Resonate Testing supports product development, compliance and qualification programmes with ingress protection testing for enclosures, electronics and equipment exposed to water, dust, solid objects and demanding operating environments.
Resonate provides ingress protection testing services for manufacturers, engineers and product teams who need clear evidence of water and dust resistance. Our environmental testing capability supports IP rating validation for electronics, enclosures, industrial equipment, automotive components and outdoor products.
Ingress protection testing evaluates how well a product enclosure prevents water and solid particles from entering critical areas. It helps engineering, quality and compliance teams understand whether a design can meet the required IP rating before release, certification or customer acceptance.
IPX1 to IPX8 requirements, including drip, spray, splash, water jet and immersion testing. We also offer IPX9K testing in accordance with ISO 20653.
Protection against solid foreign objects IP1X to IP6X, including dust-protected and dust-tight assessment for IP5X and IP6X style requirements.
Test planning against IEC 60529, BS EN 60529, ISO 20653 or customer-defined requirements.
Clear observations and test evidence to support design decisions, compliance files and customer submissions.
Environmental Testing
Vibration Testing
Shock Testing
Sand and Dust Testing
Rain and Water Ingress Testing
Corrosion and Salt Spray Testing
Delivering reliable, high-quality connectivity is a key part of our commitment to customers across the United Kingdom and Ireland. Our IP testing programme helps ensure that network services perform consistently, providing the speed, stability, and reliability that customers expect.
Through ongoing testing and monitoring, we assess network performance, validate service quality, and identify opportunities for improvement. This proactive approach enables us to maintain high standards, enhance service resilience, and support a seamless experience for customers across the region.
By continuously reviewing and optimising our network infrastructure, we help ensure dependable connectivity that supports businesses and individuals in staying connected when it matters most.
Ingress protection requirements are not always straightforward. The right test route depends on the product, intended environment, enclosure design, critical interfaces and whether the requirement comes from IEC 60529, ISO 20653, a customer specification or an internal validation plan.
Share your product description, target IP rating, drawings, enclosure details, sealing approach, cable entries, sample quantity and any pass/fail criteria. Resonate Testing can review the requirement before quotation and help identify the most practical route.
Water ingress testing from dripping water through jets and immersion
Dust ingress testing and solid foreign object protection testing for dust-protected and dust-tight enclosure claims
IEC 60529, BS EN 60529, ISO 20653 and customer requirement review
Environmental campaign planning alongside rain, humidity, corrosion, vibration or shock testing
Ingress protection testing is usually planned around a defined IP code, but the route to that code can vary by product type and market. Requirements may reference IEC 60529 or BS EN 60529 for general enclosure protection, ISO 20653 for road vehicle applications, or a customer-specific validation plan.
The objective is not simply to expose a product to water or dust or other solid foreign bodies. The objective is to generate relevant evidence that the enclosure protects the critical areas under the specified conditions. Mounting orientation, sample condition, pre-conditioning, operating state, inspection method and acceptance criteria should therefore be agreed before testing begins.
Early standards review helps avoid the wrong test method, missing pass/fail criteria or unclear reporting expectations. It also supports traceability when test evidence is needed for technical files, customer submissions, development decisions or compliance programmes.
| Standard / Guidance | Primary Focus | Typical Relevance to Testing |
|---|---|---|
| IEC 60529 | Classification of enclosure protection against water and solid foreign object ingress (IP ratings) | Primary international standard defining IP codes and test requirements from IPX1 to IPX8 and IP1X to IP6X. |
| BS EN 60529 | European adoption of IEC 60529 for ingress protection classification | Commonly specified for UK and European compliance, validation and procurement requirements. |
| ISO 20653 | Ingress protection requirements for road vehicles and electrical equipment | Defines automotive-focused IP testing, including high-pressure high-temperature water jet testing (IPX9K). |
| Customer specifications | Application-specific environmental protection requirements and acceptance criteria | Defines target IP ratings, operating conditions, sample configuration, functional checks and reporting requirements. |
| Product validation plans | Industry-specific protection and performance requirements | May supplement IP testing with additional test methods, pass/fail criteria or environmental exposures relevant to the product sector. |
Ingress protection testing is intended to evaluate how well an enclosure resists water or solid particle entry under defined conditions. Typical objectives include checking seals, gaskets, cable entries, vents, covers and interfaces against the required IP code or customer specification.
