IP Rating Reference Chart for Sheet Metal Enclosures

Q: What does the X mean in IPX7 or IP6X?

X means that the corresponding characteristic numeral is not stated. IPX7 states an immersion rating but does not state solid-object or dust protection. IP6X states dust-tight protection but does not state water protection.

IP Rating Reference Chart

An IP code normally has two numerals: the first addresses protection against solid objects and dust; the second addresses protection against water. The metric values in the first table are the controlling reference values. Inch equivalents are rounded convenience conversions, so the metric values should control the drawing and test requirement.

First numeral: solid-object and dust protection

First numeral	Protection level	Practical interpretation for an enclosure
0	No protection	No stated protection against solid-object ingress.
X	Not rated	No first-numeral rating is stated; do not infer protection.
1	Objects greater than 50 mm (1.97 in)	Protection against large solid objects; this is not a dust rating.
2	Objects greater than 12.5 mm (0.49 in)	Protection against finger-sized objects and larger.
3	Objects greater than 2.5 mm (0.10 in)	Protection against tools, wires, and similar objects above the stated size.
4	Objects greater than 1.0 mm (0.04 in)	Protection against finer tools, wires, and similar solid objects above the stated size.
5	Dust-protected	Dust ingress is not completely prevented, but the permitted ingress is limited so it does not interfere with satisfactory operation or safety under the applicable test.
6	Dust-tight	No dust ingress under the applicable test conditions.

The object-size values are maximum object dimensions used by the rating system, not allowable gaps for every joint or opening in a fabricated enclosure. A cable entry, ventilation opening, hinge, latch, or seam may require its own IP-rated component or design treatment.

Second numeral: water-ingress protection

Second numeral	Protection level	Practical interpretation for an enclosure
0	No protection	No stated protection against water ingress.
X	Not rated	No second-numeral rating is stated; do not infer water protection.
1	Vertically falling drops	Protection against vertically falling water drops under the applicable test.
2	Vertically falling drops when tilted up to 15°	Protection when the enclosure is tilted up to 15° from its normal position.
3	Spraying water	Protection against water spray up to 60° from the vertical.
4	Splashed water	Protection against splashing water from any direction under the applicable test.
5	Water jets	Protection against water jets from any direction at the specified test pressure and flow.
6	Powerful water jets	Protection against more powerful water jets from any direction at the specified test pressure and flow.
7	Temporary immersion	Protection during temporary immersion under defined conditions; common reference summaries describe a test up to 1 m (3.28 ft) for up to 30 minutes.
8	Continuous or extended immersion	Protection during more severe or extended immersion conditions defined for the product and test arrangement; the code alone does not state a universal depth or duration.
9	High-pressure, high-temperature water jets	Protection against high-pressure hot-water jets from different angles under the applicable test.

The second numeral is not a simple “higher is always better” scale. Immersion ratings such as IPX7 and IPX8 do not automatically mean that the enclosure has also passed IPX5 or IPX6 water-jet tests. If both hazards matter, specify the combined marking or test sequence required by the applicable product standard and test laboratory.

How to Use This IP Code Chart

Read an IP code from left to right. For example:

IP54 means a dust-protected enclosure with splash-water protection.
IP55 means a dust-protected enclosure with water-jet protection.
IP65 means a dust-tight enclosure with water-jet protection.
IP66 means a dust-tight enclosure with powerful water-jet protection.
IP67 means a dust-tight enclosure with temporary-immersion protection under the stated test conditions.
IP68 means a dust-tight enclosure with a product-specific continuous or extended immersion condition.
IP69 means a dust-tight enclosure with high-pressure, high-temperature water-jet protection under the applicable test.

Use X only when one characteristic numeral is not stated. For example, IPX7 communicates a water-immersion rating without stating a solid-object or dust rating, while IP6X communicates dust-tight protection without stating a water rating. Neither code should be expanded into a complete two-digit performance claim. The rating should be treated as a system requirement. A lid, door, gasket, fastener, hinge, latch, cable gland, connector, vent, drain, display window, and any service opening can affect the result. A high-rated enclosure body paired with a lower-rated penetration can limit the protection of the finished assembly.

IP65 vs IP66 vs IP67 vs IP68

These ratings are often compared during enclosure selection, but they address different exposure types.

