I'm looking for some reflection/direction on labeling for products that are
made up of other products you want to sell individually.
The product in question is a draw out design industrial power meter with an
"OC" - Outer Case/enclosure/cage for wiring and then several different "IC"
Inner Case - drawout units with all the electronics, display etc. The idea is
for quick replacement of an IC if it fails.
see
https://www.ch.cutler-hammer.com/docs/Fred/apscpgh/htmL/PRODUCTS/DIGI3000/DIGI3000.HTM
for an example
The quandry is that marketing wants to label the grouped unit - OC and IC with
a catalog number that refers to the combination.
The OC works with several different ICs and so this same device would end up
with several different "combo" labels in the field.
The OC also will be sold alone as a replacement part and so I will have yet
another label variant.
Marketing likes this because the customer usually orders the combo 90%+ of the
time and so the shipping box, purchase orders AND product would all match.
They want to have the same label with ratings etc on both the OC and IC.
I find this a mess because:
* Warranty and field recall issues will be messy - if only the IC is bad how
does one refer to it with the combo label.
* The UL/CSA files will be awkward - same device with multiple labels
* The rating information is really tied to the IC not the OC - why restrict
the OC to the ratings of the IC?
* Gee if you come up with some additional reasons I would love it so I can get
leverage.
I want individual unique labeling for each variant of the IC and OC.
In trying to appease marketing, I have create monster labels that have the
individual refernces - this is all when sold separately.
Ok fine so far.......
Then when sold as a combo I add the combination catalog number and references
to both the IC and OC.
CH logo and name
Combo Cat # =
IC cat #
OC cat #
ratings - limited, PS, CT, VT - how far do others take this (I have a
reference to the instruction leaflet)
Cautions/Warings
Compatiblity statement (which OC is compatible with which IC)
Validations - UL/CSA etc.
Serial # Date Code
etc.
Right now that looks confusing without some sort of segregation of the
identification and the reference.
How does the customer or UL inspector know what they are holding?
What Cat # goes with what?
I have considered spelling out "Inner Case" and "Outer Case" and then rely on
the users inteligence to figure it out.
I have considered boxing or putting an asterix next to the relevant cat # .
I have joked about a "you are here arrow"
So I think I have just stirred the pot and the mud is still pretty thick - any
ideas to add clarity to this mess?
I'm sure a number of you restle with this issue and have come up with something
that works better keeping both marketing, the user and the UL inspector
happy.....
Your comments would be most appreciated :-)
Thanks in advance!
Chris Wells
Senior Design Eng.
Cutler-Hammer
[email protected]
http://www.ch.cutler-hammer.com/pmp