Test planning is normally based on the exact product and requirement, including target IP rating, sample condition, mounting orientation, operating state, inspection method, pass/fail criteria and reporting expectations. Applicability should be confirmed before testing begins.
The IP code consists of two numerals and may include additional and supplementary letters.
The first characteristic numeral indicates degree of protection against access to hazardous parts and against solid foreign objects. The second characteristic numeral indicates of protection against ingress of water.
The IP code for any particular enclosure will depend on the nature of the product and its application.
Portable electronic equipment used outdoors may have a rating of IP67 or IP68 – dust tight, and resistant to temporary or continuous immersion. This would now be common for mobile phones, for example.
Domestic appliances which could be exposed to moisture or splash water might have an IP44 rating – protected against objects over 1mm in size, and splashing water.
Automotive parts may have ratings of IP66 or IP69 – dust tight and resistant to powerful water jets or high pressure and temperature water jet.
The IP code can be applied to any enclosure where it is important to demonstrate protection against access to hazardous parts, ingress of dust or foreign objects, or ingress of water from drips, sprays, splashes, jets or immersion.
|
Code Letters
|
IP
|
Protection of equipment |
Protection of persons
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
First characteristic Numeral |
|
Against ingress of solid foreign objects |
Against access to hazardous parts with |
|
0 |
(non-protected) |
(non-protected) |
|
|
1 |
≥50mm diameter |
Back of hand |
|
|
2 |
≥12.5mm diameter |
Finger |
|
|
3 |
≥2.5mm diameter |
Tool |
|
|
4 |
≥1.0mm diameter |
Wire |
|
|
5 |
Dust protected |
Wire |
|
|
6 |
Dust tight |
Wire |
|
|
Second characteristic Numeral
|
|
Against ingress of water with harmful effects |
|
|
0 |
(non-protected) |
|
|
|
1 |
Vertically dripping |
||
|
2 |
Dripping (15° tilted) |
||
|
3 |
Spraying |
||
|
4 |
Splashing |
||
|
5 |
Jetting |
||
|
6 |
Powerful Jetting |
||
|
7 |
Temporary Immersion |
||
|
8 |
Continuous Immersion |
||
|
9 |
High pressure and temperature water jet |
Resonate Testing provides engineer-led ingress protection testing support for electronics, enclosures, industrial equipment, outdoor products and automotive components across the UK and Ireland. Programmes can include water ingress, dust ingress, pre-compliance, product validation and qualification support depending on the agreed specification.
The laboratory supports development, validation and compliance testing for products that need evidence of enclosure protection. Test activity can be planned against recognised standards, customer-defined requirements and the intended operating environment.
Successful ingress protection testing requires more than exposing a product to water or solid particles or objects. Setup and verification may include sample condition checks, mounting orientation, operating state, electrical interfaces, functional checks, pre-test inspection and post-test observations. Acceptance criteria and inspection methods should be reviewed before the campaign begins.
For high-value products and customer-facing validation, the setup is central to the quality of the test. Drawings, enclosure details, seal design, cable routing, venting, orientation and inspection access should be reviewed early so the item is tested in a representative condition.
Early engagement helps identify whether the requirement is best treated as water ingress, dust ingress, combined IP rating validation or a customer-defined environmental test before the campaign starts.
| Specification | Capability |
|---|---|
| Test Type | Ingress protection testing for water and dust resistance |
| Water Ingress | Dripping water, spray, splash, jet and immersion style requirements where applicable |
| Dust Ingress | Dust-protected and dust-tight enclosure assessment for IP5X and IP6X style requirements |
| Solid Foreign Object Ingress | Protection against solid foreign objects IP1X to IP6X |
| Typical Standards | IEC 60529, BS EN 60529, ISO 20653 and customer-defined specifications |
| Product Types | Enclosures, electronics, outdoor products, industrial equipment and automotive components |
| Planning Inputs | Target IP rating, drawings, sample condition, mounting orientation and pass/fail criteria |
| Setup Review | Seals, gaskets, cable entries, vents, covers, interfaces and representative installation details |
| Operating State | Powered, unpowered or functionally checked condition as agreed before testing |
| Inspection | Pre-test condition checks, post-test inspection and agreed evidence collection |
| Reporting | Observations, achieved conditions, photographic evidence where agreed and a report or data pack |
| Test Planning Support | Requirement review, practical route selection, sequencing, sample preparation and reporting expectations |
Resonate provides a focused and efficient environment for IP testing, helping teams validate functionality, performance, and readiness before broader deployment. By enabling structured testing, issue identification, and feedback collection, Resonate supports higher-quality outcomes while reducing risk. Its collaborative approach allows stakeholders to evaluate solutions in real-world scenarios, gather actionable insights, and make informed decisions based on testing results. This helps accelerate validation, improve confidence in deployment decisions, and ensure that IP meets business and technical requirements.
