Overview of Partex cable markers
Overview of Partex cable markersDate of publication: 06-03-2023 🕒 9 min read
Why are simple cable markers one of the best cable management solutions? Because they are not only simple, but also cost-effective, environmentally-friendly and come in a surprising number of variants. Diverse capabilities of these irreplaceable accessories are perfectly reflected by the product range offered by Swedish Partex company.
- PA series – alphanumerical markers
- PTC series – markers inserted in label pockets
- PT+ series – rigid markers with pockets
- SP series – spiral wrappings
- PLB series booklets with ready-made character sets
The technologies we use to communicate, as well as to generate and transmit electricity, have been constantly evolving and, as a result, cables and conductors have been multiplying. Therefore, the power supply and signal transmission infrastructure is becoming more and more complex, which in turn exerts negative impact on its maintenance, modernisation and scaling. This “negative” impact is purely practical, i.e. if cabling in a machinery park, office building or even a household has not been marked and documented as required, development work can prove very difficult or even dangerous. Furthermore, when routing a new system, the lack of clear markings makes the task virtually impossible.
Due to that, suppliers of electric and telecommunications accessories offer a range of products to make wiring operations much easier. The simplest accessories of this kind include markers made of flexible plastic components placed on a conductor to facilitate its identification (or differentiation). This method offers numerous advantages:
- low costs;
- environmentally-friendly approach – no waste is generated;
- scalability – symbols can be modified;
- long-term cost-efficiency – when infrastructure is disassembled, markers can be removed and stored to be used in another project.
Although putting together markers (character by character) may seem time-consuming, it is actually just a matter of proper preparation for work. Convenient sorting of items in an organiser accelerates the labelling process to the point where the mounting process is just as streamlined as ad-hoc label making with a mobile (and relatively expensive) printer.
It should also be noted that marker manufacturers usually supply more than one type of products. The product range provided by Partex , a company which has over 70 years of specialist experience in producing marking solutions, is the best example. This Swedish manufacturer provides solutions both for small-scale operations (e.g. for electricians performing work on their own) and industrial facilities or telecommunications centre systems. The TME product catalogue also includes other Partex products, e.g. (water supply, pneumatic, etc.) piping markers and sleeves facilitating cable management in offices or server rooms.
PA series, alphanumerical markers
The simplest markers comprise single-character elements to be inserted onto a conductor. It is usually a letter or digit, although non-alphanumerical characters (such as - = : / etc.) are also available to recreate any typical system cabling indication. Additionally, elements featuring the earthing symbol (⏚) can also be obtained to correctly mark power supply systems or power network circuits.
The markers are made of flexible PVC, which results in their UL94V-0 flammability rating. Their closed profile is designed to fit tightly and lock markers on cables/conductors of a wide range of cross-sections. Four product sub-series offered by the manufacturer support conductors with the following diameters (including insulation): 1.3 – 3 mm, 2.5 – 5 mm, 4 – 10 mm, 8 – 16 mm. It facilitates using PA markers inside industrial equipment and in electric, communications and power engineering systems, or even in pneumatic or hydraulic circuits.
Markers can be linked and easily detached for efficient organisation.
Note that the symbols are not applied using simple inkjet printers (as is the case with the cheap but not very durable products available from some manufacturers). To ensure long-lasting durability and protection against mechanical factors, the characters placed on Partex products are carved in a profile, and then filled with dyes. Thanks to that, such markers can be also used in mobile applications and ensure adequate indication legibility.
The PA series products come in sets of 20, 50 or 250 pieces. Most sets contain a single black symbol placed on a marker designed in a distinctive yellow colour. Multi-colour sets of digits, e.g. PA-10003PGCC.0X, consisting of 25 markers, each numbered in a different colour, are an exception as they facilitate identification of conductors from a large distance, even if the front with a label is concealed.
PA series – alphanumerical markers
PTC series – markers inserted in label pockets
A PTC marker can be fixed onto an installed and commissioned conductor.
The PA markers described above demonstrate certain limitations, as their installation and removal can only be performed when a conductor is disconnected (alternatively, they can be removed in a destructive manner by cutting the profile). In addition, they can be a time-consuming solution when marking large systems additionally requiring the characters to be arranged in longer symbols (e.g. in server room applications). In such circumstances, PTC markers come to play. They are designed by Partex to facilitate identification of a large number of cables in situations when they are already routed and connected.
