Cables individually labeled
INTOS fulfills customer requests

INTOS ELECTRONIC locates in Gießen, Germany. The company is manufacturing and selling ICT accessories with a focus on connection systems: adapters and converters, power supply units and switches, computer options and hard disk enclosures, but most of all cables. These must be identified at any time. Errors in cable applications have to be minimized, risks of accidents avoided and electrical systems and people protected. INTOS provides user-specific cable labeling upon request, semiautomatic, using wrap-around labels and the WICON wrap-around applicator by cab.

Printer and applicator

cab provides WICON as a peripheral for SQUIX 4 MP label printers for identifying cables individually. Operators insert cables with diameters two to 16 millimeters by hand to WICON. Printing starts after a cable has been inserted. The print method is thermal transfer, implying lasting print images even in hard conditions.

WICON picks up the printed labels and wraps them precisely around cables with transparent laminate. Data blocks are thus permanently protected from dust and wear. In typical applications, printing and applying a label takes less than two seconds. Pivoting the applicator from the printer allows easy label and ribbon turnover.

Wrap-around labels

INTOS processes wrap-around labels by cab. The properties of such labels are adapted to automated labeling using WICON, so is manufacture. PVC material resists to oils, alcohol, detergents and UV light. The material with permanent adhesive suits for indoor and outdoor use.

Labeling requirements

A talk with Michael Keiler, Authorized Officer and Sales Director

Cables enabled the first transatlantic connections 150 years ago. Now industrial automation communicates largely by cable. How important is cable labeling?

Keiler: It is very important. Traceability, quick identifiability and the ability to rectify errors are major issues with cables. Imagine arriving by car in a foreign city with no road signs. You cannot find your way. It takes time and stress to finally re-enter your destination. The situation is similar with cables if they are insufficiently labeled or not labeled at all.

There are plenty of types of cables. Please give us examples of labeling.

Keiler: On network cables, serial or consecutive numbers indicate port assignment. The direction of installation is decisive with audio video cables. There is a transmitter and a receiver. If you connect the wrong way, you will not receive a signal. Warning notes prevent cables from being connected to power supply units with wrong voltage. Explicitly labeled cables enable networks be efficient, reliable and safe.

What requirements do you have for labeling?

Keiler: It is important for our customers, to whom we deliver labeled cables, that they last a long time, if possible forever. Labels must therefore be wrapped uniform around cables, with adhesive sticking with the same intensity on every spot. You cannot achieve this by hand, but have a clear advantage using a machine. At INTOS, we want machines easy to operate. Employees must be able to program serial numbers individually for printing without major effort and apply printed labels without wasting too much time. WICON by cab enables us to react even quicker to customer requests and individualize our cables.

Coordination with cab

A talk with Marc Abrie, Export Manager

Looking back on the past year of cable labeling: Are you satisfied with WICON?

Abrie: We are very satisfied. From a commercial point of view, we can calculate more easily and submit precise quotations to our customers much more  quickly. The compact unit can be used directly at the  orkstation. No separate room is required. Third, operating the device is an easy thing for our employees.

How did you find out about it?

Abrie: That was quite interesting. One of our custo-mers requested labeled cables. First, we did by hand. But times and efforts before delivering were intense. Mr. Isenberg thought it should be faster. I then researched the keywords cable, labels and wrapping on the Internet and came across WICON and cab, amongst others. Their videos aroused my interest. After consulting with Mr. Isenberg, I inquired cab for a quotation. Mr. Linneweber (cab Sales Contact in field service) visited us, accompanied by a cab service technician. They presented the wrap-around applicator. Everyone involved participated at this meeting. We could look at everything in detail, test everything. That was very accommodating.

What were the decisive arguments for buying?

Abrie: In my opinion, two points were decisive. First, the excellent price-performance ratio. Second, it was important for us to find a partner responding quickly, whom we can reach by phone at any time and who can be on site on point in the event of a problem. Mr. Linneweber answered all our questions immediately and very professional. The close connection of cab to our company, their manufacture in Germany and the reliable service are convenient for us. The overall impression was right. So our decision was quickly made in favor of cab.

cab was not entirely unknown to you at the time.

Abrie: Yes, indeed. We had cab label printers in use in our warehouse for many years by then. They have proven to be extremely reliable. This also simplified select WICON.

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 Label printer SQUIX 4M

 Wrap-around applicator WICON

 

 

July 2024