Electrical, Tele- & Datacom

Identification Guide Book

IDENTIFY
ANY CABLE
& COMPONENT
Why this Guide?
Well identified wires, cables and
components give professionals like you an
immediate insight into how an installation
works and how it is connected. This enables
you to perform repairs, installation updates
and upgrades faster, in a safer, more secure
way and with a reduced risk of human error.
There is a lot more to professional
identification labels than meets the eye.
Depending on the context of your job, it is
better to choose a more resilient
material that ensures legibility
for the lifetime of a cable
or component.

This Electrical, Tele- & Datacom Identification Guide Book will offer
ideas on the best identification solution options for a great number
of contexts encountered by Electrical, Telecom and Datacom
installation professionals.

2
Table of Contents
Why this Guide? 2
Importance of Professional Labelling 5
What is a Professional Label? 6
Identification Tips & Tricks 10
Wire & Cable Identification 13
Wrap Around Labels 15
Cable Flags 17
Cable Tags 19
Sleeves 21
Slide-on Solution 23
Component Identification 25
Terminal Block & Breaker Box Identification 27
Electrical Panel Engraved Plate Replacement 29
Patch Panel & Outlet Identification 31
Custom Identification Solutions 33
On-site Label Printing Power 35
High Volume Printing 45
Pre Printed Identification Labels 47
Electrical Lockout/Tagout 49
The Brady Advantage 50

[Link] 3
4
Importance of
professional labelling
Ever lost time figuring out where each wire goes?
Durable professional labels that remain legible and stay attached in harsh
conditions are extremely important to keep power, network, voice and data
cables and components organised and running effectively.

Professional identification on wires, cables and

components enables you to:
■■ immediately recognise what needs checking during troubleshooting
■■ clearly mark parts for upcoming maintenance upgrades
■■ trace history, lifespan and supplier
■■ add safety warnings or precautions
Ask yourself how much time or money you lose while trying to trace an
unidentified faulty cable, wire or component.
Ask yourself how fast pressure builds when machinery, production lines,
servers and services are impacted.

This is when professional labelling pays off big time.

[Link] 5
What is a
Professional Label?
Professional identification labels are engineered to withstand a number of
harsh environments. To help you chose the best match for your context,
these icons accompany our products on the following pages:

Abrasion Resistance tested on Taber Abraser equipment

with CS10 grinding wheels and weighted arms.

Fuel/Oil Resistance tested through immersion in

Gasoline, Break Fluid, SAE 30wt Oil, JP-8 Jet Fuel,
MIL-H-5606 Oil.

Outdoor Durability testing equates to 3 years or greater

outdoor durability.

Low Temperature Resistance tested during 30 days or

1000 hours at -40°C, -70°C or -80°C.

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High Heat Resistance labels can resist up to 100°C.

Solvent/Chemical Resistance proven with MEK/Acetone/

Toluene/Xylene immersion test.

Self-Extinguishing/Anti-Flammability labels have a flame

spread index of 0 and a flammability average burn time
<30 seconds.

Ultra-aggressive adhesion labels require a constant force

of 12 inch/min with 180° peel to remove.

[Link] 7
Typical Construction
of a Professional
Label
The combination of label liner, adhesive, substrate and topcoat provide
a professional label’s features, resistances, capabilities and durability.

The topcoat gives the label its colour and finish, receives the
1
print, and increases resistance against weathering, flames,
chemicals or heat.

The substrate gives the label its form and provides tensile
2
properties such as strength and flexibility and physical properties
such as chemical and temperature resistance.

The adhesive attaches the label to a chosen surface type and

3
2
ensures resistance against a set of environmental contexts.

The label liner is a very thin carrier that releases the self-
4
adhesive label.

8
 1

[Link] 9
Identification
Tips & Tricks
A professional identification label is available for every type of wire, cable
& component in various label styles, sizes and materials to cover specific
identification needs and requirements. But which label is the best one?