The PTC product series comprises elements designed as an oblong clip pressed onto a conductor (its removal is relatively easy, too). A profile comes with a see-through sleeve holding a previously prepared label. In complex systems, such as an office LAN, this method not only allows dozens of cables to be labelled consistently and legibly, but it also allows the infrastructure to be scaled and indications to be altered. What's more: it is harder to make a mistake with printed labels, and even if a user happens to place a wrong label in a marker pocket, it takes very little time to correct the mistake.
The PTC series markers support conductor diameters from 2.3 mm to 7.2 mm, which means that these products comply with typical sizes of signal and ICT wiring, as well as numerous types of coaxial cables. The label window length can be up to 30 mm to provide sufficient surface to place even longer symbols. These products come in sets of 100 and 200 pieces.
PT+ series – rigid markers with pockets
The PT+ series accessories have only recently been included in the TME product range. They combine features of PA and PTC solutions, as they are designed to be inserted onto a conductor and are fitted with a label pocket. Their body is made of transparent PVC, so that the entire element is formed from a homogeneous block of plastic, which ensures marker durability. The correct profile cross-section ensures its rigidity, so that, when inserted into the slot, a label is always upright and legible, as well as protected from environmental and mechanical impact. Note that a label can be inserted (or replaced) even after a marker has been installed.
A marker made of a see-through profile protects a label located inside.
The PT+ markers are mounted on conductors and tubes of diameters from 1.3 mm to 16 mm. They can be used to label individual electric system wires or they can be mounted on pneumatic or hydraulic hoses, refrigeration system hoses, etc. One of the factors facilitating it is their extensive thermal tolerance range, allowing them to be attached to components with temperatures from -30°C to 60°C. The TME product catalogue includes PT+ series products available in sets of 50, 100, 200 and 500 pieces.
SP series – spiral wrappings
8 mm ID braid for signal wiring management.
Management of cabling bunches is a major challenge in almost all locations where computers, controllers or other more complex systems are present. Technicians responsible for server room networking systems, industrial system fitters or office workers face the same predicament, as they struggle to manage a “spider web” of cables, if only under their desks. All such problems can be solved by applying specialist spiral wrappings. These are braids made of plastic formed in the form of a helix (screw), sometimes referred to as a spiral. Partex includes such articles in their SP product series.
The SP series spiral wrappings have several functions, however, the key one is to protect cable bundles in mobile applications (robot-assisted systems) or cabling vulnerable to mechanical damage during operation. As spiral wrappings operate in each plane, they are easily routed even within spatially complex facilities. The spiral-shaped design facilitates routing individual cables from a bundle at any given point, which in turn streamlines the management of control and signal cabling in industrial automation applications, as well as in ICT control panels, where LAN cables are connected to successive ports located in a rack. A very important advantage of spiral wrappings is the fact that they can be inserted over already installed cables, without interrupting the system operation, which accelerates the necessary work and would be impossible with classic cable ducts (without impacting their structure).
The SP spiral wrappings come in several colour variants (black, grey and green) to match the appearance of various applications (office, industrial, vegetation). The TME product catalogue features wrappings of ID in the range from 8 mm to 50 mm. All SP series product are 1 m long.
PLB series of booklets with ready-made character sets
Partex not only supplies items designed for cabling identification, but also elements intended for marking other system components. These include self-adhesive labels with typical symbols used in electric or industrial applications. As they are printed on an acrylic film, they are extremely durable and resistant, and can be used in distribution boxes to identify fuses, controllers or terminal blocks. They are available in the form of booklets containing whole character sheets, so that correct markers are always at hand, facilitating uniform and consistent labelling of the entire system. Such markers ensure efficient installation, safety for technicians, operators/users (also in households) and, perhaps most importantly, reduced downtime when a system undergoes maintenance or upgrades.
Self-adhesive labels with internationally standardised symbols.
Self-adhesive Partex markers include symbols customarily used in electric networks (L1, L2, L3, N, PE, ground), and colours of individual stickers correspond to the colours of typical lines, i.e. white, yellow, yellow-green, blue and black. The label sets include from 10 to 480 items. Also included in this product group are vinyl warning signs often placed on a distribution box door.
