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According to an article in the December 2006 issue of the magazine, "While the residential market helped lead the electrical industry through the early parts of the economic recovery earlier in the decade, it's the commercial market, and to a lesser degree the industrial market, that will sustain growth the next year." This is great news for electrical contractors, who can expect opportunities in new and existing commercial installations. But it also presents special challenges, as job specs will now require extensive cable labeling as well as labeling for terminal blocks, switches, fuses, and other components.
Brady's line of portable label printers, including the ID PALTM Labeling Tool, the IDXPERTTM v2.0 Handheld Labeler, and the TLS 2200® Thermal Labeling System v4.0 offer the portability, versatility, and easy-to-use features that electricians need for complicated commercial installations.
Start with the right labels Using the right labels for the right job can improve installation efficiency, saving time and money. Brady offers three types of wire and cable labels that ensure a smooth, professional installation. Heat-shrink sleeves provide the ultimate in durability and clean appearance when labeling wire and cable. Self-laminating wire and cable labels come with clear tail that wraps around text and graphics to protect vital printed information. For temporary wiring or tie-ins at a new installation, Brady's standard wire wrap labels with aggressive but repositionable adhesive provide durable identification that can be easily moved or replaced.
Brady's handheld label printers accommodate all of these labels, and the IDXPERT v2.0 labeler and TLS 2200 v4.0 printer also offer flexible options for inside-panel component labeling, with pre-cut labels made from polyester or metallized materials for terminal blocks, switches, fuses, and other components. For outside panel and equipment labels, the IDXPERT v2.0 labeler and the TLS 2200 v4.0 printer both offer large label options -- printing on bold-color labels up to 1.5" wide and 2" wide, respectively.
The Printer features you need Electrical and datacomm installers are faced with creating hundreds of labels in a day -- which means the easier, the better in terms of handheld label printer functionality. Look for printers that offer autoformatting to wire marking mode -- a feature that will save you time every day. Printers that offer compatibility with both pre-cut and continuous labels give installers more on-the-fly options. Also look for preformatted datacomm templates for 110-blocks, 66-blocks, and BIX-blocks, which let you create labels for punch-down blocks in different pair configurations (2pr., 3pr., 4pr., 5pr.) The IDXPERT v2.0 labeler is ideal for this application. PC Connectivity is also helpful when contractors need/want to print a large number of labels in advance or wish to create labels in a click-and-drag Windows® environment, and is available on both the IDXPERT v2.0 labeler and the TLS 2200 v4.0 printer.
Let's talk price Price points for handheld labelers can vary greatly, depending on features, speed, and durability. Small electrical contractors may find the ID PAL, with its $99 price tag, the ideal way to get great quality and durable labeling at an affordable price. Contractors looking at more demanding job specs or larger installations will want to look for printers that can handle the volume and the versatility they encounter every day, making the IDXPERT v2.0 labeler or the TLS 2200 v4.0 printer the right tools that will save time and money with every installation.
1. Lucy, Jim, "Top Ten News Stories of 2006," Electrical Wholesaling, December 2006. http://ewweb.com/mag/electric_top_ten_news_4
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