| Material Spec Sheet |
| Description | Code | Adhesive or Hanging | Expected Outdoor | Maximum Temp. |
Thickness (mils) |
Features | Typical Applications |
| Acrylic Labels | A2, AC, AT |
adhesive | A2:
7 years+ AC: 5 years+ AT: 7 years+ |
180ºF |
A2:
6 mils AC: 3 mils AT: 6 mils |
"AC" is not overlaminated."A2" is overlaminated with clear acrylic. Both constructions have excellent UV resistance, frangibility, high tack adhesive. "AT" is overlaminted with Tedlar. | ''Mr Ouch" or Shrubbery signs for transformers, tamper-proof meter labels |
| Aluminum Signs & Tags | AE, AN others | hanging | 5 years + | 200ºF | AG, 25
mils (embossed); AL, 25 mils (not embossed); A3, 30 mils; AK, 40 mils (curved); AM, 40
mils; AN, 63 mils; AV, 93 mils; AO, 125 mils; 0A, 93 mils (bent) |
Embossed digits, pole signs & tags | |
| Aluminum Slide Holder | AH | hanging | 5 years + | 200ºF | 25 mils | Aluminum holder for slide-in digits | Pole markers |
| Aluminum Embossed Mkrs | AY | hanging | 15 years + | 200ºF | 16 mils | Embossed, unprinted aluminum die-cut digits | Pole markers, traditional design |
| Anodized Aluminum Labels | 00 | optional | 10-20 years | 750ºF | 20 mils | Sealed legend and bar-code, UV and abrasion resistance, photographic quality image. High glare in sunlight makes bar-code reading a problem. | Tool room labels, asset ID labels |
| Sub-Surface Engraved Acrylic Nameplates | AS | adhesive | 5 years + | 200ºF | 95 mils | Sub-surface print is protected from abrasion, detailed one-of-a-kind legends possible, foam adhesive | Substation and control room ID |
| Surface Printed Rigid Acrylic | AW | hanging | 5 years + | 150ºF | 60 mils | Less expensive rigid sign material, good outdoor durability of acrylic. | Document holders, rigid warning signs |
| One-of-a-Kind Labels Laminated with Tedlar | BC
BA |
adhesive | 7-10 years + | 200ºF | 7 mils | UV protecting Tedlar laminate. "BA" is same hanging construction, but but mounted to aluminum. | Bar-Code labels |
| One-of-a-Kind Labels Laminated with Polyester | PP | adhesive | 3-5 years + | 200ºF | 7 mils | Very low cost, lay flat construction, high tack adhesive. | One-of-a-kind and bar-code labels for transformers. |
| One-of-a-Kind Reflective Labels with Tedlar | RX, RZ RY | adhesive | 7-10 years | 180ºF | RX/RZ: 15 mils RY: 9 mils |
Very bright, reflective labels, good outdoor durability. RX is SunBright, RZ is 3m HIS and RY is Engin’r Grd. | One-of-a-kind and bar-code labels for transformers; warehouse ID |
| Woven Vinyl, Banner Signs | BN | hanging | 3 years | 160ºF | 18 mils | Conformable and tear resistant, can add "bungees" | Banners, temporary pole signs |
| 3M ControlTac Vinyl with Removable Premask | CT | adhesive | 7 years | 180ºF | 5 mils | Easy to apply, repositionable adhesive, frangible, 3M brand. | "Mr. Ouch" & Shrubbery labels, vehicle logos |
| Document Holder with Lexan Face Plate | DH | either | 5 years + | 180ºF | 144 mils | Paper forms fit into clear pocket, foam adhesive backing. | Holder for work permits & confined space permits |
| Dead Soft Aluminum | DS
DT |
either | 3 years | 250ºF | DS: 9 mils(adhesive) DT: 13 mils(hang) | Debossable aluminum with pen or pencil or nail. DS: high tack adhesive; DT: hang tag 2-sided dead-soft | Reel markers [to track inventory of wire], inspection labels |
