A. Selecting a Wire Marker

The following information will help you select a wire marker that best suits your needs.

Wire Marking Before or After termination

• Wrap-around markers -- use either before or after termination.
  • Legend is visible from all sides since the marker completely wraps around the wire.
  • A self-laminating marker is a special type of wrap-around marker which has a clear portion that will wrap around and laminate the legend. This ensures that the legend is protected from spills and scratches.
• Sleeve markers -- only use before termination because they must be slipped over the open end of the wire:
  • These non-adhesive markers provide flexibility as they can be moved prior to being heat-shrunk.
  • Once shrunk, these markers will provide a permanent identification that will stand up to harsh environments.

Guage of wire being marked

• Size of the wire determines the length of the self-laminating/wrap-around marker or the diameter of the sleeve to be used. Most wrap-around styles can be used for a range of sizes.
• Length of the label should be FIVE times the outer diameter of the wire to be marked.

Print-On-Demand or Pre-Printed Markers

• Printable markers are designed for printing variable legends as needed. we offer various methods for this including:
  • portable wire marking printers or computer software linked to thermal transfer, dot matrix, laser or ink-jet printers.
  • Extensive array of sizes are available for every application.
  • Offer the flexibility of printing legends on demand.
  • Ideal for applications requiring long legends with multiple characters.
• Preprinted markers are available in a large variety of stock legends, and custom legends are available for any large jobs. These markers come in a variety of packaging and formats for ease of use and ease of transport. They are ideal for any application.

Type of environment where wire markers will be placed

It is extremely important to select a wire marker material that will last for your application.
Some factors to consider:

• Contact with oil, water, chemicals or solvents?
• Self-extinguishing properties or requirements?
• Government or special specification requirements?
• Dirt and environmental factors?

Too many companies go to the trouble of marking only to have to do it all again because they did not select the correct material. The following section will help determine the right label material for your application.

B. Wire/Cable Marking Products

This section will introduce you to all the different wire marking products available. There are two main categories:

• Print On Demand Wire Markers
• Pre-Printed Wire Markers

Print On Demand Wire Marking Products

When you prefer the flexibility of printing the legends on your own, we offer wire marking materials for use with:

• Dot Matrix Printers
• Laser Printers
• Ink Jet Printers
• Thermal Transfer Printers

Thermal Transfer Printable Labels For Wire and Cable Identification

These materials are part of the Thermatab product offering. The part numbers for these materials will begin with the THT prefix (ex. THT-9-427-10). The labels are suitable to be printed on with a thermal transfer printer.

Label Number	Material Type	Special Property/Use
B-400	Matte Repositionable Vinyl Cloth	Wire and component marking. Repositionable adhesive.
B-427	Self Laminating Vinyl	Wire and Cable marking. Suitable for flat cables also. Excellent Abrasion and smudge resistance. Perforations exists between labels for easy tear-off or fanfolding.
B-437	Self-Extinguishing Tedlar	Wire and cable marking. Popular for cable bundles. Available in white or yellow. Suitable for aerospace and military applications.
B-499	Matte Nylon Cloth	Wire and component marking. Permanent adhesive. UL/CSA recognized.

Laser Printable Labels for Wire and Cable Identification

These materials are part of the Lasertab product offering. The part numbers for these materials will begin with the LAT prefix (ex. LAT-18-361-1). The labels are suitable to be printed on with a laser printer.

Number	Material Type	Special Property/Use
B-361	Self-Laminating Polyester	Wire and cable marking. Low halogen and sulfur content. Conformable. Permanent adhesion after 24 hours.
B-737	Matte Tedlar®	Wire and cable marking. Suitable for aerospace and military Applications. Repositionable. Self-extinguishing. Meets MIL-M-87958.
B-799	Nylon Cloth	Wire, cable and component marking. Suitable for aerospace and military Applications. Repositionable. Permanent adhesive.

Ink Jet Printable Labels for Wire and Cable Identification

These materials are part of the Jettab product offering. The part numbers for these materials will begin with the JET prefix (ex. JET-27-117-5). The labels are suitable to be printed on with an ink jet printer.

Number	Material Type	Special Property/Use
B-115	Vinyl Cloth	Wire and component marking. Conformable. Repositionable and removable. Resistant to oil, water, and humidity.
B-117	Self-Laminating Vinyl	Wire and cable marking. Excellent abrasion and smudge resistance. Permanent adhesive.
B-137	Matte Tedlar®	Wire, cable and component marking. Self-estinguishing Suitable for aerospace and military applications. Permanent adhesive.

