Panduit MMP172W38-M316 316 Stainless Steel Marker Plate with Tag

The Panduit MMP172W38-M316 delivers permanent cable and equipment identification in corrosive, high-temperature, and outdoor environments where adhesive labels fail. This 1.72" × 0.38" rectangular marker plate is fabricated from Type 316 stainless steel — the marine-grade alloy specified for chemical plants, coastal installations, and industrial facilities exposed to chlorides, sulfates, and temperature extremes. The two-hole mounting pattern integrates directly with Panduit Pan-Steel cable ties (MLT-S series) for tool-free attachment to cable bundles, conduit, piping, and valve assemblies. Each plate accepts custom engraving via Panduit's Metal Indenting Machine (MIM), producing raised characters that remain legible through decades of UV exposure, solvent contact, and mechanical abrasion. Sold in 1000-piece packages to support large-scale data center builds, refinery upgrades, and municipal utility deployments.

Key Features

• Type 316 stainless steel construction with 16-18% chromium and 2-3% molybdenum for superior pitting and crevice corrosion resistance in marine, chemical, and chloride-rich environments
• 1.72" × 0.38" × 0.010" (44mm × 10mm × 0.25mm) rectangular profile optimized for cable bundle identification and equipment tagging in confined spaces
• Dual mounting holes engineered for Panduit Pan-Steel cable tie integration — enables single-operator installation without drilling, welding, or adhesive curing time
• Metal indenting machine (MIM) compatible surface accepts embossed alphanumeric marking that withstands industrial solvents, pressure washing, and 20+ year outdoor UV exposure
• 1000-plate bulk packaging reduces per-unit cost on enterprise fiber backbone projects, petrochemical facility expansions, and utility substation builds
• RoHS compliant for European Union CE marking and California Proposition 65 regulatory requirements

Type 316 stainless steel's molybdenum content (2-3% by weight) provides measurably higher resistance to chloride-induced pitting than Type 304 alloys — critical for installations within 10 miles of coastlines, chemical processing areas, or wastewater treatment plants. The 0.010-inch gauge balances mechanical rigidity (resists bending during tie installation) with embossing depth: Panduit's MIM tooling produces 0.004-inch character relief that remains tactilely readable even after surface oxidation. The rectangular form factor spans standard 0.5-1.0 inch cable bundle diameters, while the 1.72-inch length accommodates 12-character identifiers (circuit numbers, destination codes, or asset tags) in 0.125-inch embossed type. The two-hole pattern accepts MLT-S series ball-lock cable ties with 7/16-inch head width — the tie threading process takes under 5 seconds per plate and requires no secondary fasteners or torque tools. This speed advantage compounds across thousand-termination projects: a two-person crew can mark and mount 200+ cables per hour versus 60-80/hour for screw-attached plates or adhesive-backed labels.

Data center hot-aisle cable management demands tags that survive 104°F continuous temperatures and quarterly high-pressure cleaning — adhesive labels curl within 18 months, while engraved 316SS plates retain legibility past the 10-year equipment refresh cycle. Refinery and chemical plant integrators use these plates for instrument cable identification in Class I Division 2 areas where vapor exposure degrades polymer labels; the stainless substrate is inert to hydrocarbons, alcohols, and weak acids. Municipal fiber backbone projects specify this SKU for aerial and below-grade splice point marking: UV stability exceeds ASTM G154 weathering standards, and the non-magnetic properties eliminate interference with underground utility locating equipment. Substation and switchgear installers mount these plates on battery bank conductors, grounding bus assemblies, and medium-voltage conduit runs — the corrosion resistance meets NEMA 250 enclosure ratings and the RoHS compliance satisfies utility procurement standards. The 1000-piece pack quantity matches typical scope for 10-20 rack data center deployments, 500-circuit industrial control panel jobs, or 2-mile fiber route builds.

Panduit's MIM embossing process cold-works the stainless surface without removing material — unlike laser etching (which creates corrosion-initiation points) or chemical engraving (which thins the substrate). The raised characters shed water and contaminants rather than trapping them in recessed grooves, extending legibility in marine and wash-down environments. Competitor SKUs SSTAG-7010-7316 and 544-80101 share the 316SS material spec but use 3-hole patterns incompatible with Panduit's ball-lock tie heads — requiring separate screw hardware and doubling installation labor. This plate's integration with the Pan-Steel ecosystem (ties, tools, and mounts) creates a single-vendor cable management solution with unified corrosion resistance, load ratings, and compliance documentation. For integrators managing 5000+ termination projects across pulp mills, desalination plants, offshore platforms, or transit system tunnels, the MMP172W38-M316 delivers the lowest total installed cost per marked asset — combining material durability, installation speed, and regulatory traceability in a format proven across 40+ years of Panduit industrial deployments.