| Eco-Tag | E0,
E1, E2, EA |
hanging | 3 years | 150ºF | E0:
14 mils E1: 17 mils E2: 20 mils |
Recycled plastic, inexpensive, 1 or 2 self-laminating flaps (E1 or E2, respectively) or low cost version without a flap (E0). | Blocking tags, defective material tags, fiber-optic markers |
| Calendered Vinyl | EV
LV |
adhesive | 5 years + | 180ºF | 5 mils | Frangible, familiar. EV is premium vinyl; EU has Tedlar; EK has acrylic laminate; LV has freezer-grade adhesive | "Mr. Ouch" & Shrubbery labels, pipe markers, drum labels |
| FibreTec Signs | FG, FQ FR | hanging | 10-20 years | 190ºF | FG/FM:
100 mils FQ: 90 mils FR: 60 mils |
Long outdoor life, vandal-resistant, lightweight. FM is 100 mils matte; FR is flexible for bending | Substation signage, plant warning signs, Tower signs |
| FibreTec Phosphorescent | FP | hanging | 7 years + | 180ºF | 100 mils | Glow-in-dark sign has protected graphics. | EXIT signs |
| FibreTec Reflective Signs | FR | hanging | 10 years | 180ºF | 100 mils | Reflective sign has protected graphics | Warning signs in darkenned areas |
| Engraved ABS | FX | either | 5 years + | 190ºF | 62 mils | Inexpensive engraving stock, standard 2-ply flexible | Control rooms, nameplates, valve |
| Phosphorescent Vinyl | GF, GH | adhesive | 1-2 years | 160ºF | GF:
9 mils GH: 30 mils |
Glow-in-dark, surface printed. | EXIT signs |
| Conformable Labels for Hard Hats | HH | adhesive | 3 years + | 170ºF | 5 mils | Conformable film, adhesive suitable for low and high surface energy plastics (PP, ABS, PS, etc.). | hard-hat labels used to identify company, department, etc. |
| J-Signs, Lexan | J1, J2 | hanging | 5 years + | 190ºF | J1: 125 mils J2: 177 mils J3: 229 mils | Re-usable signs are easily suspended from a rope, resistant to winds, J2 and J3 accomodates plastic inserts with J3 on both sides; J1 has no slots. | Workzone signs, confined space |
| J-Signs, Polyethylene | JC | hanging | 2 years + | 160ºF | JC: 100 mils | J-sign with slots, inexpensive version of classic J-Sign | Workzone signs, confined space |
| Lexan Signs | LD, LG, LR, LT | hanging | 5-8 years | 190ºF | LH:
125 mils LG/LR: 93 mils LD: 40 mils LE: 60 mils LI: 30 mils LT: 20 mils |
Lightweight, subsurface graphics, inexpensive, "LR" constuction has a velevt finish, others are gloss.All constructions are subsurface printed, except LH, which is surface printed. LL is 93 mils Lexan with back lam | Safety signs |
| Magnetic Sign | MF, MG M1, M2 | hanging | 3 years + | 150ºF | MF: 20 mils MG: 60
mils |
Magnetic-backed vinyl, removable from steel plate. M1 is writable; M2 is engineer grade reflective (also see MS) | Vehicle ID, warehouse labels |
| Metallized Mylar Labels | MM, MT | adhesive | 3 years + | 250ºF | MM:
3 mils MT: 5 mils |
High heat resistance, metallic finish, adhesive, UV resistant Tedlar laminate on "MT" construction. | Luminaire labels, OEM nameplates |
| Polyester Lock-Out Tags | P0, P1, P2, P3 | hanging | 3 years + | 190ºF | P0: 10 mils P1: 13 mils P2: 16 mils P3: 16 mils P7: 13 mils P9: 14 mils |
Highly durable tag, tamper-resistant, water and mildew resistant, 70# + pull strength. P0 has no flap, P1 has one flap, P2 has flap on both sides and P3 has a flp on front and a back laminate. P7 is 5 mils polyester with adhesive and front flap. P9 has machine laminate on both sides. | Lock-out tags, URD tags, repair tags |
