IP Ratings Explained: What IP65, IP66, IP67, and IP69K Mean for Industrial Equipment

What Does IP Rating Mean?

IP stands for Ingress Protection, defined by IEC standard 60529. An IP rating has two digits: the first indicates protection against solid particles (dust), the second against liquids (water).

IP Rating Breakdown

Rating	Dust Protection	Water Protection	Typical Application
IP54	Dust protected	Splashing water	Light industrial, outdoor kiosks
IP65	Dust tight	Water jets (12.5 mm nozzle)	Factory floor, general industrial
IP66	Dust tight	Powerful water jets	Food processing, outdoor
IP67	Dust tight	Temporary immersion (1m, 30 min)	Wet processing, chemical plants
IP69K	Dust tight	High-pressure steam cleaning	Dairy, pharma, abattoir

Which IP Rating Do You Need?

• General factory floor (machining, assembly) — IP65 minimum
• Food & beverage (daily hose-down) — IP66 or IP67
• Pharmaceutical, dairy, beverage (steam/chemical wash) — IP69K
• Outdoor installations — IP66 minimum
• Cold storage (condensation risk) — IP65 with heater option

TSL Automation Solutions supplies Avalue and Cermate products across the full IP65–IP69K range. Contact us to confirm the correct IP rating for your environment before ordering.