Let's Talk About Tagging

(But not the spray-paint kind.) A tag makes sure that vital information always stays with the component

Pictured above is an example of a custom tag that has been done up for hose. Important information is included for a quick reference for tracking and repurchasing. Get in touch with us today for you tagging needs.

Imagine you are giving your systems a quick once-over, and your eye falls on a hose. Has it been in service long enough that you should think about replacing it? What's it made of? Who made it? If you wanted to order another one, what's the part number?

If someone was thoughtful enough to tag the hose, you'll have all that information right at your fingertips.

Why you should tag

A tag is a simple way to keep vital information about a component right there with the component. You never know when that information might be needed in the future, and you never know who is going to need it. With a tag, anyone who needs the information will have it right away.

With a good tag, it's easy to track your parts and reorder them. A tag can tell you the part number, the purchase order number, install date, maybe even specs such as its working pressure and temperature. We'll put Edmonton Valve & Fitting's name on the tag if you buy directly from us, or the name of an intermediary that sells the part. If you have an urgent need to replace a hose, we've been able to get one out the door in less than an hour when the customer has been able to give us the tag information.

A tag also can be useful if you are gathering parts in a holding area prior to assembly. The tag can include a separate number for each valve, flow meter or other part. That way it's easy to check them off a list as they are installed.

If an inspector comes through and sees the part's CRN number on a tag, they'll know it's good to go without having to check it.

How we tag it

Stainless steel tags are by far the most common. Think of a soldier's dog tags, and you'll have the basic idea. We use a laser engraver to burn the information on a small piece of stainless steel, punch a hole in the tag and attach it with a wire to the part.

Lamacoids are also a popular choice. It's basically a sheet of plastic with two layers in different colors, typically a dark color on top and white underneath. In this case, the laser engraver burn away the top layer, resulting in clear white letters and symbols (though we have multiple color combinations to choose from). If you can type it out, we can put it on a Lamacoid label, including descriptions of the part and lists of safety precautions. We’ve even photocopied a drawing and loaded it into our system as an image to be burned into the Lamacoid. The plastic has a sticky back for easy adhesion on flat surfaces, making this a popular choice for panels. We've done Lamacoid tags as small as one square inch and as large as a standard sheet of paper.

There are other types of tags that usually show up on hoses. We can use self-adhesive labels, matte tags that can be color-coded, and Perma Tags with up to five lines of information and protected by a silicone gel and sleeve. We also offer a lanyard tag.

What we tag

We tag hoses, panels, regulators, valves, cylinders, and assemblies such as steam lances — nearly anything you want to order. While we're sure there are a few objects that can't be tagged, we probably can find a solution from among our various options.

We can also help you keep track of information through the use of tags. For example, we keep a spreadsheet of all the hoses we build for a customer, and assign a serial number to each. The tag will have the number, so all you need to do is read it off to us and we can tell you exactly what you have.

Adding a tag doesn't affect the delivery time, and it doesn't add much to the cost. In fact, it saves you time and labour because you won't have to track down information.

Since you're already reading this, you don't even have to track down Edmonton Valve & Fitting either. Just tell us what kind of tag you want, and what information you want on it, and we'll do the rest - get in touch today!