| Lock-Out Tag, Tedlar | P4 PZ |
hanging | 5-7 years + | 190ºF | 13 mils | Durable and UV resistant tag, Tedlar flap [P4] seals in writing, matte finish, 2 mils flap is easy to apply. PZ has Tedlar as machine front laminate. UP has Tedlar machine laminate both sides. | Fiber-Optic tags, durable lock-out tags, equipment repair tags that are outside for extended periods |
| Polyester & Carbon Copy | P5 | hanging | 3 years + | 190ºF | 13 mils w/o paper copy |
Self-laminating tag includes a carbon and paper copy for office. | Tool repair tags, PCB tracking tags |
| Polyester & NCR Tag | P6 | hanging | 2 years + | 180ºF | 7
mils w/o paper copy |
Self-laminating tag includes paper NCR copy for office, lightweight tag. | Temporary valve tags, defective material tags |
| Stencils | QX | n/a | n/a | 150ºF | 80 mils | Translucent polyethylene is used for pavement stencils. | Stencils to indicate buried electrical or telephone lines |
| Polyester Cloth Labels | PC | adhesive | 3 years | 180ºF | 8 mils | Label can be removed intact. | Removable PCB labels, wire mkrs |
| Polyethylene Signs | PD, PE, PF, PG | hanging | 3-5 years | 180ºF | PD: 20 mils PB: 40 mils PE: 55 mils PF: 100 mils PG: 120 mils | Inexpensive, lightweight material, thinner versions are conformable, opacity, embrittles with long-term outdoor exposure. All are embedded with UVI. | Low cost warning signs and pole signs, fiber-optic markers, phase markers, URD tags, slide in markers |
| Polystyrene Sign | PS | hanging | 2 years | 160ºF | 60 mils | Low cost tag or sign material. | Indoor warning signs, URD tags |
| Phenolic Engraved Markers | PH | either | 3 years + | 270ºF | 63 mils w/o adhesive | High heat resistance, one-of-a-kind printing, high dielectric resistance. | Control room engraved markers |
| Snap-Ons, Wrap-Arounds | PJ, PX, PQ, PV | snap-on & adhesive | PJ/PQ: 3 yrs+ PW/PQ: 7 yrs | 190ºF | PJ/PQ: 10 mils PW: 12 mils PV: 7 mils | "PJ" is a surface printed pre-coiled snap-on; "PQ" is used for larger o.d. pipes and is not pre-coiled. "PW" has a Tedlar laminate on 10 mils; "PV" has Tedlar laminate on 5 mils base. Markers do not require a clean pipe or cable. Adhesive strip ensures grip. Tedlar laminate provide chemical and UV resistance. | Pipe and fiber optic markers |
| Snap-On, Subsurface | PI | snap-on & adhesive | 3 years + | 180ºF | 10 mils | Subsurface gloss print, snap-on feature installation. Temp can go to 250ºF peak with adhesive strip. | Pipe snap-on markers, fiber-optic |
| Lock-Out Tags, Laser | L7, L5 | hanging | 1 years + | 200ºF | L7: 7.5 mils L5: 5 mils | Convenient lock-out system when used with snap-grommet, laser or thermal printable in field. Add snap to L7 for 50# strength. L5 offers better laser feeding than L7. | Lock-out tags, temporary valve , tags, nametags, luggage tags. |
| Polyester Labels | PM,
PP PT |
adhesive | PM/PP: 3-5 yrs PP/PT: 5 mils | 230ºF | PM: 3 mils | High heat resistance & low cost, overlaminated construction (PP) has abrasion and chemical resitance. PT is laminated with Tedlar for enchanced durability | PCB labels, hazardous materials labels, instruction labels |
