Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Reference
1 IEC 60529:1989+A1:1999, Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP
Code) (http://www.iec.ch)
Standard versus Certification
Standard Certification
ISO/IEC Guide 2:2004 defines a standard as a document, Certification is a third-party attestation related to products,
established by consensus and approved by a recognized processes, systems, standards or persons.
body, that provides, for common and repeated use, rules, It is distinct from the other systems of proof of conformity
guidelines or characteristics for activities or their results, such as supplier declarations, laboratory test reports or
aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in inspection body reports. Certification is based on the results
a given context. of tests, inspections and audits and gives confidence to the
Standards are generally designated by a few letters (prefix) customer on account of the systematic intervention of a
and a number. The letters (e.g., ISO, EN, BS,) indicate the competent third body.
standards body which has approved them; the number Certification is mandatory when and where it is required
identifies the specific standard. by law. For instance, the European Commission requires
“Harmonized European Standards” are the standards that the CE mark be obtained for defined products which
drafted by the European standards bodies (CEN/CENELEC), are particularly dangerous or associated to serious risks,
on a mandate from the European Commission, with as specified by the “New Approach” Directives. For these
reference to the European Directives of the “New Approach” products, the CE mark is necessary to allow them to
kind. These directives define generic safety requirements to circulate freely in the European Market
which some families of products, considered dangerous or Product certification attests that a product complies
associated to serious risks, must adhere. Products made with the safety, fitness for use and/or interchangeability
in accordance with the harmonized standards benefit from characteristics defined in standard(s), and in specification(s)
an agreement of conformity to the essential requirements of supplementary to standards, where they are requested by
the directives, provided that the reference of the harmonized the market.
standard has been published in the Official Journal of the
European Communities and that the harmonized standard
has been implemented at a national level. Voluntary Certification
The harmonized European standards are voluntary. However, When not required by law, that is when conformity to
producers who choose to use specifications other than the standards is a producer’s choice, certification is voluntary. In
harmonized standards will be required to prove conformity these cases, certification of conformity to a given standard
of the product to the requirements of the directives in order may be an internal product requirement for a company, or
to obtain the CE mark, which must be affixed to products it can be a strategic competitive factor since it represents
defined by these directives. a quality symbol to consumers. Unlike a CE mark, IP
certification is not required by law. It is up to the suppliers’
discretion to invest in independent 3rd party testing and
certification. Customers who place value on objective testing
of the device they are puchasing can ask their supplier for
the official certificate.
1 1
Protected against solid objects greater than 50mm Protected against vertically dripping water
2 2
Protected against solid objects greater than 12.5mm Protected against dripping water when tilted up to 15°
3 3
Protected against solid objects greater than 2.5mm Protected against spraying water
4 4
Protected against solid objects greater than 1.0mm Protected against splashing water
5 5
6 6