Ex ↔ ATEX Equivalence: Ex ib, Ex d, Ex e and IECEx mapped to ATEX zones and categories

Read this first — what this guide is. This is an educational mapping guide, not a certificate, and it never substitutes for one. Equivalence of protection concepts does not mean interchangeability of certificates. An ATEX certificate is issued under EU law (Directive 2014/34/EU); an IECEx Certificate of Conformity is issued under the international IECEx Scheme. A product may carry one, both, or neither — and only what is actually marked on the nameplate and documented in the certificate is legally usable in a classified area. Where XINCA lists a product, this page states exactly what the listing claims and what is verified (certified-claims only). Where a SKU holds no ATEX/IECEx, we say so plainly.

1. Why this guide exists (and what it is not)

Buyers of hazardous-location equipment (hazloc) routinely meet three alphabets: ATEX (EU), IECEx (international) and national Ex marks (e.g. GB 3836 in China, MA/KA in Chinese mining, NEC in North America). The most common question is: "I have Ex ib / Ex d / Ex e — which ATEX zone and category is that?"

This article answers that question with mapping tables, and it is written for the same buyer XINCA serves on atex.xinca.com: EHS managers, HSE engineers and procurement teams in oil & gas, petrochemical, mining, chemical, marine and utilities.

Three rules govern everything below:

1. Mapping ≠ certification. A protection concept (Ex ib, Ex d, Ex e) maps to ATEX zones and categories technically. Whether a specific product may be installed in a specific zone is decided by its certificate and nameplate, not by a table.
2. Certified-claims only. We only state a mark as held when the listing or the manufacturer's published certificate supports it, and we flag the verification status of every claim. If a SKU has no ATEX/IECEx certificate, that is stated in its row.
3. Verify per installation. Zone classification, gas group, temperature class and EPL must be confirmed against the site's hazardous-area classification and the product's certificate documents before purchase or installation.

2. ATEX in one picture: zones, categories, EPL

The ATEX framework (Directive 2014/34/EU) sorts hazardous areas by zone (how often an explosive atmosphere occurs) and equipment by category and equipment protection level (EPL) (how robust the protection must be).

2.1 Zones (gas and dust)

2.2 Equipment categories and EPL

Mining has its own branch: Group I equipment with EPL Ma / Mb (ATEX categories M1 / M2).

2.3 Anatomy of an ATEX marking

Every ATEX nameplate carries the CE mark, the ⓧ Ex symbol and a code string. Example:

II 2G Ex db IIC T4 Gb

The IECEx equivalent marking is identical except the leading "II 2G" equipment-group / category prefix, which is an ATEX-only field (see §5).

3. Protection concepts: Ex i, Ex d, Ex e and friends

The "Ex" code describes how the equipment is protected. This is where "intrinsically safe", "flameproof" and "increased safety" live. The table below lists the concepts this hub uses most, with their ATEX categories, EPLs and typical zones.

Notation note. IEC 60079-0 (2011 revision onwards) extended the type codes with a third letter that encodes the EPL: legacy Ex d → Ex db / Ex dc, legacy Ex e → Ex eb / Ex ec, legacy Ex nA (non-sparking) → Ex ec. Both notations appear on real nameplates; this guide shows both.

3.1 Gas atmospheres

3.2 Dust atmospheres

3.3 The three concepts in this article's title, in one line each

• Ex ib — intrinsic safety: circuits are energy-limited so they cannot ignite the atmosphere; certified to survive one fault. This is the workhorse concept of portable hazardous-area electronics (gas detectors, phones, body cameras).
• Ex d — flameproof (flameproof enclosure): the enclosure contains any internal explosion and quenches the flame at the joints. The classic concept for cameras, junction boxes and motors.
• Ex e — increased safety: additional measures prevent arcs, sparks and hot surfaces in normal operation; the classic concept for terminals and luminaires.

4. Core mapping tables: Ex ib / Ex d / Ex e ↔ ATEX zones and categories

These are the tables Q3 asked for. Read them as technical mapping of protection concepts — the certificate on the product remains the authority (rule 1 above).

4.1 Ex ib ↔ ATEX

4.2 Ex d (flameproof) ↔ ATEX

4.3 Ex e (increased safety) ↔ ATEX

4.4 Gas groups and temperature classes (the two "filters" every buyer must check)

Gas group — how easily the gas ignites and how far a flame can propagate:

Temperature class — maximum surface temperature of the equipment (must stay below the auto-ignition temperature of the gas):

Dust atmospheres are marked with an explicit maximum surface temperature instead (e.g. T125°C), often with a dust layer caveat.