Hardware dimensions, drawings and keep-out zones
Mass, handling constraints and fixture requirements
Target IP rating or water/dust/solid object ingress requirement
Applicable standard, customer specification or internal validation plan
Sample condition, mounting orientation and representative installation details
Cable entries, seals, gaskets, vents, covers and enclosure interfaces
Powered or unpowered state and any functional checks during or after exposure
Safety information for batteries, stored energy, hazardous materials or pressurised items
Inspection method, acceptance criteria and evidence requirements
Reporting, photographic evidence and witness requirements
An IP rating indicates the level of protection an enclosure provides against solid particle ingress and water ingress, based on the applicable standard or specification.
The first digit relates to protection against solid particle ingress. The second digit relates to protection against water ingress.
Ingress protection work may reference IEC 60529, BS EN 60529, ISO 20653, a customer specification or an internal validation plan.
Water ingress testing exposes the product to an agreed water condition so the enclosure can be inspected for ingress, functional impact or visible evidence.
We can provide support for IPX1 to IPX9 water ingress requirements.
Mounting orientation helps make the setup representative of the intended installation and must be agreed before exposure.
Dust ingress testing applies the agreed dust condition in line with the selected standard or customer requirement, then the product is inspected using the agreed method.
We support for IP5X and IP6X dust ingress requirements.
Cable entries, seals, gaskets, vents, covers and enclosure interfaces should be reviewed because they can affect ingress performance.
Inspection checks for ingress, functional impact or visible evidence using the customer agreed inspection method.
Yes functional checks can be included. The product can be powered or operated at defined points when this is part of the agreed plan.
Evidence may include achieved conditions, observations, inspection results, photographs where agreed and the agreed report outputs.
Acceptance criteria should be agreed during planning, alongside the target IP rating, inspection method and success measures.
Sample condition, enclosure details and representative installation features help ensure the test reflects the agreed requirement.
Yes, this should be agreed. The powered or unpowered state, electrical safety controls and functional checks should be reviewed before testing.
The report or data pack can summarise achieved conditions, observations, inspection results, photographic evidence where agreed and the agreed outputs.
Provide the target IP rating, drawings, enclosure details, sealing approach, cable entries, sample quantity, operating state and acceptance criteria.
Yes. Witness requirements should be identified before quotation along with reporting and photographic evidence needs.
Ingress protection failures often occur at the practical interfaces of a product: seals, gaskets, cable entries, covers, vents, joints, fasteners and service openings. These details should be reviewed before testing so the setup reflects the intended installation condition.
The inspection approach should also be agreed early. Depending on the product and requirement, pass/fail evidence may include visual checks, internal inspection, functional checks, photographic evidence and observations against the agreed acceptance criteria.
Products exposed to water or solid particle and often need wider environmental validation too. Coordinating ingress protection with rain, humidity, corrosion, vibration or shock testing can help align sample preparation, inspection evidence and reporting across the full programme.
For projects with multiple environmental requirements, review the likely sequence before finalising the test plan so the same samples are not compromised by earlier exposures.
Outputs are agreed before the test so the evidence matches the programme need. A typical package may include:
Confirmation of the agreed IP requirement, standard or customer specification
Details of the achieved water or dust exposure conditions
Observations from setup, test execution and post-test review
Photographic evidence where agreed
Confirmation of functional checks completed during or after exposure where agreed
An agreed test report or data pack aligned to the quotation scope
Book ingress protection testing for enclosures, electronics, outdoor products, industrial equipment and automotive components. Use the contact route to share the target IP rating, drawings, specification or product details for review.
Whether you’re looking to contact us for the first time or have another testing requirement, we’d love to hear from you.
