International Protection Marking (IEC 60529) is also called Ingress Protection Rating or IP Code. Electric and electronic equipment deteriorate or malfunction when water or dust enters the device. The IEC has developed the ingress protection (IP) ratings, which grade the resistance of an enclosure against the intrusion of dust or liquids. The ratings are widely used throughout industry. “IP” stands for ingress protection (or International Protection System). The first number that follows represents a specific degree of protection against solids, such as dust, while the second number represents a specific degree of protection against liquid.

In some application such as automobile, the protection of liquid might be different from IP67. In order to meet these requirements, the suppliers might test the device according to the customer’s requirements and have IP68 for the device. Typically, a rating of 8 means the device can withstand continuous immersion in water under conditions specified by the manufacturer, which are more severe than those for a rating of “7”.