When choosing electronics for harsh industrial environments, IP ratings are often one of the first specifications people look for. In mining, aggregates, cement, recycling and other demanding industries, sensors are exposed to dust, moisture, vibration, temperature shifts and tough day-to-day handling.
IP ratings are also often misunderstood
A higher number does not automatically mean that a product is “better” in every real-world application. IP65 and IP67 are both strong ingress protection ratings, but they are designed to describe different types of protection. For vibration sensors mounted on vibrating screens, feeders and similar equipment, the right rating depends on how the sensor is used, how long it is installed and what type of exposure it is likely to face.
In this article, we explain what IP ratings mean, how IP65 and IP67 differ, and why ReVibe uses IP67 protection for the VS1 self-powered vibration sensor and IP65 protection for the VS10-C portable vibration sensor.
What is an IP rating?
IP stands for Ingress Protection. The rating is defined by the international IEC 60529 standard and describes how well an electrical enclosure protects against intrusion from solids and liquids.
An IP rating normally consists of two digits. The first digit refers to protection against solid objects and dust. It ranges from 0 to 6, where 6 means dust-tight. The second digit refers to protection against water. It ranges from 0 to 9, depending on the type of water exposure tested.
This means that IP65 and IP67 share the same dust protection level, but differ in how they are tested against water.
What does IP65 mean?
An IP65-rated product is dust-tight and protected against water jets.
The first digit, 6, means the enclosure is dust-tight. This is important in environments such as quarries, mines, cement plants and recycling facilities, where fine particles are constantly present.
The second digit, 5, means the enclosure is protected against water jets from different directions. In practical terms, IP65 is well suited for equipment that may be exposed to rain, splashing, washdown-like conditions, wet hands, wet surfaces and general outdoor industrial use.
For portable tools and sensors, IP65 is often a strong and practical rating because the equipment is not designed to remain permanently exposed in one place for years. Instead, it needs to be robust enough for repeated handling, transport, installation and removal in dirty and wet environments.
What does IP67 mean?
An IP67-rated product is also dust-tight, but the water protection is different.
The first digit, again, is 6. This means the device is dust-tight.
The second digit, 7, means the enclosure has been tested for temporary immersion in water under defined test conditions. This makes IP67 suitable for equipment that may be installed for longer periods in environments where water accumulation, heavy contamination or temporary submersion could occur.
For permanently installed industrial sensors, IP67 provides an additional layer of confidence when the sensor is expected to remain mounted on equipment through changing site conditions, weather, process variation and cleaning routines.
Is IP67 always better than IP65?
Not necessarily.
This is one of the most important points when comparing IP ratings. The water ratings are not simply a single ladder where every higher number automatically covers everything below it in the exact same way. Different ratings are based on different test conditions.
IP65 focuses on protection against water jets while IP67 focuses on protection during temporary immersion. Those are not the same type of exposure.
For example, a device designed for temporary immersion is not automatically the best choice for every situation involving water jets, repeated handling or portable field use. Likewise, a device rated for water jets may not be designed for immersion.
The right question is not “Which IP number is higher?” The right question is “Which type of protection matches the real operating environment?”
IP ratings in vibrating screen environments
Vibrating screens and feeders are among the most challenging machines to monitor. The sensor is not only exposed to dust and moisture, but also to continuous vibration, shock, moving material, temperature variation and difficult access.
In these conditions, ingress protection is only one part of the complete design. A vibration sensor also needs a mechanically robust enclosure, reliable mounting, stable wireless communication, high-quality synchronized data and electronics that can handle vibration over time. Just as importantly, it needs to fit the actual maintenance workflow.
This is why the same IP rating does not always mean the same real-world performance. A rugged vibration sensor for a vibrating screen must be designed as a complete system, not just as a sealed box.
Why the ANURA™ VS1 vibration sensor is IP67
The ReVibe ANURA VS1 is designed for permanent vibration monitoring of vibrating screens, feeders and other vibratory equipment.
It is self-powered through a patented electromagnetic generator, meaning it harvests energy from the motion of the machine itself. This enables continuous monitoring without batteries or cables, which is especially valuable in hard-to-access areas where manual inspection is difficult or unsafe. You can read more about the principle in our article on vibration energy harvesting.
