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Wire Marking

Wire Marking: Heat Shrink Tubing, Self-Laminating, Wrap-Around, and Flag Markers

Four ways to mark individual wires durably and legibly – and guidance on which solution fits each situation.

Wire marking is the foundation of electrical and automation installations: without reliable identification, troubleshooting, modifications, and maintenance slow down. Kroko 600 ElectricPro and Kroko Autoprint turn marking into a batch process where identifiers are imported directly from the panel schematic.

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When to use which marking method?

The decisive question is usually simple: is the wire already terminated? Heat shrink tubing is slipped onto the wire before termination, whereas wrap-around markers can also be applied to completed installations.

The second consideration is the length of the identifier. A short ID like X1:24 fits easily around the wire, but a long identifier like PLC1 – DI24 – CONVEYOR START is more legible as a flag marker.

Four wire marking methods

All four are handled with the Kroko 600 ElectricPro printer and Kroko Autoprint batch printing.

Heat shrink tubing

A permanent, clean wire marking solution that shrinks tightly around the wire. In the Kroko range, heat shrink tubing forms its own material category in several widths from 3–21 mm, allowing the same device to handle thin control wiring as well as heavier feeder cables. With Autoprint, sleeves are printed in batches with automatic serialization and cutting. Limitation: the marker must usually be installed before wire termination, and print surface protection should be evaluated based on the application.

Example identifiers

  • X1:24
  • 24V+
  • M1
  • PE

Typical applications

  • Wire harnesses
  • Panel building
  • New installations
  • Motor outputs

Self-laminating wrap-around marker

The marker features a printable area and a clear laminating tail that wraps over the text. The printed information remains protected against abrasion, oils, and cleaning agents – and the marker can also be applied to already terminated wires. In practice, this is one of the most essential wire marking solutions when marking existing installations or performing retrofit work.

Example identifiers

  • X1:01 … X1:48
  • AI-102
  • PE / N / L1

Typical applications

  • Electrical panels
  • Automation
  • Machinery
  • Maintenance and retrofits
  • Data centers

Wrap-around marker

A traditional wrap-around label wrapped around the wire or cable. Quick to install, suitable for various wire gauges, and allows diverse layouts – such as repeating the text so it can be read from any viewing angle. With Autoprint, different marker sizes for varying cable diameters can be generated from the same data set.

Example identifiers

  • MOTOR-01
  • CAB-125
  • X2 → X5

Typical applications

  • Fast installation marking
  • Cable ends
  • Terminal enclosures
  • Building services

Flag marker

The marker is wrapped around the wire so that the label ends adhere to each other, forming a protruding flag. The flag accommodates long identifiers and remains legible even in dense bundles. It takes up more space than a flush wire wrap, making it best suited for applications where legibility takes priority over space.

Example identifiers

  • X1:24 – MOTOR START
  • PLC1 – DI24 – CONVEYOR START

Typical applications

  • Long identifiers
  • Thin wires
  • Panel wire bundles
  • Documented maintenance points

A hundred wires in a single run

Kroko Autoprint transforms manual labeling into serial production.

  1. 1

    Import identifiers

    Excel, CSV, or DXF data from panel schematics, wire lists, or CAD software. Manual entry and automatic serialization are also supported.

  2. 2

    Select template

    Heat shrink tubing, self-laminating, wrap-around, or flag – the same identifier list can be applied to different templates without re-entering data.

  3. 3

    Print and cut

    Automatic cutting produces finished markers in sequence, allowing installation to proceed strictly according to the list.

Recommended configuration

For wire marking, the 600EP is the workhorse; the X6 enters the picture when marking requirements scale up.

Kroko 600 ElectricPro

Primary wire marking printer

  • 360 dpi resolution for small text
  • Heat shrink tubing and wrap-around materials
  • Automatic cutter
  • USB connection to Kroko Autoprint

Kroko Autoprint

Data and batch printing

  • Excel/CSV/DXF import
  • Automatic numbering and serialization
  • Ready-made customer-specific layouts
  • Multi-page templates

Frequently asked questions about wire marking

Related pages

Same data, different marking level. Explore these as well.

Cable MarkingElectrical Cabinet MarkingEquipment MarkingMarking Solutions

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