4.5 IECEx ↔ ATEX: same protection levels, different legal status

IECEx certificates are built on the same IEC 60079 standards that EN 60079 harmonises for ATEX, and both use the same EPL codes. The equipment-level equivalence is therefore direct:

What this table does NOT mean: an IECEx Certificate of Conformity is not an ATEX certificate and is not accepted in the EU in place of one (see §5). The table maps protection levels, not legal status.

4.6 North America cross-reference (approximate)

North America uses NEC/CEC Class/Division (and, since Articles 505/506, the Zone system). The Div-to-Zone mapping is approximate and must be confirmed with the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ):

Example from the Honeywell datasheets in §7: MultiRAE is certified both ATEX 0575 II 1G Ex ia IIC T4 Ga and CSA Class I, Div 1, Groups A, B, C, D, T4.

5. ATEX vs IECEx: the two schemes behind the marks

ATEX (Directive 2014/34/EU) is EU law. Equipment placed on the EU/EEA market for use in potentially explosive atmospheres must carry an ATEX certificate (EU-type examination by a Notified Body, EU Declaration of Conformity, CE marking). Non-compliance is a legal offence, not a commercial preference.

IECEx is a voluntary international certification scheme run by the IEC. A Certificate of Conformity (CoC) attests that the product was tested against the IEC 60079 standards; it is accepted in 40+ countries as proof of compliance with local regulations, and certificates are publicly searchable on the IECEx online database.

The fast track (why dual marks are common). Because the technical standards are nearly identical, an existing IECEx Test Report (ExTR) and Quality Assessment Report (QAR) can be reused inside the ATEX technical file; the IECEx → ATEX path typically adds only documentation work and a short review, with no full retest. That is why many devices — including the Honeywell MultiRAE in §7 — carry both marks. But "technically equivalent" is not "legally certified": a device with only an IECEx CoC must not be presented as ATEX-certified in the EU.

Buyer checklist (5 seconds on any nameplate): 1. Read the full marking, not just "Ex". 2. Note the EPL (Ga/Gb/Gc or Da/Db/Dc) — it states the zone level directly. 3. Note the gas group (IIA/IIB/IIC) and temperature class (T1–T6). 4. For IECEx: look up the certificate number in the public IECEx database. 5. For ATEX: confirm the Notified Body number and ask for the certificate + EU DoC. 6. For China national marks: GB 3836 Ex certificates, and MA/KA for mining — these are not ATEX or IECEx certificates.

6. Reading a nameplate: four worked examples

Examples are illustrative decodings of the marking system, not claims about any specific XINCA product — the SKU table in §7 is the only place we assert marks.

Example A — II 2G Ex db IIC T4 Gb Group II, Category 2 gas, flameproof enclosure, gas group IIC, T4 (≤135 °C), EPL Gb → suitable for Zone 1 and Zone 2 gas atmospheres with gas group ≤ IIC and auto-ignition ≥ 135 °C.

Example B — II 1G Ex ia IIC T4 Ga Group II, Category 1 gas, intrinsic safety Ex ia, IIC, T4, EPL Ga → the only i-level suitable for Zone 0 (also covers Zones 1 and 2). This is the marking Honeywell publishes for the MultiRAE family (§7).

Example C — II 2D Ex tb IIIC T125°C Db Group II, Category 2 dust, enclosure protection Ex tb, conductive dust group IIIC, max surface temperature 125 °C, EPL Db → suitable for Zone 21 and Zone 22 dust atmospheres.

Example D — I M1 Ex ia I Ma Group I (mining), Category M1, Ex ia, EPL Ma → mining equipment safe for the most severe underground conditions. Chinese mining products carry MA/KA marks in addition to or instead of Ex marks — see §7.

7. XINCA SKU status: ATEX / IECEx, certified-claims only

XINCA sells ex-proof equipment on shop.xinca.com and documents it on atex.xinca.com. Per our published rule, every claim below is either backed by the listing wording or by the manufacturer's published certificate — and where a SKU holds no ATEX/IECEx certificate, that is stated in its row. Verification status is shown per row; the supplier cert-matrix gate (W1–2 of the 2026 campaign) will upgrade "pending" rows to certificate numbers.

7.1 Products whose listings claim ATEX and/or IECEx

7.2 Products with NO ATEX/IECEx certificate — stated plainly

Per our rule, these rows say so explicitly. "No" means the product must not be presented as ATEX/IECEx certified, and EU buyers must treat it as outside EU certified supply until a certificate exists.