Because the VS1 is intended to stay mounted for long-term use, IP67 is the right fit. The sensor may remain on the machine through changing weather, heavy dust, moisture, process changes and extended operating cycles. The IP67 rating supports the fit-and-forget concept behind permanent monitoring.For operators using ANURA Remote or ANURA OnPrem, the VS1 provides continuous, time-synchronized vibration data for predictive maintenance, process monitoring and machine health analysis. It is built for harsh environments where reliability over time matters more than occasional spot checks.
Why the ANURA™ VS10-C vibration sensor is IP65
The ReVibe ANURA VS10-C is designed for portable field diagnostics and temporary measurements.
It is battery-powered, rechargeable via USB-C and built for engineers and maintenance teams who need to perform measurements in the field. Typical use cases include troubleshooting, commissioning, Factory Acceptance Testing, Site Acceptance Testing, R&D validation and routine service inspections.
For this type of workflow, IP65 is a highly relevant rating. The VS10-C needs to handle dust, wet conditions, outdoor industrial use and repeated handling, while remaining compact, lightweight and easy to mount and remove.
Unlike a permanently installed sensor, the VS10-C is not intended to sit on the same machine indefinitely. It is made for flexible use across many measurement points, often together with Vibreshark software or the ANURA Connect mobile app.
In other words, the VS10-C does not need to be IP67 to be the right sensor for tough environments. Its IP65-rated enclosure matches its role as a rugged, portable diagnostics tool..
IP65 vs IP67 in practical terms
For many industrial users, the difference can be summarized like this:
- IP65 is a strong fit for portable industrial equipment exposed to dust, rain, splashing and water jets.
- IP67 is a strong fit for permanently installed equipment that may face more severe water exposure, including temporary immersion.
Both ratings are highly relevant for harsh industrial sites. The difference is not about one product being good and the other being less rugged. It is about matching the enclosure design to the use case.
At ReVibe, the VS1 and VS10-C are designed for different jobs:
- VS1 is built for permanent, self-powered monitoring.
- VS10-C is built for portable, rechargeable field diagnostics.
That is why the VS1 is IP67 and the VS10-C is IP65.
What IP ratings do not tell you
An IP rating is useful, but it does not describe everything that matters in an industrial sensor. It tells you something important about protection against dust and water, but it does not tell you how well the sensor handles continuous vibration, whether the data quality is good, how stable the wireless communication is or how reliable the mounting will be over time.
It also does not describe battery life, energy harvesting capability or how easy the sensor is to use in real maintenance workflows.
This is particularly important for vibrating screens. A sensor may have a good IP rating, but still fail to deliver useful data if it cannot handle the vibration dynamics, if it is difficult to mount correctly, or if it cannot synchronize data accurately.
For condition monitoring and diagnostics, the complete sensor system matters.
Built for harsh environments from the start
ReVibe’s sensors are designed for industries where equipment failure is costly and access is difficult. Mining sites, quarries, cement plants and recycling facilities do not need fragile electronics with impressive specifications on paper. They need reliable tools that work where the machines actually operate.
That design philosophy is part of ReVibe’s heritage.
ReVibe originated from technology developed within the SAAB Group, a company with a long history of engineering rugged systems for demanding environments. That background has shaped how ReVibe approaches sensor design: robust hardware, reliable data and practical usability in the field.
Whether it is the IP67-rated VS1 for self-powered monitoring or the IP65-rated VS10-C for portable diagnostics, the goal is the same: to make high-quality vibration data available where traditional solutions often fail.
Choosing the right vibration sensor
When selecting a sensor for vibrating screens or other vibratory equipment, the IP rating should be considered together with the application.
Choose a permanent monitoring solution such as VS1 when you need continuous insight, long-term reliability and minimal maintenance.
Choose a portable diagnostics solution such as VS10-C when you need flexible, temporary measurements for troubleshooting, maintenance service, commissioning or performance validation.
Both sensors are built for harsh industrial environments. Their different IP ratings reflect their different roles.
The best protection is not always the highest number. It is the protection that matches the job.
