You’ve identified the IP rating your product needs to achieve and you’re ready to arrange testing. But before your product reaches the laboratory, there’s some important information and equipment your test provider will need to understand the product and set up the test correctly.
This is particularly important for products with complex enclosures, specialist mounting arrangements, or internal components that need particular consideration during inspection. Getting these details together early can help prevent unnecessary delays when testing is due to begin.
In this guide, we’ll take you through what information to provide for an ingress protection testing quote, how to prepare your sample, and how an experienced, accredited test provider like Austest can help make the process straightforward from the outset.
Key Takeaways
- Providing accurate product dimensions, mounting details, and information about the enclosure can help your test provider determine the appropriate test setup and scope.
- Test samples must be clearly identified and supplied with any specialist mounting hardware, with hazardous materials such as lithium-ion batteries removed before submission.
- Austest Laboratories provides accredited ingress protection testing for a wide range of products and applications, with specialist facilities for IP testing up to IP68.
Understanding AS 60529 Ingress Protection Testing
Ingress protection testing assesses how effectively a product enclosure protects against external elements like dust, water, solid foreign objects, and access to hazardous parts. The resulting IP rating, such as IP20 or IP67, indicates the level of protection demonstrated under the specified test conditions.
The required ingress protection test programme depends on the product and the level of protection it needs to demonstrate. The AS 60529 standard, which is Australia’s adoption of IEC 60529 (the international framework for classifying enclosure protection), defines the IP Code and the test methods used to assess different levels of protection.
IP testing is used across many industries, including automotive, defence, aerospace, telecommunications, lighting, and consumer electronics, and may involve dust chambers, water spray, immersion, or access probes. Some products may also require impact testing to meet relevant IK requirements.
What to Supply for an IP Testing Quote
Before a laboratory like Austest can provide a suitable quotation and establish the practical requirements for ingress protection testing, we need to understand what will be tested and how the product will need to be positioned. Providing the following information at the enquiry stage can help establish the test scope and identify any potential setup requirements early.
Engineering Drawing
An engineering drawing of the test item should show the key information needed to understand its physical configuration, including:
- External dimensions
- Mass
- Required clearances, where applicable
- Relevant mounting points or features
- The location of openings, interfaces, or other features that may affect the test
Mounting Configuration
Our laboratory will also need to know how the product is intended to be mounted during testing. This can include the mounting plane (vertical or horizontal), attachment points, and the distance above the ground or another surface.
If the product requires specialist brackets, straps, clamps, or other hardware to achieve its intended mounting configuration, these details should also be provided as part of the enquiry.
Enclosure and Internal Inspection
Some IP tests require the enclosure to be opened afterwards so technicians can inspect the interior for evidence of ingress. It’s therefore important to explain how the test item can be opened and where its internal components and cavities are located.
For fully sealed products, the laboratory will also need information about where internal components and cavities are positioned, as the enclosure may need to be cut open for inspection following testing.
Submitting a Sample for IP Testing
Once the IP test scope has been agreed, the physical test item needs to arrive at the laboratory ready for the planned test setup. Supplying the correct sample and supporting equipment helps ensure we can test the product as intended.
Before submission, check that the test item and any required accessories meet the following requirements:
- Clearly identify the product with its name, model number, and serial number.
- Remove all hazardous materials, including lithium-ion batteries, from the test item before submission.
- Supply any brackets, straps, clamps, or other specialist hardware required to mount the product.
- If mounting fasteners penetrate the enclosure, supply the test item pre-mounted on a secondary panel.
For test item sub-components designed to operate when wet or dusty, you may wish to exclude them from the ingress protection assessment under the applicable provisions of the AS 60529 standard (Clauses 13.5.2 and 14.3). In this case, a signed statutory declaration must be supplied to the test provider before testing starts.
The declaration should identify the test item and address the relevant criteria specified by the standard. Austest can provide a template on request, but this must be completed prior to testing, as test results cannot be re-evaluated retrospectively to apply an exclusion that wasn't declared beforehand.
Start an Ingress Protection Quote with Austest
At Austest Laboratories, we aim to make the ingress protection testing process clear from the initial enquiry through to the final report. Our experienced and friendly team will explain the IP testing requirements, discuss the information needed for your specific product(s), and confirm the scope before testing begins.
Our process typically involves:
- Tell us about your product – Provide details about the product, its intended application, and the IP rating or testing requirements you need to meet.
- Establish the test scope – We’ll review the available information and confirm the applicable ingress protection testing requirements and programme.
- Prepare the test item – Your product is submitted with the required identification, mounting equipment, and supporting information.
- Complete the testing – Our technicians conduct the agreed testing in our specialist laboratory facilities using controlled test conditions.
- Receive the results – We provide precise documented test results, including the relevant findings and supporting evidence from the test programme.
Austest operates as an independent, accredited test house, providing impartial testing against recognised standards, including AS 60529. Our facilities support ingress protection testing across the IP Code, including testing up to IP68, as well as specialist requirements for defence and aerospace applications.
Looking for trusted ingress protection testing for your products? We can help!
FAQs About Ingress Protection Testing
What information do I need to provide for an IP testing quote?
You should provide details of the product, its intended use, required IP rating, and any applicable testing standard. An engineering drawing showing the product’s dimensions and mass, together with its intended mounting configuration and information about how the enclosure can be opened for inspection, will also help the laboratory understand the test requirements.
How many samples are needed for ingress protection testing?
The number of samples required can depend on the required ingress protection tests, product design, and applicable standard or product specification. Your IP test provider can confirm the required sample quantity once the test scope has been established.
Do I need to provide mounting equipment with my test sample?
Yes, where specialist equipment is needed to mount the product as required for testing. This can include brackets, straps, clamps, and other mounting hardware. If mounting fasteners penetrate the enclosure, the product should be supplied pre-mounted on a secondary panel.
Can I leave batteries in my product during IP testing?
No. Austest requires all hazardous materials, including lithium-ion batteries, to be removed from the test item before submission.
What happens if my product contains components designed to operate when wet or dusty?
If you want specific components excluded from assessment under the applicable provisions of the standard, you’ll need to provide a signed statutory declaration before testing begins. This must clearly identify the test item and the components or areas covered by the declaration.
Can Austest test products to standards other than AS 60529?
Austest provides ingress and enclosure protection testing against IEC 60529 and its derivatives, including AS 60529, as well as testing to relevant defence and aerospace specifications. The appropriate requirements depend on the product, its application, and the compliance programme being followed.
What happens after ingress protection testing?
Following IP testing, the product is evaluated for evidence of ingress or other relevant failures according to the applicable test requirements. Austest then provides documented test results and supporting evidence for the completed testing programme.
Can Austest guarantee certification or recommend changes to help a product pass?
No. As an independent, accredited test house, Austest operates with complete impartiality. We can explain the relevant testing requirements, applicable standards, and test results, but we can’t guarantee certification or recommend changes designed to influence the outcome of a test.