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Comparing NEMA IP Ratings
Assured System’s sell a wide range of industrial displays and panel computers with high levels of ingress protection for high pressure jet washing.
Assured Systems are a system integrator a wide range of industrial computers and displays designed and manufactured to withstand harsh environments and have solutions fit for different purposes deployed all over the world. Operating out of both the UK and USA our customers operating in harsh environments request their industrial computers or displays to be of a particular ingress protection (IP) rating or NEMA rating suited towards their application to protect themselves against damage from water, dust and other foreign objects.
Industrial Display with Dust Ingress Due to Insufficient NEMA or IP Rating
Also known as NEMA Type ratings, NEMA ratings were developed by the U.S. National Electrical Manufacturers Association. Ingress protection ratings, commonly known as IP ratings, were developed in Europe and internationally known.
What’s the difference between NEMA and IP Ratings?
While NEMA and IP ratings are not identical, they are very similar and can often be used interchangeably for the purpose of rating enclosures for industrial environments. Both IP and NEMA ratings specify the standard of protection against ingress of liquid and solid objects, primarily dust. NEMA ratings go a step further and specify protection against the presence of corrosive agents.
Overview of NEMA Ratings Applicable to Assured Products
The U.S.-based National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) provides a rating system to classify industrial enclosures based on their ability to protect users from internal electronics and internal electronics from the external environment. NEMA ratings only apply to products going to North America.
Assured Systems supply industrial computers and displays with primarily three different NEMA ratings: NEMA 12, NEMA 4, and NEMA 4X.
| NEMA 12 Rated | Industrial computers and displays designed and manufactured for indoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous objects; to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects (falling dirt and circulating dust, lint, fibers, and flyings); and to provide a degree of protection with respect to harmful effects on the equipment due to the ingress of water (dripping and light splashing). |
| NEMA 4 Rated | Industrial computers or displays designed and manufactured for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts; to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects such as dust; to provide a degree of protection with respect to harmful effects on the equipment due to the ingress of water (rain, sleet, snow, splashing water, and hose directed water). |
| NEMA 4X Rated | Industrial computers and displays manufactured with all the protection of the NEMA 4 rating plus protection against corrosion of the enclosure. Industrial panel computers and displays with this rating are typically constructed of high-grade stainless steel. |
This information can be summarised in the table below:
| Protection Against: | NEMA 2 | NEMA 12 | NEMA 4 | NEMA 4X |
| Ingress of water (dripping or light splashing) | X | X | X | X |
| Ingress of solid foreign objects (windblown dust, lint, fibers, and flyings) | X | X | X | |
| Ingress of water (rain, snow, and sleet) | X | X | ||
| Ingress of water (hose down) | X | X | ||
| Corrosive agents | X |
NEMA 4X Industrial Display Being Chemically Cleaned
Overview of IP Ratings Applicable to Assured Products
Ingress ratings, or IP ratings, are standards for the degree of protection an electrical enclosure such as an industrial computer or display provides against the ingress of foreign objects such as dust and water.
IP ratings are distinguished by two numbers. The first digit in the IP rating indicates the enclosure’s ability to protect against the ingress of foreign solid objects, such as dust; the second digit indicates the level of protection against the ingress of water or other liquids.
Assured Systems typically supply industrial computers and displays with four different IP ratings: IP54, and IP65/IP66/IP69K
First Digit:
| Protection against foreign objects: | Number |
| Dust protected, limited ingress | 5 |
| Dustproof, no ingress | 6 |
Second Digit:
| Protection against water: | Number |
| No protection | 0 |
| Water sprayed up to 15° from vertical | 2 |
| Water sprayed, any direction | 4 |
| Water projected by low pressure water jets, any direction | 5 |
| Water projected by high pressure water jets, any direction | 6 |
Comparing IP65 vs NEMA4X
This chart gives an approximate comparison of the IP and NEMA ratings used by Assured Systems:
| NEMA Rating (U.S.) | IP Rating (International) |
| 12 | IP54 |
| 4 | IP65 ⁄ IP66 |
| 4X | IP65 ⁄ IP66 / IP69K |
How are industrial computers and displays NEMA or IP Certified
NEMA ratings and IP ratings are both self-certified. This means that any manufacturer can design and manufacture a product to a particular rating and specify that it’s rated to that particular NEMA or IP rating without any approval or certification from an outside agency. Assured System’s partners with global leaders in the design and manufacture of IP65 panel computers and IP65 displays who conform to the highest standards when performing NEMA and ingress protection testing.
Typical Questions asked by Assured Systems to Define the Best NEMA or IP Rating
- Will the industrial computer or display be exposed to a dusty or dirty environment, with only moderate exposure to liquids? Select a NEMA 12 (or 4/4X) computer or display: these models are IP54 sealed against dust and dirt, and can handle some light splashing of liquids.
- Will the industrial computer or display be exposed to a dusty or dirty environment, with a chance of prolonged exposure to liquids? Select a NEMA 4 (or 4X) display: these models are IP65/IP66 sealed to protect against dust, dirt, and liquids.
- Will the industrial computer or display experience prolonged exposure to liquids or corrosive chemicals during normal operation or cleaning? Select a NEMA 4X display: these models are IP65/IP66 sealed for wash-down or wet environments and constructed of anti-corrosive stainless steel.
Assured System’s sales team in both the UK & USA have years of experience in applications requiring the installation of industrial computers and displays. We thoroughly understand our products, our customers, and the applications in which our systems are being deployed. You can rely on our expertise to ensure you receive the right guidance resulting in a precise fit for your requirements every time, saving you time and effort, and ultimately money. If you have an application you would like to discuss, please call +44 1785 87 90 50 (EMEA) or +1 864 421 6991 (USA) or use the contact form to send us your requirements.
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