The Index of Protection Assessment Laboratory (LAIP) provides the industrial community with testing services established by the standards IEC and ABNT NBR IEC 60529, pertaining to the assessment and determination of the degree of protection offered by electronic equipment enclosures designated by the specific coding system (IP code).

The LAIP is equipped with all the testing devices needed to carry out the degree of protection tests in line with the accredited standards, as well as the instruments needed to establish the necessary test conditions. The assessments indicated by the number 5 and 6 (codes IP5X and IP6X, respectively) are conducted using a dust chamber equipped with two pumps for dust circulation and internal dimensions of 600 x 650 x 1400 mm.

The LAIP typically performs tests for Product Certification Agencies (OCPs) accredited by Cgcre, as well as tests to assess the performance of enclosures or metallic test specimens according to the accredited standards required by manufacturers.

In addition to assessments in line with standards accredited by the laboratory, the facility is also qualified to conduct salt spray tests in accordance with specific testing standards or procedures not included within its scope of accreditation. In such cases, a preliminary assessment is conducted of the standard or procedure for the test in question. Should the laboratory determine that the application technique for the tests indicated is viable, these may be carried out as non-accredited tests subject to prior agreement between the laboratory and the interested party.

The LAIP was accredited to conduct degree of protection testing by INMETRO in 1999. First numeral tests were initially restricted to evaluations with probes (codes IP1X to IP4X), whereas accredited tests for the second numeral did not include the evaluations stipulated for codes IPX5 to IPX8. From 2002, the laboratory obtained accreditation to perform tests for first numbers 5 and 6 (codes IP5X and IP6X), after acquiring a P14.20 PTL dust chamber, as well as the remaining tests not previously included for the assessment of protection against water entry.

In 2005, the need for more space led to the relocation of the LAIP from building 30 to building 13 of the PUCRS central campus, with a total area of 50 m2. The inauguration of this sace took place on November 9, 2005, in conjunction with LABELO’S complex of energy efficiency labs for household appliances.

LABELO’s curent testing scope accredited by Cgcre for the LAIP includes the IEC 60529:2001 and ABNT NBR IEC 60529:2005 standards for determining the degree of protection of enclosures defined using IP codes, in addition to specific standards for the index of protection defined by IK codes (IEC 62262:2002 and IEC 60068-2-75:1997), which can be viewed on th INMETRO website via the following link:

http://www.inmetro.gov.br/laboratorios/rble/docs/CRL0075.pdf

Standard Number
Degrees of protection provided by electronic equipment chambers (IP code) abnt nbr iec 60529/2005
Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code) iec 60529/2001
Degrees of protection provided by enclosures for electrical equipment against external mechanical impacts (IK code) iec 62262/2002
Environmental testing – Part 2: Tests – Test Eh: Hammer tests iec 60068-2-75 /1997

As described in section 4 of IEC and NBR IEC 60529, the IP code consists of two characteristic numbers (first and second) which can be complemented by an additional optional letter and/or a supplementary letter.

The first numeral of the code (number 0 to 6, which can be omitted by the letter “X”) indicates the degree of protection provided by the enclosure against access to dangerous parts of the equipment and the ingress of solid foreign bodies; the second numral of th code (number 0 to 8, which can b omitted by the letter “X”) indicates the degree of protection against the ingress of water.

The additional letter in the code (“A” to “D”) is optional and used to indicate the degree of protection for people against access to dangerous parts of the equipment inside the enclosure, which may be greater than that previously indicated by the first numeral. Thus, th additional letters A, B, C or D in the code basically demnstraes that the enclosure is resectively protected against access by the back of the hand, fingers, tools or wire.

Finally, the supplementary letter in the code (“H”, “M”, “S” or “W”) is optional and used to provide supplementary information on the product tested, according to th relevant standard. Thus, the supplementary letters H, M, S and W are respectively associated with high voltage, equipment tested with moving parts in motion (second numeral), equipment tested with moving parts remaining stationary (second numeral) and equipment suitable for use in specific environmental conditions.