Farnells crappy new labels - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 29, 2015, 09:36:13 pm
content: It seems that Farnell has changed it's labels, i have old bags of parts around that look like they were printed on a dot matrix prinyer of some sort but they are still perfectly readable, whereas new stuff bought just over a month ago has a nice smooth high resolution print but i can tell they are fading already (like faxes used to) and parts i have at work have almost vanished.So much for progress! so now whenever I buy stull I will need to relsbel it so that in 6 months i stil know what it was.

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2015, 09:38:35 pm
content: You can revive fully faded thermal printed labelsoncewith hot-air or a lighter.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2015, 05:49:47 pm
content: They probably ran out of ribbons for the thermal printer( or it got too expensive to buy them) so they went from a thermal wax transfer label to a straight bisophenol A impregnated paper label. The printers that take a wax ribbon generally are fine running either with the waxed ribbon or without and using thermal paper. You can even use the thermal wax ribbon with the thermal paper without any issues.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 31, 2015, 05:52:31 pm
content: Yes but when you buy SMD parts you cannot rely on the parts having sufficient markings to identify them. You have to rely on packaging labels. So now everything bought from Farnell needs relabelling else you could end up with an totally unmarked part and a blank label....

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2015, 06:12:52 pm
content: Take incoming bags to the copier first and make a copy, then staple to the package and store till needed. Works for till slips so I can do the inevitable warranty claim 9 months down the line when I take it back in the original box with the slip, at least for kettles.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 31, 2015, 06:25:21 pm
content: Well I'm typing up my own labels anyway because Farnell has a tendency to move stuff around on their labels or not be consistent in the label format from one type of component to another. So I will just have to make sure I label them damn quick. I'm also moving to buying parts on reels anyway as it's a bit pointless buying tent resistors for a project and then buying another 10 resistors for the next. For the buttons they cost I might as well keep a reel with a few thousand on and then I can put a bar across my bench and put all the reels on it. I just need to work out a way of labelling the reels so I can identify them despite there being no surface I can put a label on but the one that is hidden by other reels. I suppose some sort of card with the details on next to the reel so that every reel has a label to the right of it.

author: nbritton
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2015, 07:09:13 pm
content: This is one of the many reasons you get yourself a Brother P-Touch label maker.Brother Refurbished P-Touch PT-2730 PC Connectable - $49

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2015, 07:10:01 pm
content: Place a long narrow card to the one side of each reel ( keep it consistent) with a hole on to hold it to the bar holding the reels and put the value and part number there. That way you only have to keep the convention, or label each side so you can read each way.

author: _Andrew_
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2015, 07:27:36 pm
content: Judging the experience I have had with the problems with Farnell group of companies packaging and stock control which has been going on for decades now, labels are probably going to low on there list of things to improve.Could it be that the last remaining person at the company that knew how to work the dot matrix, the 286 computer to drive it and the DOS program has left the company. Forcing them to having to get there checkbook out and spend some money on some new equipment.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 31, 2015, 07:51:03 pm
content: Yes they are pretty crap. They may be cheaper, but you get what you pay for. I have just placed an order with RS because Farnell who think themselves so clever thinks that an ATTiny24A-SSU and ATTiny24A-SSN are the same thing and take me to the lower grade part when I put in the number for the higher grade one. So I went to RS who now have the ATTiny24A-SSF - even better, and yea, so RS wanted 10% more for some resistors, woopedoo, saves me making two orders over £1.50.I once got a load of ATMega328's from them and many were loose in the box as the tubes they had used were different and the standard rubber bungs just came out, that is the treatment i get for spending over £1K with them....Just a pity RS has less stock and their service is only just slightly better.