The Epson LW-PX900: Next generation labeling

The Epson LABELWORKS PX LW-PX900 label, HST and bar code printer is designed for time-savings and cost-savings throughout the workplace.

Whether you’re an electrician working within a facility or out in the field, tools that help you save time, stay organized and compliant, protect safety and prevent future liability are a must.

“One of the biggest advantages is saving time in maintenance and repairs throughout the physical plant,” says Jeff Enloe, an electrician with IBEW Local 570 Tucson. “So if a tool can save time and resources, it’s worth investing in.”

That's precisely why K-Sun and Epson co-developed the LabelWorks LW-PX900 portable/PC compatible thermal transfer printer with a lifetime warranty. Smart, field-tested features are designed for compliance, time-savings and cost-savings across the workplace.

For an electrician, Enloe says that labeling is essential for fast diagnostics and future maintenance, repair and operations.

“Not only is proper labeling required for compliance, it’s also a best practice for maintenance and repairs down the road. It saves you diagnostic time for years to come," Enloe says. "If you have to do a signal trace, it’s time consuming. Not all companies have their own electricians, or if you are working on an installation that wasn’t properly labeled or you don’t have the schematic prints, it can be frustrating trying to figure out what was done before. It takes time to use a toner to ring out wires, and you don’t want to have to pull new wires.”

Complex labeling needs arise daily in the workplace as electricians work alongside safety managers, 5S/lean and datacom professionals in varying site conditions. Compliance with OSHA safety/hazard communication standards as well as industry-specific ANSI, NFPA, NEMA and NEC codes and requirements is a must, as is a tool that helps professionals meet those needs that can be used both at the desk and in the field. The LW-PX900 meets those diverse needs with industry hot keys that simplify the job of telecom, electrical and wiring professionals for wire wraps, patch panels, face plates and punch blocks plus easy-to-use software and hundreds of signal words and hazcom templates.

John Saucier, a senior project superintendent at Robert Bailey Electric in Conway, Ark., for 16 years, says his team’s job was made easier with the right labeling equipment.

“As a supervisor, it was my job to make the job simple so that our electricians can complete it with ease,” said Saucier. “We made labels ahead of time for a job site – for multiple power supplies and additional warning or voltage tags on electrical panels, control wiring, wire terminations, supply sources, disconnect switches, variable frequency drive tags, shrink tube for wire numbers and so much more.”

Saucier also uses labeling to make the job easier for operations professionals. “A manufacturer’s equipment tag tells part of the story but not all, especially in day-to-day operations,” says Saucier. “For example, in a rewire of a water treatment plant, the manufacturer’s label with the pump model number doesn’t tell an operator much. So I’ll make an additional label that identifies it as ‘No. 4 Peak Flow Pump. In the long run labeling with clear and accurate information makes the operators’ jobs easier too.”

The new LW-PX900’s smart features to save money and time and reduce supply consumption were developed directly from the needs of electricians like Enloe and Saucier. The LW-PX900 includes the intuitive and versatile Label Editor Professional software with data import capabilities and a 99-file printer memory so that files can be prepared in the office and then used in the field.

Saucier says data import capabilities from the LW-PX900 printer and Label Editor Professional software are superior. “When I made termination drawings, all the equipment on-site has to be interconnected. I’d review wiring diagrams and then decide what wires I will run between them. I did that on an Excel data sheet, which simplifies the installation and subsequent labeling for my installers,” he says. “Essentially I’ve built the wire termination sheet, and on that sheet I have my wire labels and how I want them to look. The ability to import my data sheet is a real time-saver.”

Other features of the LW-PX900 include alphanumeric sequencing, auto-repeat, auto-cut, 13 languages, 15 bar codes (including QR), 1,000+ industrial symbol library and nine industry catalogs with hundreds of label/sign templates.

Enloe works on high-voltage equipment throughout mining and manufacturing facilities, and troubleshoots wiring problems to and from the SCADA system to the PLC. "Labeling links the different devices together, and each wire or conductor has its own address that you need to label. When equipment is down, it's lost productivity, and the ability to diagnose and repair a wiring or control problem quickly is essential," says Enloe.

The LW-PX900's 360-dpi, high-speed printing produces highly visible and detailed single, continuous and die-cut thermal transfer labels that are heat, cold and oil/chemical resistant. "It's important that labeling be long-lasting and legible too,” Enloe says. “Some of the equipment and wiring I work on was installed years ago. So the labeling needs to last as long as the equipment if not longer.”

Other smart features in the LW-PX900 developed for the needs of the user including Mixed-Length, which allows the user to create a strip of variable-length labels with a half-cut for easy removal and application, significantly reducing tape consumption.

Installers working in tight spaces can use the LW-PX900’s optional magnetic feet on to mount the printer on a metal surface to free up hands for better productivity. Another smart feature developed for field and plant work include Drop-Stop, which holds a label after it is cut so it won't drop out of the printer. This feature works with a single label or with the Pick & Print mode for a series of labels. Pick & Print automatically pauses after printing and cutting the first label in a series and resumes printing/cutting when the label is removed, eliminating the need to continuously type and print labels.

Saucier also uses his label printer to create provisional labels to serve as markers before ordering embossed steel or engraved plastic tags for equipment, like conduits. "I made a label exactly like I want the tag before I place the order for the tag," he said. “If managers and operators see changes that need to be made, then we could make them before ordering the final tags. If we had to be off-site near the end of the job when the tags arrived, the plant staff could easily retag with the correct steel or plastic tags. Supplemental labeling prevents errors and saves money."

The LW-PX900 was designed with industry-leading tape-saving features include a reduced lead margin of 4mm and adjustable left/right margins down to 1mm. It uses LABELWORKS PX Tape, which has more tape per cartridge and is available in hundreds of types, sizes and colors, including magnetic, fluorescent, photo luminescent, heat shrink tubing and more. A large, clear LCD print preview also serves to prevent errors. These features combine to save the user up to 60 percent in the cost of supplies.

The LW-PX900 is made of industrial grade, high-impact plastic that meets MIL-STD 810 "drop" test specifications for the toughest field conditions. An integral handle offers portability, and front-loading cartridges make supply changes fast and easy.

“We make labels to correspond with key points in the equipment operations manuals too,” says Saucier. “Supervisors in the plant like the extra data we provide with labeling because it helps make training easier for new operators.”

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