Dot Matrix Printable Labels for Wire and Cable Identification

These materials are part of the Datab product offering. The part numbers for these materials will begin with the DAT prefix (ex. DAT-5-502-10). The labels are suitable to be printed on with a dot matrix printer.

Number	Material Type	Special Property/Use
B-292	Self-Laminating Vinyl	Wire and cable marking. Permanent adhesive. Self-extinguishing (ASTM D-1000).
B-330	Matte Polyolefin	Wire bundle, large conduit, and cable marking. Heat shrinkable film with a heat activated adhesive.
B-499	Nylon Cloth	Wire and component marking. Permanent adhesive. Heat, oil and dirt resistant. UL/CSA recognized.
B-502	Vinyl Cloth	Wire and component marking. Repositionable and removable. Resistant to oil, water and humidity.
B-632	Low Profile Matte Tedlar®	Wire and component marking. Flexible. Self-extinguishing.
B-637	Matte Tedlar®	Wire and component marking. Suitable for aerospace and military marking. Self-extinguishing. Meets MIL-M-87958.
B-642	Self-Laminating Tedlar®	Wire and cable marking. Self-extinguishing. Excellent abrasion and smudge resistance.

Print on Demand Sleeving Products

PS, 3PS Series PermaSleeve™ Heat Shrink Wire Markers B-341 3 to 1 Shrink Ratio Polyolefin

Brady PermaSleeves™ full-circle insulating wire markers meet the rigid insulating, material requirements and physical properties of:

• MIL-DTL-23053/5 Class 1
• MIL-M-81531
• MIL-STD-202F Method 215
• UL 224

BradySleeve™ Wire Markers

• CPS Series: B-319 Non Shrink Polyolefin
• HCPS Series: B-321 Heat Shrink Polyolefin
• SEHCPS Series: B-322 Self-Extinguishing Heat Shrink Polyolefin

DuraSleeve™ Wire Marking System

• Print on inserts, place inserts in clear carriers
• Printable with Dot-Matrix printers
• Printable with TLS2200 and THT printers

Pre-Printed Wire Marking Products

When you don't require the flexibility of printing the legends on your own.

• Pre-Printed Wire Marker Cards
• Brady's exclusive ZipStrip® release card lets you easily remove the markers you need, when you need them.
• Over 100 different legends and 10 materials are available.

Stock Material for Wire Marker Cards

Pre-Printed Porta-Pack® Wire Marker Books

• Made with B-500.
• Ten pages per book.
• Unique comb design allows for easy refill of book.
• Slim, lightweight, pocket-sized book is easy to carry and easy to use.
• Large selections of legends available.
• Numbers…letters…special symbols…NEMA colors.
• Includes terminal marker with each wire marker.
• 15 different books…over 250 different refill packs.

Bradypack® Wire Markers

• Easy Wire Marking: Pull, tear, and wrap.
• Dispenser available with or without tape.
• Refill rolls available.
• Legends 0-99, A-Z, or NEMA colors.

Sleeving Products for Wire and Cable Identification

Pre-Printed Clip Sleeve™ Wire Markers

• Various Sizes to accommodate wires 0.037" to 0.670"
• Legends 0-9, A-Z, +, -
• Applicator wands
• "Chevron" locking design
• Nylon material

Pre-Printed OmniGrip® Wire Markers

• Special patented design locks and holds makers on wire
• Yellow PVC
• Various sizes to accommodate wires 0.010" to 0.250"
• Legends: 0-9, A-Z, Blank, GND, /
• "Chevron" locking design

C. Wire Marking Guide

Applying a Wire Marker

Once the correct marker has been selected it is important that it is correctly applied to the wire. If the marker is not applied correctly it can be difficult or even impossible to read or may not stay on the wire. Following is the correct way to apply wrap around markers and sleeve markers. For reference, please read the Regulations and Standards Reference.

Wrap Around Identification

• Peel wire marker from liner at the top of the marker, only touching the portion of the adhesive that will be applied to the wire first.
• Place this top area on the wire and wrap the rest of the wire marker over the marker itself - never touching the rest of the adhesive (50% of the adhesive can be removed with contact, the result of which would be potential "flagging" [edge lifting] of the marker).

Sleeve Identification

• Fold the liner/carrier over to expose the opening of the PermaSleeve.

• Insert the wire into the sleeve, then remove from the carrier. (Some people prefer to remove the sleeve from the carrier first, then pop open the end and slide in the wire.)

• After termination of the wire, the sleeve can easily be adjusted to the best location for marking and then certain types can be shrunk with a heat-gun for permanent placement.