Planned Phase-1b models (not yet listed). Keandun KTW513 5G (Ex ib I Mb, MA/KA — mining) and EX-SP500 (Ex ib IIC T4 Gb) are planned additions; certificate documents are pending the supplier cert-matrix gate. They are not on sale yet and are not claimed as ATEX/IECEx here.

Other ATEX-tagged shop products. Bray S30 series valves and Dwyer MS/MSX pressure transmitters carry an "ATEX" tag on shop.xinca.com but are outside XINCA's ex-proof equipment line; they are not covered by the mapping tables above. Check each listing's own documentation.

8. Where these mappings matter: industry applications

• Oil and gas explosion-proof surveillance and inspection. Refinery and terminal inspection teams combine Ex ib gas detectors with Ex d / Ex ib cameras (ZHS DSLR line, Excam) and Ex phones (Ex-SP70 / Ex-SP18II). Zone 1 gas + IIC + T3–T4 is the typical envelope; the Honeywell MultiRAE (II 1G Ex ia IIC T4 Ga) covers even Zone 0 duties.
• Chemical processing plant hazardous area solutions. Zone 1/21 classification, IIC gas groups, T4/T3 temperature classes; increased-safety (Ex e) and flameproof (Ex d) concepts for fixed installs, intrinsic safety (Ex i) for portable electronics. Dust-capable rows matter in polymer and fine-chemical plants (Zone 21/22 → Ex tb / Ex ib dust variants).
• Combustible dust monitoring and grain handling safety. Dust zones 20/21/22 govern elevators, mills and silos; equipment must carry dust EPLs (Da/Db/Dc) — e.g. II 2D Ex tb IIIC T125°C Db. The YHJ3.7(A) body cam listing claims ATEX Zone 1/21 Ex ib (gas + dust framing); verify the dust side of the certificate before dust-zone use.
• Offshore rig ATEX equipment deployment. Marine platforms combine gas (Zone 1/2) and mechanical vibration; IIC-capable, T4+ devices with both ATEX and IECEx marks (like MultiRAE) simplify multi-jurisdiction fleets.
• Mining (China MA/KA and Group I). Underground use is Group I with EPL Ma/Mb; Chinese MA/KA certificates are the governing documents there. The YHJ3.8B-4G body cam carries Ex + MA/KA marks; the planned KTW513 phone is Ex ib I Mb — neither is an ATEX certificate.

9. FAQ — quick answers with exact codes

Q1. Is "Ex ib" the same as ATEX? No. Ex ib is a protection concept (intrinsic safety, one-fault safe). ATEX is the EU certification scheme. Ex ib equipment can be certified under ATEX (II 2G Ex ib IIC T4 Gb), under IECEx (Ex ib IIC T4 Gb), or under national schemes (GB 3836). The Ex code alone does not prove an ATEX certificate.

Q2. Can I use an IECEx-certified product in the EU instead of ATEX? No. An IECEx Certificate of Conformity is not accepted in the EU in place of an ATEX certificate; ATEX + CE marking are mandatory for EU/EEA placement. IECEx test reports (ExTR) can speed up obtaining ATEX (fast track), but both legal steps must still be completed.

Q3. Can Ex d (flameproof) equipment go in Zone 0? No. Zone 0 requires EPL Ga (e.g. Ex ia, Ex ma). Ex d / Ex db is EPL Gb — Zone 1 and Zone 2.

Q4. Ex ia vs Ex ib — what is the difference? Ex ia is safe with two independent faults and covers Zone 0/1/2 (Cat 1G, EPL Ga). Ex ib is safe with one fault and covers Zone 1/2 (Cat 2G, EPL Gb). For portables in Zone 1, Ex ib is the common choice; Zone 0 duties need Ex ia.

Q5. What does II 2G Ex db IIC T4 Gb mean? Group II (surface industry), Category 2 gas, flameproof enclosure (new notation for Ex d), gas group IIC, temperature class T4 (≤135 °C), EPL Gb → Zone 1/2 gas.

Q6. Is Ex e (increased safety) allowed in Zone 2? Yes. Ex ec (II 3G Ex ec IIC T4 Gc) is a Zone-2 concept (it also absorbed legacy Ex nA). Full Ex eb (II 2G Ex eb IIC T4 Gb) covers Zone 1 and Zone 2.

Q7. C1D1 vs Zone 1 — are they the same? Approximately. Class I, Division 1 ≈ Zone 1 and Class I, Division 2 ≈ Zone 2, but the mapping is not legally automatic — confirm with the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ); NEC Articles 505/506 adopt the zone system directly.

