Waterproofing and water resistance are two terms that are constantly being thrown around and used interchangeably in the tech industry. But what a lot of consumers might not realize is that they’re not actually one and the same thing. And, there’s a special IP rating system that exists to indicate the level of water, dust, and dirt protection that certain devices can promise. So what exactly is an IP rating and what does it mean for your device? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know.
How to Understand Your Rugged Display’s Unique IP Rating
When reading the product description while purchasing a brand-new device—whether it’s a tablet, laptop, or a smartphone—you may notice the specifications list includes something like IP67. Rugged displays might even have a much higher IP rating depending on what their intended purpose is. Basically, an IP rating indicates the degree of display protection certain devices have to offer.
The term waterproof indicates that a device is completely immune to large amounts of exposure to and contact with water and most other liquids regardless of how long it’s been submerged. Water-resistant indicates that a device can withstand minimal contact with water and other liquids. This usually includes splashing, rain, accidental spills that are immediately cleaned up, and so forth. But water-resistant displays typically can’t survive being submerged in water or other liquids for long periods of time.
What You Need to Know about Different IP Ratings
The IP rating system was devised by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) with the intention of testing how resistant technological devices are to liquid and various raw materials while also informing consumers of these capabilities.
Each figure in an IP rating stands for something important. IP stands for “ingress protectionâ€, which essentially denotes the level of protection that the external casing of a device is capable of providing. The digits that follow—in this case, 6 and 7—indicate the level of dust tightness/resistance and the device’s capability of being submerged in water for a long period of time, respectively.
The rating for dust tightness ranges from 0 to 6; the former indicates no dust protection whatsoever, while the latter indicates the highest level of dust tightness. The moisture protection rating ranges from 0 to 9 with the former being the lowest level of protection and the latter being the highest.
According to the IEC’s standards, an IP rating of IP67 indicates that a device is totally dustproof and provides moisture protection for up to 30 minutes of water submersion up to one meter in depth.
Nauticomp Inc. is one of the leading manufacturers and distributors of high-quality rugged displays that are used for military and Marines Corp operations in North America. Our Glass Bridge Display®, Signature II Series, and Genesis Series are all built to stringent IP67 standards. Contact us today to learn more about our products or to place an order!