Material
Cable and component identification labels exist in various materials. The
best material for your application depends on the environment it is
exposed to.
■■ Polyolefin labels and sleeves remain legible in wet environments, and
have excellent resistances against chemicals and high temperatures.
■■ Vinyl labels offer excellent oil and dirt resistance, and are ideal for nonflat
subsurfaces. Vinyl labels also offer great UV-resistance and come in 10+
standard colour variations.
■■ Nylon labels offer excellent resistance against chemicals and
temperatures ranging from -196°C to +121°C. They are ideal for use on
curved surfaces and are very strong and flexible.

Cable thickness
Depending on the thickness of your wires or cables, you’ll need to decide
which sleeves or self-laminating labels to use in order to make sure they’ll
fit. Use these tips:

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■■ Cable sleeves should have at least twice the height of the cable diameter
■■ Self-laminating labels should be +/- 6,5 times the cable diameter (2r x 2pi)
■■ Wrap-around labels should have +/- 3,5 times the cable diameter (2r x pi)
■■ Very thick cables can be identified using straps and a cable bundle tag

Terminated cables
When you need to identify cables or wires that are already attached, sleeves
are not an option because they need to be slid over a wire or cable. Tags
can be used as a non-adhesive alternative, and self-laminating labels, wrap-
arounds and flag labels are a self-adhesive alternative for terminated cables.

Cable type
If you want to limit the contact surface between your wire or cable and your
identification solution, use a P- or T-shaped flag label. This label type will
minimise contact with fibre optic cables for example, while maximising label
space to print a code or barcode on.

If you are unsure about the best identification solution for your application,
contact your Brady specialist.

[Link] 11
 Use quality identification solutions from Brady

Because you can’t rely on low quality labels

12
Wire & Cable
Identification
Brady offers quality identification solutions for any wire or cable in any
environment. Researched and tested, Brady labels were designed with
durability in mind to make sure your identification work is intact for your
next installation intervention.

When performance matters most, trust in the researched and tested

Brady Identification Solutions for wires & cables:

■■ Wrap Around Labels

■■ Cable Flags
■■ Cable Tags
■■ Sleeves
■■ Slide-on Solution

The following pages show a selection of popular wire & cable

identification solutions. For the full range, please visit our website
[Link].

[Link] 13
14
Wrap Around Labels
Brady Wrap Around Labels offer good fading and abrasion resistance.
Identifying cables and wires permanently or temporarily, wraparound
labels offer both excellent print quality and high resistances versus
extreme temperatures, chemicals and fuels.
The B-427 Self-Laminating Vinyl Cable Labels have a durable
translucent vinyl film with an acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive. These
labels have a white (or other colour options) printable zone and a
transparent over-laminate which wraps around the label to protect the text
from fading and abrasion.
The B-498 Repositionable Vinyl Cloth Labels feature a specially
formulated top coat with a cloth backing. These labels provide very good
print quality and excellent holding power, while allowing repositioning of
the label for a limited time.

B-427 Self-Laminating Label

B-498 Repositionable Vinyl Cloth Label

Type in the B-number at [Link]/tds for more technical information

[Link] 15
16
Cable Flags
Cable Flag Labels are an excellent identification solution when more
information or a barcode is needed to properly identify a cable or wire.
The B-425 Polypropylene Cable Flag is ideal to identify fibre optic
cables. The material is very flexible and comes in P- or T-shaped label
formats to minimise the contact surface between the label and the fibre
optic cable.
The B-499 Nylon Cloth Cable Flag, allows for easy folding around
wires and can be printed on both sides. This label offers good resistance
against heat, cold, oil, dirt and chemicals.

B-425 Polypropylene Cable Flag

B-499 Nylon Cloth Cable Flag

Type in the B-number at [Link]/tds for more technical information

[Link] 17
18
Cable Tags
Cable tags are ideal for both in- and outdoor applications. They are
usually attached using cable ties and are ideal for identifying thick cables
or cable bundles. Cable tags offer a lot of space to add identification data
and have high tear, solvent and heat resistance. A wide range of colours
is available.
Brady proposes the B-109 (white) and B-145 (grey) multipurpose cable
tags, which offer extreme resistance to tearing and cold. They are ideal to
identify power and ground cables, a/v cables, cable harnesses and data
centre wires.