| Subsurface Polyester | PU | adhesive | 3-5 years | 230ºF | 10 mils | Very heavy adhesive, high gloss appearance, chemical resistance | OEM labels, phase markers, P floor drain signs |
| Reflective Aluminum | AI, AR ES, MS RA, RJ RV, SP S5 | hanging | mixed | mixed | RA: 67 mils RB: 70 mils | Night-time visibility from reflective film laminated to surface, lightweight. Aluminum outlasts plastic. AR, RA and RJ are Eng’r Grd on 20 mils Alum., 50 mils Alum. and 40 mils PE, respectively. AI, RB and RV are 3M HIS on 63 mils Alum., 50 mils Alum. and 20 mils Alum, respectively. ES, MS and SP are SunBright films on 14 mils PET, 30 mils Magnetic and 100 mils PE. S5 is 3M Systems 5 (HIS on adhesive Aluminum). | Traffic signs, tower signs, substations |
| Commercial Grade Reflect | RC | adhesive | 5 years + | 170ºF | 6 mils | Conformable film is made for trucks and cars, lower tack Vehicle markings, striping adhesive, 3M brand | |
| 3M Engineer Grade Reflect | RE, RL RT, RV | adhesive | RE: 7 years + RL: 3-5 years + |
180ºF | 7 mils | Reflectivity, frangibility, high tack adhesive. Low temperature application for RL yet shorter outdoor life. All 3M brands. RT has standard Engineer Grade with Tedlar; RV is low temp Engineer Grade with Tedlar. | Transformer mkrs and street lights |
| 3M High Intensity, Standard | RI | adhesive | 10 years + | 180ºF | 13 mils | High reflectivity, frangibility, very high tack adhesive, long life, 3M brand, most common reflective digit | Pole and transformer markers, substation ID |
| 3M High Intensity, Low Temp | RM | adhesive | 7 years + | 180ºF | 13 mils | High reflectivity, frangibility, very high tack adhesive, outdoor life recently downgraded by 3M to 7 years, more costly than "RI". | Transformer and street light markers |
| 3M High Intensity, Acrylar | RO | adhesive | 10 years + | 180ºF | 17 mils | High reflectivity, frangibility, very high tack adhesive, 3M Acrylar overlaminate gives high gloss appearance and increased UV resistance. | Transformer and street light markers |
| Die-Cut Reflective Digits | RP | adhesive | 7 years + | 180ºF | 7 mils | Innovative alignment system helps keep digits level, with Premask high tack adhesive, engineer grade reflective film. | Transformer and street light markers |
| Reflective Wrap-Arounds | RS | adhesive | 7 years + | 180ºF | 7 mils | Reflective markers stand out in dark vaults, adhesive | Fiber-optic cable markers marker wraps around cable. |
| Reflective One-of-a-Kind | RY, RZ R4 | adhesive | RY: 7 years + RZ: 10 years + R4: 10 years+ |
180ºF | RY: 9 mils RZ: 15 mils R4: 15 mils |
Nighttime visibility, very high tack adhesive, variable information & bar-codes. "RY" is Tedlar laminated engineer grade and "RZ" is Tedlar laminated HIS R4is SunBright HIS | Transformer tracking labels, substation equipment ID |
| SunBright High Intensity & Engineer Grade | SB SD R4 SE |
adhesive | 10
years + 10 years + |
180ºF 180ºF |
SB:
15 mils SD: 20 mils R4: 17 mils SE: 8 mils |
High daytime and night-time visibility, highly reflective, very high tack adhesive. SD has high tck/low temp adhesive. R4 has acrylic overlaminate. All are HIS, except SE, which is engineer grade. | Pole and transformer markers |
