Like most people, you have probably heard about the ANSI/TIA/EIA-606-A label standard, but have never taken time to learn about it. If you are typical, labeling is, at best, a necessary evil. At worst, it can be a nightmare. Why not take something that you consider a disadvantage and turn it into a strong advantage? This is the basis for success in any business.

Success often means you have to add value. Going the extra mile up front, by showing a potential customer how you plan to label and administer the installation, will go a long way to creating confidence and trust. Price is not always the driving factor. However, you have to show the customer that you can save them time and money, now and in the future.

Labeling is probably one of the most talked about benefits on any installation, yet it is also one of the most forgotten when it comes down to actually doing the work. What is the cost of NOT labeling or creating your own method of labeling? It is hard to measure in the short term, but in the long term it does have consequences.

One obstacle to labeling is that everyone has their own way of creating a structure to identify cables and ports in an installation—even though it is better for both the customer and the information transport system (ITS) installer to create a unified labeling system in the 606 standard. If the customer hires an ITS installer who is using the new 606 standard and that ITS installer goes out of business, or moves away, the customer can hire a new ITS installer without having to pay the new ITS installer additional money to learn or re-learn their whole system from the ground up. There is a cost to the customer associated with the time required to test and locate cable connections in order to make adds, moves or changes. The same applies to the ITS installer who has to charge more to re-learn a system that someone else has installed.

It is all about cost and efficiency. It is also about the cost of making mistakes when trying to administer something that is poorly labeled or not labeled at all. The cost of not labeling can be very high in the long run. Unfortunately, almost 50 percent of the smaller installation companies do not take the time to label their installation in any manner.

It is also about changing attitudes and habits. A day is coming when ITS installers will proudly indicate that their installations are labeled to the 606 standard; some are already there. Someday this will make a difference in getting the contract or being passed over for a competitor.

The 606 standard is well written and easy to understand. The standard:

n         Establishes classes of administration

n         Accommodates scalable needs

n         Allows modular implementation

n         Specifies labeling formats to be portable across multiple platforms

n         Specifies identifiers to accommodate information transfer from design drawings to cabling system administration software

There is also the issue of how to label to the standard. There are many types of labeling software and equipment within the general market. However, you need to purchase the right tool that fits the application in the most efficient way possible.

There is no completely right or wrong answer on what type of labeling system to purchase. It all comes down to your label volumes, budget and methods of labeling.

If we are to be true to the spirit of the standard, the contractor should label horizontal link cables as they are installed, labeling to within about 300 mm (12 in) of either end of the cable, both at the back of the patch panel and just behind the wall outlet plate at the work center.

By labeling the cables as they are installed, the ITS installer avoids having to fight though a thick bundle of cables at the back of the patch panel. It also prevents having to remove the faceplate a second time to pull enough cable through the wall to allow access to the cable for labeling. It is best to have everything labeled before testing cables.

ANSI/TIA/EIA-606-A standard states that each label must be mechanically generated, not handwritten. This helps avoid confusion by others who have to read handwriting that might not be written clearly.

Labeling Methods and Devices

In general, there are two methods for labeling. Portable label printing uses self-contained handheld

printers that typically print on tapes or die cut labels. This method is normally used in small to medium sized applications for tens to hundreds of drops. Depot service labeling requires a separate label printing software package and utilizes desktop printing systems and is normally used in medium to high volume installations for hundreds to thousands of drops.

Across these methods, there are basic types of labeling devices, each of which are described in more detail.

n         Portable tape printers

n         Portable die cut label printers

n         Ink jet printers

n         Laser printers

n         Thermal transfer printers

Portable tape printers are best in low volume applications where a quick label is needed on demand. These printers are inexpensive and can be quite durable for general applications. The label media will typically be more expensive as the contractor is paying for the convenience of the system built into cartridges that contain label and ribbon stock. Typically, the user can only print one label at a time, which must be cut off immediately and used. These printers will also have slower print speeds, but this is not critical in small installations. Print speeds become more critical from a labor cost standpoint when label volumes start to increase.

Portable die cut label printers are the next step up in the label creation process. These printers are a little more expensive per unit, but print very fast and because the labels are die cut (as separate labels on the liner), the contractor can set the printer to print large batches of labels without having to keep an eye on the printer. For example, the contractor can do other tasks while the printer is printing. The label stock is typically less expensive than a portable tape printer and is better suited to larger jobs where labor and material costs become more critical. In general, this device is best used in installations where there are hundreds of drops.

For label printing software and printers, a good label printing software package should be selected to allow the contractor to design and store very simple to very complex databases that can be used and saved over and over again. A good Microsoft® Windows®-based label software package will have the ability to import wire lists from a Microsoft Excel® or Access® database and allow the ITS installer to customize label designs to meet each application. These systems provide the greatest overall capabilities for the contractor and provide the greatest efficiencies in large and medium volume applications.