B-109/ B-145 multipurpose cable tags

Type in the B-number at [Link]/tds for more technical information

[Link] 19
20
Sleeves
Sleeves are a flexible identification solution that can be moved along a
cable until heat shrunk into position. This enables you to adjust sleeve
position once cables are terminated. The sleeve needs to be slid over the
cable before termination.
The B-342 Heat-shrink polyolefin Permasleeve™, available in many
colours, has very good temperature (135°C) and chemical and solvents
resistance. Clear, legible text can be printed on the wire and cable sleeve
with a Brady printer for reliable wire identification.
The B-7641 Low Smoke, Zero Halogen Sleeve, has an excellent UV,
humidity, and solvent resistance and excellent flammability (EN-45545-2).
This sleeve helps comply with governmental regulations on smoke and
chemical emissions during a fire.

B-7641 Low Smoke, Zero Halogen Sleeve

B-342 Permasleeve

Type in the B-number at [Link]/tds for more technical information

[Link] 21
22
Slide-on Solution
When your cables are not yet attached, and you do not want to use an
adhesive label, or a sleeve, a slide-on solution is a great alternative. The
slide-on solution’s position can be adjusted once cables are terminated.
Brady proposes the B-7696 Durasleeve™, which is available in yellow
and white and can be attached to a great variety of wires. Printable
Durasleeves are inserted into a transparent, rigid PVC carrier which offers
superior strength and protection for your printed inserts. The special
shape of the clip-on carrier allows it to adapt to various diameters.

Type in the B-number at [Link]/tds for more technical information

[Link] 23
24
Component
Identification
In addition to a great number of wires and cables, electrical, telecom and
datacom installations also contain a large number of small and medium-
sized components whose function or number can be identified for faster
maintenance and follow-up operations.
Brady offers a number of specialised labels for components including
■■ Terminal Blocks & Breaker Boxes
■■ Electrical Panel Engraved plate replacements
■■ Patch Panels
■■ Outlets

The following pages show a selection of popular component

identification solutions. For the full range, please visit our website
[Link].

[Link] 25
26
Terminal Block & Breaker
Box Identification
Using pre-printed clips is still very popular for identifying terminal blocks.
However, labels that can be applied on the clip or directly on the terminal
block are a cost-effective alternative that do not require a large stock
of pre-printed clips. You only need to carry a few blank clip sizes and a
printer that can print both your component and wire identification labels.
Brady proposes the B-498 Terminal Block Repositionable Labels
which offer excellent holding power while easy to remove and reposition at
the same time.

Tip: use the pre-defined terminal block & breaker box label types in the
Brady portable printer menu to optimize the time needed to create those
types of markers.

B-498 Terminal Block Repositionable Label

Type in the B-number at [Link]/tds for more technical information

[Link] 27
28
Electrical Panel Engraved
Plate Replacement
Choosing and buying the right engraved electrical panel legend plates can
be a real hassle and they often require ordering in advance.
Brady proposes the innovative B-7593 EPREP label which is a polyester
label featuring a compressible foam tape and a shiny topcoat. It is
specifically designed to replace engraved and plotted plates for electrical
component, electrical cabinet, push button and patch panel identification
and can be printed on-site. This means you can decide on the spot what
your engraved plate alternative should look like.

B-7593 EPREP Label

Type in the B-number at [Link]/tds for more technical information

[Link] 29
30
Patch Panel &
Outlet Identification
Telecommunication outlets are usually identified manually using a pen,
resulting in increasing legibility issues and loss of information over time. A
quality printed label can remedy these problems.
Brady proposes the B-412 polypropylene tags or the B-422/B-
423/B-430 Polyester Labels to identify patch panels and outlets.
Offering high tensile strength, these durable materials exist in a variety of
sizes to identify racks, bays, frames, slots and other tele- and datacom
equipment. They are designed to be printed and cut to length to slide into
patch panel inserts or to be fixed with an adhesive.

B-412 Polypropylene Tag

B-422 Polyester Label

B-423/B-430 Polyester Label

Type in the B-number at [Link]/tds for more technical information

[Link] 31
32
Custom Identification
Solutions
Custom identification solutions can be created according to your
specifications!