| Scotchcal Cast Vinyl | SV | adhesive | 6 years + | 180ºF | 3.5 mils | 3M Scotchcal, branded 3650 series, frangibility, proven outdoor life. | "Mr Ouch" or Shrubbery signs for transformers, warning labels |
| EmCal Cast Vinyl Labels | SX,SZ | adhesive | 6 years + | 180ºF | 3 mils | 3M Scotchcal brand, frangiblity, color stability. Private label from 3M is less costly than 3650 series above. "SZ" version has a premask for easy application. | "Mr Ouch" or Shrubbery signs for transformers, adhesive warning labels |
| Tedlar Labels | TD | adhesive | 5 years + | 250ºF | 5 mils | UV resistant overlaminate, chem and heat resistance. | Luminaire labels |
| Polyester Label with Void | TP | adhesive | 1-3 years | 200ºF | 3 mils | Vandalized marker shows "VOID" pattern, metallic | Fire Extinguisher and calibration |
| Tyvek Tags | TY,TZ | hanging | 1 year | 160ºF | TY: 5 mils TZ: 8 mils |
Old tag construction, swells in water and solvents. TZ is Tyvek with a self-laminating flap. | Scaffold tags, LOTO |
| Vinyl Tags | V0, V1 V2, V4 V5, V6 V7, V9 VC, VK | hanging | 1 years | 150ºF | mixed | Vinyl tags, may embrittle in sun. V0 is 10 mils with no flap, V1 has a single flap; V2 has 2 flaps; V4 is 15 mils with two flaps; V7 is 15 mils with Tedlar flap; V6 is 15 mils with one flap; V9 is 27 mils laminated two sides; VC is 15 mils with no flap; VK is 20 mils with Tedlar on both sides.; VW is 20 mils and no flap | LOTO, repair tags |
| Vinyl Snap-On Marker | VY | snap-on | 3 years | 140ºF | 10 mils | Traditional snap-on construction, lower heat resistance, easy to apply — even on dirty pipes or cables. | Fiber-optic markers, pipe markers |
| Reflective Visi/Strips | VB,VE VI, VD VB, VJ VR, ES | hanging | mixed | 170ºF | mixed | Wide variety of reflectance: see reflective specs. VE is Engineer grade, VI is 3M HIS and VD is Diamond Grd, all on 20 mils aluminum. VB is SunBright on 20 mils Lexan; VJ is SunBright on 20 mils alum.; ES is SunBright on 14 mils PET VR is Engineer Grade on 14 mils PET. | Pole delineators to prevent accidents. |
| Meter Reader Cards | VP | hanging | 3 years + | 180ºF | 30 mils | Allows customers to "do-it-themselves", tear and bend resistant spinners | Cards to simplify gas and electric meter reading |
| Writable Polyester Labels | W1,WM WT, W2 | adhesive | 3-7 years | 210ºF | WM: 3 mils W1/WT/W2: 5 mils | Writable coating accepts ink & pencil, self-laminating version ("W1") has polyester flap that seals in writing. W2 has carbon paper form and a self-laminating flap. "WT" has a UV resistant Tedlar self-laminating flap. | Calibration labels, on-site PCB labels |
| Laser Printable Lables | WZ, MP | adhesive | 3 years | 210ºF | WZ: 3 mils MP: 4 mils |
Laser printable polyester ("WZ") has a heavy adhesive and is termally more stable than competitive laser-printable vinyl labels, which can’t take a small hit in a laser printer without ruining the drum. "MP" is laser printable paper. | On-site labels |
| Self-Laminating Vinyl Label | W8 | adhesive | 3 years + | 170ºF | 11 mils | Vinyl base film and overlaminate stretches around curves, flap seals in your writing. | Padlock ID labels |
| Porcelain Enamel | ZD, ZZ | hanging | 15 years + | 1,400ºF | 70 mils | Extremely long outdoor life, heavy, can be chipped. ZD uses steel and ZZ uses stainless steel. | Phase markers, tower and substation |