Today, we explain briefly the meaning of the IK index (Impact Protection code). It is a coding system about the degree of protection for electrical materials against external mechanical impacts.

The IK code is included in the IEC 62262 standard, an European standard equivalent to the international IEC 62262 standard (2002). It is generally used to know the resistance of certain envelopes of electrical materials installed in exteriors, industrial areas or places where they are exposed to frequent shocks or vandalism. Therefore, it indicates its ability to withstand external mechanical impacts.

Like the IP code, which we discussed in a previous post, it is composed of the acronym IK, accompanied by two numbers from 0 to 10. Its meaning is reflected in the following table, showing the level of element protection (from minimum to maximum resistance, respectively), and the energy supported by the product.