Rating	Solid protection	Water protection	Typical design question
IP65	Dust-tight	Water jets	Will the enclosure resist dust and directed washdown-style jets?
IP66	Dust-tight	Powerful water jets	Is the enclosure exposed to a stronger jet or more demanding washdown?
IP67	Dust-tight	Temporary immersion	Could the enclosure be briefly submerged, and has the complete assembly been tested in that condition?
IP68	Dust-tight	Extended or continuous immersion under defined conditions	What depth, duration, temperature, and installation conditions are written into the product requirement?
IP69	Dust-tight	High-pressure, high-temperature jets	Does the application require the specific hot-jet test associated with this code?

These are reference interpretations, not automatic application approvals. For a real part, state the target IP code, standard, assembled condition, orientation, access-panel condition, and any required simultaneous ratings on the drawing or procurement specification.

Designing a Sheet Metal Enclosure for an IP Rating

Start with the complete enclosure path

Map every possible ingress path before choosing material thickness or a finish. Review the main body, removable cover, door perimeter, seams, corner transitions, fastener holes, hinges, locks, cable entries, connector cutouts, vents, drain features, and welds. The weakest unverified path can control the finished assembly’s practical protection.

For cutouts and formed features, coordinate the design with sheet metal tolerances so the gasket land, mating surface, and hole pattern remain within the intended assembly condition. Tightening a general cutting tolerance does not by itself create an IP seal.

Give the gasket a stable sealing surface

An IP-rated enclosure commonly depends on a continuous gasket or seal between mating parts. The drawing should define the sealing interface, gasket material or approved equivalent, joint condition, corner treatment, and whether the test is performed with the gasket installed. Avoid placing an opening, fastener head, weld distortion, or abrupt bend directly in the intended sealing path without engineering review.

A narrow or interrupted flange can make a gasket difficult to seat consistently. Check minimum flange length guidance and confirm that the chosen flange geometry leaves enough usable land for the selected seal, hardware, and assembly tooling. The chart is an early DFM reference, not a substitute for a part-specific fit check.

Control bends, corners, and distortion

The enclosure needs to hold its mating surfaces in the tested configuration. Bend cracking, springback, corner mismatch, weld pull, and local dents can create a leak path even when the nominal CAD model appears closed. Review the selected grade and temper with the minimum bend radius chart, then inspect the actual sealing surfaces after forming and welding.

For welded boxes, specify where cosmetic welds are acceptable, which joints are intended to be sealed, and which post-weld dimensions are critical. A weld that looks continuous from the outside is not automatically proof of a tested IP result; the finished assembly still needs the defined test and inspection method.

Treat penetrations as part of the rating

Cable glands, connectors, pushbuttons, indicator windows, fans, filters, and pressure-equalization vents should be selected for the target rating and installed according to their manufacturer instructions. Verify the cutout size, panel thickness range, locknut or retainer arrangement, gasket orientation, tightening method, and any required torque or inspection step.

If a vent or drain is needed, its function must be balanced against the IP requirement. A vent that helps equalize pressure or a drain that manages standing water is not automatically compatible with the selected IP code. Approve the finished component and assembly combination together.

Confirm the finish and assembly sequence

Coating, plating, powder paint, conversion coating, and other finishes can change fit at seams, threaded features, gasket interfaces, and hardware. Define whether the critical dimension is measured before or after finish, and whether the IP test is performed after the final finish and assembly sequence. Review the available sheet metal finishing services when the finish is part of the environmental requirement.

An IP mark also does not, by itself, specify corrosion resistance, UV exposure, chemical compatibility, condensation performance, thermal management, impact resistance, or pressure-vessel behavior. Address those requirements separately in the product specification.

Design Checks Before Releasing a Drawing

State the complete IP code, the controlling standard or product standard, and the required test condition.
Identify whether the rating applies to the enclosure alone or to the fully assembled equipment.
Define normal orientation, door or cover position, removable-panel condition, and service configuration during the test.
Identify every opening and penetration, including cable glands, connectors, vents, drains, hinges, locks, windows, and fastener holes.
Specify the gasket or sealing system, mating surfaces, joint continuity, corner treatment, and replacement requirements.
Check bend radius, flange length, flatness, weld distortion, and alignment at the sealing interface.
Confirm whether dimensions and inspection occur before or after coating, plating, or other finish.
Confirm that the selected components have their own compatible IP ratings and installation instructions.
Decide whether both jet and immersion protection are needed; do not infer one from the other.
Define the inspection record or test report required for production approval.

