- Pick the letter height first, from how far away people will read the tag. The plate size follows.
1/4"letters suit most panel and disconnect tags.1/8"fits breaker tags read up close.- In the builder, set a letter height and the plate grows to fit, or pick a plate size and the letters grow to fill it.
The most common question on a new tag is "what size?" The easiest way to answer it is to start with the letters, because that is what has to be read. Once the letter height is set, the plate simply needs to be big enough to hold the wording with a comfortable margin.
01Letter height by viewing distance
Think about where the person reading the tag will be standing. These are good starting points for high-contrast engraved lettering:
| Letter height | Read from about | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 1/8" (3 mm) | Arm's length | Breaker tags, terminal and device IDs inside a panel |
| 3/16" (5 mm) | 1 to 2 m | Legend plates, second lines of text, small equipment tags |
| 1/4" (6 mm) | 2 to 3 m | Panel IDs, disconnects, MCC buckets. The everyday size |
| 3/8" (10 mm) | 3 to 5 m | Main headings, solar warning plates, switchgear sections |
| 1/2" (13 mm) | 5 to 7 m | Equipment names seen across a room |
| 3/4" to 1" (19 to 25 mm) | 7 m and up | Room, tank and large equipment ID |
If a spec gives a minimum letter height, that is your starting point. For example, the PV warning sign in CEC Rule 64-200 calls for letters at least 9.5 mm tall, so 3/8" is the natural choice.
02Common plate sizes
These five sizes cover most orders, and they are ready to pick in the builder:
| Size | What it is usually for |
|---|---|
| 1/2" × 2" | Breaker tag: one short line beside a breaker |
| 1" × 3" | Standard tag: one or two lines, the most common size |
| 2" × 4" | Panel label: name, voltage and fed-from |
| 3" × 5" | Nameplate: equipment ID with a few lines of detail |
| 4" × 6" | Large plate: warnings, directories and diagrams |
Any size in between works too. Enter a custom width and height in inches or millimetres.
03How the builder sizes a plate
The Lamacoid Builder gives you two ways to size, under step 2:
- Letter heightChoose a height such as
1/4". The plate grows to fit your longest line with a clean margin. Want a heading bigger? Use the1×menu beside that line. - Plate sizeChoose a common size or type your own. The letters grow to the largest height that fits, and the preview shows the resulting letter height.
The preview is drawn at actual size at 100% zoom, so you can hold a ruler to the screen if you want to be sure.
04Layout tips that make tags easier to read
- Put the name on top. The equipment name on line one, details like voltage or fed-from underneath, one size smaller.
- Keep a matching style. Same font, letter height and colour for every tag of the same kind.
- Leave room for hardware. With screw holes turned on, the builder opens the margins so letters clear the screws.
- Use capitals for short IDs. Capitals read cleanly at small sizes. Turn on All capitals under More options.
05Common questions
What size is a standard lamacoid tag?
1" × 3" is the most common size. It holds one or two lines of 1/4" or 3/16" text.
What size are breaker lamacoids?
Usually 1/2" × 2" with 1/8" letters, sized to sit beside a breaker.
How thick is a lamacoid?
We engrave 1/16" and 1/8" laminate. 1/16" is the everyday choice for panel tags; 1/8" gives a stiffer plate for larger sizes and hanging tags.
What letter height should a panel label have?
1/4" letters read well from 2 to 3 metres, which suits most panel doors and disconnects.