Spurs Fan (for me sins) | Engineering | Head of Sales & Major Projects @silverfox | Views etc my own
London
Joined August 2021
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Labacus Innovator v5.7.0.0 is out. Flip it and you can almost see 007. GS1 DataMatrix, better LinkWare Live + AEM integration, drag and drop spreadsheets, patch panel designer. Trial: 50 non-shrink markers fitted in 5:30. That’s time back on cable labels.
In tunnels, LSZH is often specified. But a heatshrink marker slid onto a PVC carrier isn’t LSZH end-to-end. That’s a box tick, not a spec. Cable labels should be chosen as a system: sleeve, carrier, fixings, print.
Went on a disused London Underground station tour and spotted one of our labels still stuck on and still readable. You notice these things when you work with them every day. Always nice seeing labels in the wild, especially on a day off.
Asset tag on a barrel. Never thought I’d see it.
But the barcode section had snapped, so it would only read vertically. No scan, no info pull up.
Thankfully there was an alphanumeric ID printed underneath
Rule: barcode + human-readable reference. Always plan for the label to fail
Is your cable schedule and labelling process as confusing as that AI video?
The longer it goes on, the worse it gets.
You’re not alone.
In most projects, labelling gets treated like it’s a “future problem”.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow.
A broken label doesn’t tell you a thousand words. It tells you nothing. Equipment labels have to survive real life: UV, cleaning, heat, plus the inevitable hand that peels a corner. Choose the right material and protection (laminate, better placement) or plan refreshes.
Sunlight turns equipment labels into a maintenance item. UV doesn’t fail fast, it fades slowly until someone’s squinting, guessing, and re-tracing. Treat field labels with an inspection cadence and swap them before they become unreadable.
I saw equipment labels in a tube station lifting at the corners. Not straight away, but over months. Constant warm air from a vent slowly dries the adhesive until it lets go. The label was applied with good intentions, but the environment decided the outcome.
"We’ll trace it later” is just a fault-finding tax you pay with time and stress. cable labels buy speed and certainty, especially across shifts and contractors. Print on demand with one software, one printer, one ribbon beats hunting for the right kit.
Millions spent. Deadlines missed. Customer unhappy. Then I see the “labelling” on site… cheap rolls literally tied up with their own label stock (see pics). Lowest quality = printer issues, no certs, won’t last, unknown halogen. False economy.
FA Cup weekend has me thinking about sponsorship. @SilverFox proudly sponsored local team Hertford Lions for several seasons as part of our CSR/community work. Off to the Lane to watch Spurs (hopefully) beat Villa. Spurs shirt sponsor one day… Hertford Sunday League for now!
Projects are judged the moment doors open, not by drawings, but by what someone can read and trust at arm’s length. Make labels consistent, legible in poor light, and matched to the docs. Built for scrutiny, not optimism. What do you notice first in a cabinet? Link in thread
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Using @FlukeNetDCI testers? Silver Fox Solutions integrates with LinkWare Live to cut manual entry, reduce labelling and documentation errors, and speed up reporting to keep projects on track. Watch the webinar.
Fluke / @silverfox
ALT 'EFFORTLESS CABLE LABELING: Fluke Networks & Silver Fox Integration Cheatsheet'. The top section, 'THE OLD WAY: THE "DOUBLE ENTRY" TRAP', illustrates a manual process with an 'ERROR GAP' between a tester and a printer. Below it, 'THE SOLUTION: DIRECT DIGITAL WORKFLOW' shows a diagram where data flows from 'LINKWARE LIVE (CLOUD)' to a 'FLUKE TESTER' and then to 'LABACUS INNOVATOR SOFTWARE' and a 'SILVER FOX' printer, ensuring accurate labels. A 'WORKFLOW STEPS' flow details the process from '1. SETUP (OFFICE)' to '2. SYNC/TEST (FIELD)' to '3. IMPORT/PRINT'. The final section, 'KEY TAKEAWAYS & BENEFITS', lists four points: 100% accuracy, labor savings, smart features like split-jobs, and compliance assurance.
Amazed by what @OpenAI Chat GPT can do - always wanted to be a Beano character!!
Dominic Michaelson retweeted
The Fox-In-A-Box prints at 100mm a second, saving engineers significant time on their projects!
#cablemanagement #thermalprinter