Product, Facility, & Safety Identification Solutions

Canadian systems integration company standardizes and streamlines cable labeling process with Brady Tagus printing system

Genesis Communications is a low voltage systems integrator that provides a complete range of design/build, consulting, and installation services for sound and video equipment, telephone and voice mail, data networks, nurse call, security, and more. Their projects range from small schools to 65,000-seat stadiums, airports, hospitals, and even military facilities. Recently, they embarked on an initiative to standardize their computer-aided design (CAD) documentation and streamline the wire installation and cable labeling process.

By standardizing CAD documentation across their three offices in Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver, the company can ensure high-quality, consistent drawings and engineering packages - avoiding confusion at work sites and speeding system installations for technicians. The company selected a comprehensive CAD software package that created complete engineering packages, wire diagrams, and cable numbers for each installation.

For the new system to be truly efficient in the field, however, Genesis needed a wire and cable labeling solution that would integrate with the new CAD system. By creating wire and cable labels directly from the CAD drawings, they could save hours on installations while ensuring accurate labeling. The labeling solution also needed to be easy to use, durable, and create labels that could withstand the process of messy, dusty fieldwork their technicians often encountered.

After reviewing several printing systems and label materials, Kevin McKay, a member of Senior Management at Genesis Communications, contacted a Brady representative to discuss available options. After an on-site demonstration of the Brady Tagus™ T200 Thermal Transfer Printer, the Genesis staff knew they had found their solution.

The Tagus T200 printer supports a direct connection to the CAD drawing software, and meets all their needs for durable label output. The high-quality thermal transfer printing is both faster and more durable than either dot matrix or laser printers, and Brady self-laminating labels offer the durability they need in the field.

"Dot matrix printing starts out bad and only gets worse," McKay said. "And laser labels are so thin that it makes them fragile. With the Brady printing system and labels, there's no flaking, smudging, or ink bleed - and the labels can get a little dirty and they'll still wrap and stay stuck."

Another advantage of the Tagus printing system is its 10,000-label spool, allowing Genesis staff to print all the labels for a job together. This system also meets their label volume needs, which can require printing of 5,000 to 10,000 labels per month.

Durable labels are important, but according to McKay, the durability of the printer itself was a factor in choosing a printing system, as was Brady's technical support: "This printer is built like a tank; and Brady has one of, if not the best, tech support teams we've ever had the pleasure of dealing with."

Genesis Communications currently uses three Tagus T200 printing systems, one for each branch location, and is considering a fourth printer for situations where labels must be printed on location.

"The expectations of our industry keep growing, and this label printing system helps us keep up-to-date with the demands of our customers," McKay said.