude it because zero indicates no protection at all. So let’s see what each of these numbers mean.

These are the ratings for protection against solids, going from IP1x to IP6x:

• IP1x: This is the lowest level, protecting against objects larger than 50mm.
• IP2x: Protects against objects larger than 12.5mm.
• IP3x: Protects against objects larger than 2mm.
• IP4x: Protects against objects larger than 1mm.
• IP5x: Protects against dust to a limited degree.
• IP6x This is the highest level, being completely dust-tight.

The ratings for protection against liquids, going from IPx1 to IPx8, are:

• IPx1: This is the lowest level, protecting against only small droplets of water.
• IPx2: Protection against water dripping from a 15 degree angle.
• IPx3: Protection against water spraying at a 60 degree angle.
• IPx4: Protection against water splashing. 
• IPx5: Protection against water jets. 
• IPx6: Protection against powerful water jets. 
• IPx7: Protection against submersion for a limited amount of time and depth. 
• IPX8: This is the highest level, protecting against complete and permanent submersion.

If you want quick and easy access to this information for the future, we’ve got you. Click here to download our Ingress Protection Rating chart. 

Need More Help?

We know that all these figures can be confusing, especially when it comes to medical leak testing. You have all the information, but still might not know what to do with it. AMS is here to help. You can contact us or book an appointment so we can discuss all your manufacturing needs.