Common IP Rating Design Problems

Problem	Why it happens	Early design response
The enclosure body passes review but the assembly leaks	Penetrations, gaskets, or accessories were excluded from the review	Review the complete assembled ingress path and component interfaces.
IP65 is selected for an immersion exposure	A jet rating was treated as a general waterproof label	Select and verify the immersion rating needed for the application.
IP67 is assumed to include powerful water jets	Immersion and jet ratings were treated as cumulative	Specify both tests or a combined marking when both exposures are expected.
A door gasket does not seat evenly	Flange width, flatness, corner geometry, or fastener loading is inconsistent	Check the sealing land, formed geometry, closure method, and post-process dimensions.
A coated panel no longer assembles consistently	Finish thickness or masking was not included in the fit review	Define the finish state for critical interfaces and inspect after finishing.
A welded corner distorts the mating face	Heat input and sequence were not considered in the enclosure design	Identify critical sealing datums and review weld sequence, fixturing, and inspection.
A late cable-entry change breaks the target rating	The new gland or connector has a different cutout or sealing method	Approve the penetration component, panel interface, and installation method together.

What to Do When the Target Rating Is Difficult to Achieve

Option	When It Helps	Trade-Off
Simplify the enclosure seam	Long interrupted seams or complex corner transitions create multiple leak paths	May reduce service access or change the external appearance.
Add or redesign the gasket land	The seal is narrow, discontinuous, or close to a bend or cutout	Uses more panel area and may require a larger enclosure or new tooling.
Reduce or relocate penetrations	Many cable entries, windows, and accessories make the sealing system complex	Can affect wiring, serviceability, thermal management, or user access.
Use qualified IP-rated glands, connectors, vents, or windows	The sheet metal interface is workable but the accessory is the weak link	Adds component cost and requires correct installation and replacement control.
Separate jet and immersion requirements	The application was over-specified with one rating that does not match the actual hazards	May require two verification tests or a more explicit product specification.
Revisit forming and weld sequence	Distortion or springback prevents repeatable mating-surface contact	May add fixtures, secondary operations, or inspection time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Review these common questions to clarify misconceptions about IP codes, compare popular ratings like IP65, IP67, and IP68, and understand exactly how ingress protection applies to assembled sheet metal enclosures.

What does an IP rating mean?

An IP rating is an IEC 60529 ingress-protection code for an enclosure. The first numeral covers solid-object and dust protection; the second covers water protection. The code describes defined test conditions, not a universal statement that the product is safe in every wet, dusty, corrosive, or outdoor environment.

Is IP65 waterproof?

IP65 indicates dust-tight protection and water-jet protection under the applicable test conditions. It does not by itself indicate temporary or continuous immersion protection. If submersion is possible, review an immersion rating such as IP67 or IP68 and specify the required depth, duration, and assembly condition.

Is IP67 better than IP65?

Neither rating is simply better for every application. IP65 addresses water jets, while IP67 addresses temporary immersion. An IP67 enclosure is not automatically qualified for IPX5 or IPX6 jet exposure. Specify the actual hazards and require the applicable combined testing when necessary.

What is the difference between IP67 and IP68?

Both include dust-tight protection in the first numeral and immersion protection in the second. IP67 refers to temporary immersion under defined conditions. IP68 covers more severe or extended immersion conditions defined for the product and test arrangement, so state the depth and duration rather than inferring them from “68” alone.

What does the X mean in IPX7 or IP6X?

X means that the corresponding characteristic numeral is not stated. IPX7 states an immersion rating but does not state solid-object or dust protection. IP6X states dust-tight protection but does not state water protection.

Can a sheet metal box be called IP-rated before assembly?

Not responsibly if the rating depends on a gasket, cover, hardware, cable entry, vent, connector, or other component that is not included. Review and test the complete configuration that will be supplied and used, including its finish, orientation, and installation condition.

Does an IP rating specify corrosion resistance?

No. IP ratings address enclosure ingress and access protection under defined tests. Material selection, coating, corrosion resistance, chemical exposure, UV exposure, condensation, and drainage require separate engineering requirements and verification.

Does IP69 automatically include IP67 or IP68 immersion protection?

Do not assume that it does. IP69 addresses high-pressure, high-temperature water jets. Immersion is a different exposure, so specify and verify the immersion rating separately when the application requires it.

Need Help With a Sheet Metal Enclosure IP Rating?

Send ShincoFab your enclosure drawing or CAD file, target IP rating, material, thickness, quantity, finish, sealing details, and exposure conditions. Our engineering team will review the design, sealing, welding, and assembly requirements for manufacturability.

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