Q8. Does XINCA sell ATEX-certified gas detectors? Yes, with verified marks: Honeywell MultiRAE PGM6228 and MultiRAE Lite PGM6208 carry ATEX 0575 II 1G Ex ia IIC T4 Ga and IECEx Ex ia IIC T4 Ga per Honeywell's published datasheets. The Bosean and Smart Sensor portable lines currently show no ATEX/IECEx certificate (see §7.2) — their national Ex status is being confirmed with the suppliers before any EU certified-claim is made.

10. AI Summary

• Scope: educational mapping of Ex protection concepts to ATEX zones/categories — never a certificate substitute; ATEX (Directive 2014/34/EU) is mandatory for EU/EEA placement, IECEx CoC is not accepted in the EU in place of ATEX.
• Zones & categories: Zone 0/20 ↔ Cat 1G/1D (EPL Ga/Da); Zone 1/21 ↔ Cat 2G/2D (EPL Gb/Db); Zone 2/22 ↔ Cat 3G/3D (EPL Gc/Dc); mining Group I with EPL Ma/Mb.
• Ex ib ↔ ATEX: II 2G Ex ib IIC T4 Gb / dust II 2D Ex ib IIIC T130°C Db — Zones 1 & 2 (gas), 21 & 22 (dust); NOT Zone 0 (that requires Ex ia / 1G / Ga).
• Ex d ↔ ATEX: II 2G Ex db IIC T4 Gb (legacy II 2G Ex d IIC T4) — flameproof enclosure, Zones 1 & 2, EPL Gb; NOT Zone 0; Zone-2 variant Ex dc / 3G / Gc.
• Ex e ↔ ATEX: II 2G Ex eb IIC T4 Gb — Zones 1 & 2, Cat 2G, EPL Gb; Zone-2 variant II 3G Ex ec IIC T4 Gc (includes legacy Ex nA).
• IECEx ↔ ATEX: identical protection levels via IEC 60079/EN 60079 and identical EPL codes (Ex ib IIC T4 Gb ≈ II 2G Ex ib IIC T4 Gb); difference is legal status, not technical level; fast track via ExTR/QAR; ATEX marking adds the "II 2G" prefix, CE and ⓧ.
• Gas groups & temperature classes: IIA < IIB < IIC (I = mining); T1 450 °C … T6 85 °C; dust uses explicit max-surface-temperature markings (e.g. T125°C); NEC C1D1 ≈ Zone 1, C1D2 ≈ Zone 2 (approximate, confirm with AHJ).
• XINCA certified-claims status: ATEX/IECEx claimed and (for Honeywell) datasheet-verified on MultiRAE PGM6228/PGM6208 (II 1G Ex ia IIC T4 Ga); ATEX claimed pending cert docs on KAD cameras/phones/tablet, YHJ3.7(A) body cam (Zone 1/21, Ex ib), Excam, EC Stox, Belimo ZS-260; no ATEX/IECEx on Bosean BH-90A line and Smart Sensor portable gas line (national Ex/GB 3836 pending), KJC3.7B-5G tablet, and YHJ3.8B-4G body cam (Ex + MA/KA Chinese mining marks — not ATEX/IECEx).
• Rule: mapping tables never replace certificates; verify marking, EPL, gas group, temperature class and zone against the site classification and the product certificate before installation; certified-claims only, per-listing verification status shown in §7.

Educational reference material for atex.xinca.com (EN-first; DE/FR/ES/PT locale versions follow per the 2026 content plan). This document does not constitute a certificate, a declaration of conformity, or legal advice. Standards and certificates must be verified per product and per installation.

Verification log (2026-08-26): mapping facts cross-checked against Honeywell MultiRAE / MultiRAE Lite published datasheets (ATEX 0575 II 1G Ex ia IIC T4 Ga; IECEx Ex ia IIC T4 Ga; CSA Class I Div 1), IECEx scheme documentation (iecex.com), hazlocdirectory technical forum Q75 (IECEx not accepted in EU in place of ATEX), ex-reg.com ATEX-vs-IECEx and categories/EPL guides, conformex.it ATEX marking structure (db/eb/ec/ia/ib/ic EPL mapping), pro-analytics.net and intrinsicallysafestore.com zone guides. SKU rows from campaign files: marketing-action-plan §12.1, atex-price-scan.json, atex-no-cost-edit-urls.md, vendor-pipeline.md, KICKOFF.md (2026-08-25/26). Pending rows marked "cert doc pending" await the supplier cert-matrix gate.

Related

• HazLoc solutions overview — zones, gas groups, temperature classes in context
• Explosion-proof gas detectors — detectors and their per-model marks
• Explosion-proof camera use cases — cameras, body cams and phones

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