Standard ink jet printers are inexpensive and can also be used to print standard sheets of paper for documentation, reports and other office uses. Ink jet labels are convenient because most contractors may carry an ink jet printer with them as part of their normal office inventory. Because the contractor is now printing sheets of labels, the print speed is increased greatly and larger volumes can be printed at even lower labor costs. It is important to test samples of proposed labels in the printer before purchasing. Because ink jet printers spray jets of wet ink onto a surface, the label must be able to absorb ink quickly to avoid smearing the ink when handling.

Laser printers provide the highest speed printing. Again, many ITS installers may already own a good laser printer and can use this printer for multiple purposes. The toner is dry instantly so there is less concern for smearing of the printed mark during handling of the media after printing. The ITS installer should test sample sheets of the media in their printer before purchasing. Some laser printers have a very tight paper path with very tight bends in the machine. Since the sheets of labels are much thicker than standard paper, there is a chance that sheets can jam or become stuck in the machine during printing. If this happens, the ITS installer should try selecting the alternate paper path, which is usually a straight paper path. Some printers may or may not offer this feature and the user should check the capabilities of their particular printer before purchasing label stock.

Thermal transfer printing will give the highest quality mark and provide the most stable printing. Designed for higher volume applications, a thermal transfer printer will provide high reliability in demanding environments. There are no paper path issues to worry about and the printed mark is very durable during post print handling. Thermal transfer printing systems will typically yield the greatest labor and label cost efficiencies in high volume applications, which can entail thousands of drops.

Label Shelf Life

All labels have a limited shelf life, which is approximately two years from the date of manufacture. Labels used to wrap around cables are the most susceptible to age. If they get too old, the labels can start to unwind from the cable and create a poor looking installation. The best way to test labels that might be suspect is to wrap some around a few test cables and let them sit for 24 hours. Most labels use a good acrylic based adhesive that takes a full 24 hours to completely setup and bond. If the labels are “flagged” after 24 hours, then this is what you can expect when placed on your actual cables. If the product is still wrapped properly after 24 hours at room temperature, they are probably safe to use.

Data Centers

The ANSI/TIA/EIA-606-A committee is working on an addendum to the 606 standard that will detail additional requirements for labeling within the data center. Labeling in the data center will still incorporate all of the requirements of the 606 standard, but will add requirements for unique attributes within the data center that are not currently covered in the basic labeling standard. These will include, but are not limited to:

n         Rack and cabinet location identifiers

n         Cabinet and rack labeling

n         Preterminated cable labeling

n         Labeling sub-panels

Cost Comparison

It is useful to breakdown the actual costs associated with labeling a typical installation. Assume a standard labor rate of $25 per hour. This comparison includes all of the following costs for each system mentioned above.

n         Labor time required to print the labels

n         Cost of each label

n         Cost of any ribbon used to print each label

n         Include the labor cost to manually apply a label to a cable

These costs are based on average market prices for these items. Label cost is based upon a typical label size of 25 mm (1 in) wide by 36.3 mm (1.43 in) tall.

Tape Printers

Based on a $25 labor rate and including purchased label and ribbon costs and a hand-applied rate of 15 seconds per label, using a tape printer will average around 36 cents per mark.

Portable Die Cut Label Printers

Based on a $25 labor rate and including purchased label and ribbon costs and a hand-applied rate of 15 seconds per label, using a portable die cut label printer will average around 25 cents per mark.

Laser, Ink Jet, Thermal Transfer Printers

Based on a $25 labor rate and including purchased label and ribbon costs and a hand applied rate of 15 seconds per label, using a desk top printing system will average around 14 cents per mark.

Summary of Average Label Costs

n         Portable Tape Printers – 36 cents per mark

n         Portable Die Cut Printers – 25 cents per mark

n         Desktop Systems – 14 cents per mark

Again, price per mark is not necessarily the driving factor in making a decision. If your volumes are very low, it is better to use a portable tape printer as you might never recover the cost of a complete desktop thermal transfer printing system. However, if you are managing and marking thousands of drops or are working in a data center, then the control of data and managing that data in relation to printing large volumes of labels allows you to recoup your equipment cost very quickly by the large labor savings associated with desktop systems.

This is even more of an issue in the data center where labor rates may be as much as $60 per hour. The key question to ask is how much time do you want spent on printing labels as opposed to doing other installation tasks and then weigh that cost vs. the time spent labeling. The system you select and how you utilize that system will make a difference in profit, cost and competing in future bids.

Conclusion

If the 606 standard is taken at face value, it is easy to use and understand. The growing emphasis on standards in the ITS industry is creating more awareness of the need to standardize on all labeling in an installation. This standard should encourage many ITS installers who have not traditionally followed 606 guidelines to move toward common integration within the industry. In addition, as customers become more aware of the standard, one measure of an ITS installer will be the ability to manage, label and record the system, which has been so carefully designed. Compliance with the 606 standard will continue to be a hallmark of quality.

The ANSI/TIA/EIA-606-A standard has been a work in process by many in the industry. Research and development of this standard has crossed the boundaries of many markets, industries and companies. There are still elements that must be addressed, as in the case of data centers, but it appears to be a standard that everyone can embrace.