What to look for in a label supplier

Quality of Products

Since a datacenter’s reputation can be damaged and they may incur financial losses when there is a  data center outage. Even a single minute of downtime may result in thousands of dollars in losses and erode customer confidence. It is important that the wire, cable and conduit labels used to organize, manage, and maintain complex networking and power infrastructure are durable. The ink should comply with industry standards for fade resistance. The adhesive should be stable in the installation and long term environment.  The engineer should have specified if the label needs to be UV resistant for outdoor use.

Accuracy  

Lower risk of human error: Since human mistakes are a major cause of inaccurate labeling. The human input of label text should be minimized. To avoid typos the best systems input this data from existing engineering files. This extends to the engraved plate orders. The orders should be sent in an excel file that can be read by a laser engraver. It is always a good idea to run a spell check on this file.

Quick Turn Around

Since many construction projects such as data centers are on an expedited schedule, look for a vendor that can meet these delivery requirements. It is often better to print the labels like wire markers on the job site. That way when there are last minute changes or missing labels  they can be created immediately. These are easy to use thermal transfer printer systems. However, if you prefer you can order labels printed and delivered to your site.

Easy to Use Products

When the heat-shrink wire markers are attached to a page, they are easy to insert the wire into. They are also easy to keep organized. The pages can be fan-folded for easy transporting to the  installation site. And the electrician can remove them in random order if needed.

Full Line of Electrical Identification Products

It is easier and more efficient to open an account with one vendor who can help you with the many products involved in electrical identification specifications. An expert in electrical identification is better than a general electrical distributor for these matters.

What types of electrical identification products are used on industrial projects?

• Heat Shrink Labels (Sleeves) Applied before wire termination.

• Self-Laminating Labels Used post-termination; protected from oil, water, dirt.

• Cable Tags (Tie-On) For large cables/bundles.
• Engraved Tags  Plastic or stainless steel
• Engraved Faceplates Stainless steel in black or red text
• Conduit or Cable Labels Adhesive or wrap around coiled markers