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A new standard is on the way
Posted by Al Feaster on April 26
In February, the TIA 942.6 committee voted to send TIA-606-B forward for publication. Once this is approved by ANSI, it will be the new Administration Standard for Telecommunications Infrastructure. To ensure you are up to speed, below are a few of the most important changes you should be aware of. There are now seven identifiers required under TIA-606-B, whereas only four were …
Latest Blog Posts
Make time and “S.P.A.C.E” for Color Coding – it’s important
Posted by Stephen Spencer on March 26
Color coding is becoming increasingly important in industrial, commercial and telecom environments. Color coding provides a quick and easy way to identify items or spaces and communicate important messages. Many industry organizations, like OSHA, ANSI, and ISO have recognized the usefulness of color coding. They have created standards that, if followed, increase the usefulness of …
Create a visual workplace using 5S principles
Posted by Steve Gohde on January 25
The 5S system (Sort, Straighten, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain) is designed to organize a work space in the most efficient and effective means possible by identifying, using, and storing items in a manner uniformly understood and adhered to by all team members. 5S is easier to implement than it sounds and when done properly, can …
Hard bid specs? Let DYMO help.
Posted by Al Feaster on November 8
The majority of bid specifications we see in the low-voltage industry have an ‘or equal’ clause, which gives the contractor the option to substitute products that could be considered equal to the specified products. But recently I’m seeing more and more hard bid specs, in which end-users specify products and termination requirements without the ‘or …
RCDD Certification: What is it worth?
Posted by Al Feaster on October 3
From time to time I’ll hear low-voltage designers say they’re going to let their RCDD (Registered Communications Distribution Designer) certification lapse, that it’s not worth the effort to maintain because they’re not getting anything out of it professionally. Or worse, that RCDD certification doesn’t mean much, because anyone can study the book to get the …
Thoughts from SkillsUSA: Continuing education more important than ever
Posted by Al Feaster on August 31
In June I attended the 2011 SkillsUSA competition in Kansas City, MO, where over 5,700 contestants, each champions from their home state competitions, competed in 94 separate skill events – everything from 3-D animation to welding. I was there specifically to attend telecommunications cabling competition, sponsored by the Electronic Technician’s Association (ETA). Here, students from …
How Standards, Tools Turn Cable ID Jobs Into ‘Marks of Distinction’
Posted by dymo on August 4
For communications infrastructure providers, quality, performance and value are table stakes to grow business in a highly competitive field. A firm’s reputation for attention to detail in system installation often can be the deciding factor in winning a bid or getting lucrative referrals. Today, the most sought-after firms employ standards-based approaches throughout the installation. One …
Sign Your Work with Appropriate Labeling
Posted by Al Feaster on August 4
Best practices in cable identification and administration give installers a competitive edge. In the workshops I conduct on network infrastructure, I have the opportunity to talk to a lot of network installers about best practices in telecom network installation. When the topic turns to network cable identification, I have found that most installers are aware …
Permanent polyester – anything but permanent for cables and wires
Posted by Al Feaster on June 17
One mistake I see a little too often: Wires and cables labeled with permanent polyester labels. Our permanent polyester labels have a polished finish that looks so good on patch panels and face plates, installers are understandably tempted to use them on cables, too.
The 3 most common datacom labeling mistakes – and how to avoid them
Posted by Al Feaster on June 17
During my years in datacom I’ve seen all kinds of labeling mistakes – but these three are the ones I see repeated most often:
1. No labeling at all
This is a disaster, because a non-labeled plant is so difficult and costly to maintain. Without labels there’s no way to determine where cables are terminated, making moves/adds/changes (MACs) difficult if not impossible
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