Frequently used custom labels include:

■■ Specific shapes and/or dimensions
■■ Specific coloring: material appearance through label colouring
■■ Specific materials to meet your requirements: chemical resistance, UV
resistance, scratch resistance

■■ Specific printing or layout

Brady can leverage its identification expertise, material knowledge and

R&D power if required to develop custom identification labels for your
applications. Every Brady custom label can be printed with the BMP™71
Label Printer.

[Link] 33
34
On-site Label
Printing Power
On-site printing power eliminates the need to carry loads of identification
labels. Choose the printer that best fulfils your needs, and select a few
cartridges of your favourite label materials.
Brady’s printing solutions enable on demand printing of the most
specialised wire, cable and component labels in Electrical, Telecom and
Datacom environments. They will save your preferred label formats for
quick and easy reuse and cut your labels to size. Coupled with Brady’s
label software, they can print the most intricate identification labels
conceivable.

[Link] 35
BMP™71
Label Printer
The BMP™71 Label Printer is the premium mobile printer. Able to print
the widest range of materials, including custom labels, BMP71 features
a large and sharp screen, is easily portable and has a built in keyboard,
available in various configurations. Whether you need heat-shrink sleeves,
die-cut labels or indoor/outdoor vinyl, you can be confident that the
BMP71 printer has the right label material for your application.
■■ Over 500 built-in symbols
■■ Fast typing with both hands
■■ Enlarged full colour screen
■■ Qwerty/Azerty/Qwertz/Cyrillic keyboards
■■ Nimh battery
■■ Ideal for 1000 continuous or
die-cut labels a day
■■ Label width up to 50 mm

■■ Supports 400 parts

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BMP™61
Label Printer
The BMP™61 Label Printer offers great performance that matches your
own. It is portable, fast and can handle a lot of identification challenges
thanks to its wireless connectivity and a wide range of durable labels to print
on. Designed with molded rubber bumpers and a vivid colour touch screen
with on screen indicators, the rugged and reliable BMP™ 61 Label Printer
will be your trusted identification companion of choice, all day, every day, for
years to come.
■■ Rich connectivity options (Wifi, USB, USB list)
■■ High print speed (33.8 mm/sec)
■■ Full colour touch screen
■■ Qwerty/Azerty/Qwertz/Cyrillic keyboards
■■ Rechargeable NiMH battery
■■ Ideal for 750 die-cut or continuous labels a day
■■ Label width up to 50.8 mm
■■ Supports 600 standard parts and custom labels

[Link] 37
BMP™51
Label Maker
The BMP™51 Label Maker helps you get the job done faster, easier and
with confidence and offers great media connectivity on top of crisp printing,
easy formatting, convenient label sizes and portability. WiFi, Bluetooth,
usb, .. the BMP™51 Label Maker connects easily to networks, computers,
laptops or an Android smartphone, and also is a standalone printer.
■■ Wireless capabilities
■■ High print speed (25.4 mm/sec)
■■ Durable self-cleaning cutter
■■ Qwerty keyboard
■■ 8 AA batteries or rechargeable Lithium-ion battery
■■ Ideal for 500 continuous or die-cut labels a day
■■ Label width up to 38 mm
■■ Supports 190 parts

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BMP™41
Label Printer
The BMP™41 Label Printer is the rugged, portable solution that gives
you the versatility to create your own label length or use die-cut labels
anywhere, anytime! Offering excellent value for money, BMP41 gets your
labelling done easier and faster so you can get on with your day.
■■ Drop-tested for industrial usage
■■ Exceptional material variety and durability
■■ Prints up to 250 labels a day at 33mm/second
■■ Large LCD backlit display
■■ Qwerty keyboard
■■ Nimh battery
■■ Ideal for 250 die-cut or continuous labels a day
■■ Label width up to 25 mm
■■ Supports 250 parts

