23 May 2011
CertifiGroup's newly ISO 17025-accredited ingress protection (IP) testing facility allows US manufacturers to certify products for outdoor use, including National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) ratings for equipment and enclosures.
With this accreditation, manufacturers can receive certified test reports for products that need to meet the IP code requirements.
All outdoor products sold in Europe must have the required IP rating indicating the product's level of ingress protection. Ingress protection is the measure of a product's ability to prevent the entry of dust, objects or liquid. IP codes are arranged in a 2-digit numbering system. The first digit is the "protection against foreign objects" code, which ranges from 0 (unprotected) to 6 (dust-tight). The second digit is the "protection against moisture" code, which ranges from 0 (unprotected) to 8 (protected from submersion). Many electric motors and electrical enclosures bear the IP55 designation; other products that need to withstand dust and water immersion would carry the designation IP68. For the complete IP table and reference material, visit this website.
The CertifiGroup IP laboratory has tested enclosures, light fixtures, motors, monitors, hand-held devices and many other products for use in commercial, industrial, hazardous location, medical and residential markets. Standards include International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 60529, 60598-1, 60950-22, Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 73 and UL50E. CertifiGroup also provides UL and CSA Certifications, SEMI S2, CE Marking for Europe, hazardous location, laboratory, lighting and other categories. CertifiGroup is already well known for solar, wind turbine and energy-saving device certifications.