[Link] 39
BMP™21-PLUS
Label Printer
Once you experience the BMP™21-PLUS Label Printer’s unstoppable
labelling power, you’re not going to want to share. It combines a tough
exterior with smart printing capabilities for wires, cables and flat surfaces.
BMP21-PLUS is an extremely popular printer and Brady’s entry-model
into DIY Labelling.
■■ Super rugged with moulded rubber bumpers
■■ Drop-lock-and-go cartridges
■■ Easy to use, ergonomic handheld design
■■ ABC Keyboard
■■ 6 AA batteries or Lithium-ion battery
■■ Ideal for 75 continuous labels a day
■■ Label width up to 19 mm
■■ Supports 60 parts

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[Link] 41
42
Technical Printer Comparison
Internal
Max. Label Parts Built-in Barcode
Label feed Text sizes memory Power Supply
width supported symbols compatibility
capacity

Continuous
Code 39 Rechargeable NiMh
Die-cut 100.000
50.80mm 4 to 174pt +400 +500 Code 128 Battery
Bulk rolls labels
Via software Or AC power cord
Customs

Continuous
Code 39 Rechargeable NiMh
Die-cut 250.000
50.80mm 4 to 174pt +600 +500 Code 128 Battery
Bulk rolls labels
Via software Or AC power cord
Customs

Continuous Code 39 Rechargeable Lithium

25.000
Die-cut 38.10mm 4 to 102pt +130 450 Code 128 Ion battery or
labels
Via software 8AA’s or AC power cord

Continuous Code 39 Rechargeable NiMh

25.000
Die-cut 25.40mm 4 to 72pt +100 450 Code 128 Battery
Labels
Via software Or AC power cord

Rechargeable Lithium
Code 39
Continuous 19mm 6 to 40pt +60 12 Labels 104 Ion battery or
Code 128
6AA’s or AC power cord
 Application Printer Comparison
Engraved
Wrap Terminal Plate
Sleeve Selflam Flag Tag Clip-on Patch Panel Custom
around Block Replacement
Patch Panel

B-412, B-422
B-342 B-109 B-423, B-428
B-498 B-425 B-498 Can print
B-7641 B-427 B-145 B-7696 B-7593 B-430, B-483
B-499 B-499 B-499 custom labels
B-412 B-488, B-498
B-499

B-412, B-422
B-109 B-423, B-428
B-342 B-498 B-425 B-498 Can print
B-427 B-145 B-7696 B-7593 B-430, B-483
B-7641 B-499 B-499 B-499 custom labels
B-412 B-488, B-498
B-499

B-109 B-412, B-422

B-498 B-425 B-498
B-342 B-427 B-145 no B-428, B-483 no

[Link]
B-499 B-499 B-499
B-412 B-498, B-499

B-498 B-412, B-422

B-498
B-342 B-427 B-499 B-499 B-412 no no B-428, B-483 no
B-499
B-498, B-499

B-423, B-430
B-342 B-427 B-499 B-499 no no B-499 no no
B-488, B-499

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44
High Volume
Printing
The BBP™33 Label Printer is an industrial benchtop label printer
that is simple, powerful and brilliantly fast. Offering record fast material
changeovers and an impressive material lineup, BBP33 is an ideal printer
when you need to change materials fast and frequently.
The Wraptor™ Wire ID Printer Applicator is an automated print and
apply machine that makes wire and cable identification faster and easier. It
combines printing and label application in one easy to use unit. In a single
stroke, the Wraptor turns a series of labour-intensive, inefficient tasks into
a modern automated process that saves time and materials – saving your
company money.
The BBP™72 Double Sided Sleeve Printer is designed to print on the
top and bottom of a sleeve simultaneously, creating sleeves in a seamless
one-pass operation. BBP72 is ideal for large print run quantities and prints
on a variety of durable, fade-resistant and smudge-proof heat-shrink
sleeves.
The BBP™12 Label Printer is an entry level benchtop label printer
for cable, wire and component identification that offers great value for
money. The compact BBP12 offers a high print speed of 100 mm/second
and can handle a wide range of highly durable and specialised Brady
identification labels.

[Link] 45
46
Pre Printed
Identification Labels
Pre-printed marker cards can be used for all products that do not have a
special marker groove. It’s a convenient method for providing a standard
size frame around an array of markers, including terminal blocks, wire and
cables and a variety of industrial equipment. The benefit of such a marker
is that you can put your project description on every marker card, and that
you can easily remove the markers from their frame.
Brady also offers pre-printed marker cards for wires and cables. The
marker cards offer a series of pre-printed numbers and letters which can
easily be torn off to identify your wires and cables.
Next to marker cards, Brady also offers labels that are pre-printed with a
safety message in colour, enabling you to add more printed information
with a mono-colour printer, and still be compliant.

[Link] 47
48
Electrical
Lockout/Tagout
Besides wire, cable and component identification, Brady also offers
Lockout/Tagout. This is a procedure involving the inoperability of
machinery by isolating its energy sources. Brady offers a wide range of
Lockout/Tagout solutions for all energy sources, including dedicated
lockout devices, durable padlocks & keys, procedure writing services,
procedure management software and a modular training video.
Brady’s electrical Lockout/Tagout solution enables you to lock a circuit
in the off-position with a lockout device and a padlock. Only you, or
your team, can reenergise the circuit using your personal key after your
maintenance work is done.

[Link] 49
The Brady
Advantage
Depth of product line
“We chose Brady because of the range of labels”
Brady utilises the greatest product range on the market to offer a
complete identification solution in any context. This means Brady can
bring you a uniquely professional and cost-saving advantage. If you
require a new identification solution, you can rely on our chemists
and engineers to create a completely new label build, including new
combinations of label layers up to in-house engineered adhesives or inks.

When performance matters most

“Brady labels are durable and don’t fall off, that’s
what we’re after”
Brady offers a multitude of different materials, markers, inks, ribbons, print
media and specialised adhesives in order to ensure that labels will remain
in place even in harsh environments or on structured and paint-coated
surfaces.

50
100 years of experience
“It is great to be a customer with a company that
you can trust”
The high-performance component & cable identification systems that Brady
supplies are the result of many years of dedication to the electrical & telecom
markets.
You, our customer, are the reason Brady has been in business for a 100
years. During that time, our customers have appreciated Brady’s dedicated
service and support, built on our technical expertise and enjoyed our market
knowledge. With your support, we are planning to add at least another 100
years!

Excellent availability
“Easy to order - Fast Delivery”
With more than 1500 distributors throughout Europe, backed up by Brady
services & support in every European region, our identification labels,
printing solutions and consumables are always nearby to guarantee fast
delivery.

[Link] 51
Brady Your complete Identification Solution Provider
Lockout/ Tagout solutions: Brady offers full
support and a broad range of products to create
your advanced work safety environment.

Safety signs: We offer more than 8000 different

signs for safety, maintenance and facility
identification.

Smart spill control: Clean, fast and safe removal

of oil, water and chemicals spills.

Pipe markers: Easily identify pipe content

and flow direction.

Hazardous substance symbols: Highly visible

CLP / GHS symbols for you to make sure to
comply with the CLP / GHS Regulation.

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Randburg, South Africa Budaörs Moscow Australia ............... 612-8717-6300
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Zele, Belgium Gorgonzola (MI) Madrid, Spain China (Beijing) .. 86-10-6788-7799
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Tel. +32 (0) 52 45 78 11 Tel: +39 02 26 00 00 22 Tel. +34 900 902 993
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© 2016 Brady Worldwide inc. All rights reserved

Odense Tel. +47 70 13 40 00 Tel. +90 212 264 02 20 New Zealand ... 61-2-8717-2200
Tel. +45 66 14 44 00 Philippine .......... 63-2-658-2077
BRADY Romania BRADY UK & Ireland
Singapore............ 65-6477-7261
BRADY France Bucharest Banbury, Oxon, UK
Taiwan ............ 886-3-327-7788
Roncq Cedex Tel: +40 21 202 3032 Tel. +44 (0) 1295 228 288 Thailand ............ 66-2-793-9200
Tel. +33 (0) 3 20 01 08 70 USA ................. 1-800-537-8791
BRADY Germany
Egelsbach
Tel. +49 (0) 6103 7598 660 Your distributor

EUR-O-750-EN 07/09/2016

Y4131468

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[Link]