We know about cable ties!

What is Cable Ties? What do you use them for?

KACAB has cable ties for you!

To begin with, KACAB’s cable ties are a type of semi-permanent bandage to explain. A cable tie is another type of fastener, for holding objects together, mainly electrical cables or wires. Because of their comparatively low cost and ease of use, they are ubiquitous in a wide range of applications. Originally, they were first used to hold wires together in airplanes, but have since gained many other uses. However, these are mainly made of plastic, usually nylon, but they are also available in stainless steel. There are bands in stainless steel, with or without coating, these are often used, for example, for outdoor use and in thus demanding environments. Our tapes with metal content are particularly often used in the pharmaceutical and food industries as an effect of this.

Cable ties – what are they?

Cable tie or strap also known as a cable tie is a type of fastener, to also hold objects together, that is, for example, electrical cables or wires.

Design and use

There are many different variants and designs, but most have the same principle – a belt that has teeth on one side. At one end of the band there is a lock into which the band is threaded. When the strap is tightened, a locking flap in the lock will run over the teeth and prevent the strap from opening. Last but not least, this product is also not normally intended for reuse.

The Cable Tie Gun tool can be used to apply a cable tie with a specific degree of tension. Design and Use To clarify, the tool can cut off the excess “tail” flush with the head to avoid a sharp edge that could otherwise cause damage to emphasize what the effect will be.

Extend the life even further

To increase the resistance to ultraviolet light for outdoor applications, nylon contains at least 2% carbon black. Thanks to this to obtain the greatest possible resistance to UV radiation and extend the life of the cable tie. Blue is supplied to the pharmaceutical and food industry, among other things, and contains metal shavings so that they can be detected by industrial metal detectors. Stainless steel strips are available with a plastic-coated surface, this to prevent contact corrosion between different materials. Companies often use stainless steel bands in extreme environments with, for example, high temperatures, acids, etc. Bands made of ETFE (Tefzel) are used in really extreme environments where high temperatures are present. The plant industry sometimes also uses bands that are particularly flexible for, among other things, tying up plants to supporting sticks. Laundries and the clothing industry seal e.g. often their garment/laundry bags with sealable bands.

When choosing a cable tie, you should ask yourself the following questions:

Length – how long does the band have to be to reach around what I specifically want to bundle?
Strength – Is there a special tensile strength required for the tape? Should it hold something that is in fact heavy?
Environment – will the band sit in a particularly exposed environment? Outdoors (UV rays) or it will be exposed to chemicals
Temperature – what is the ambient temperature in the place where the tape will sit?

This is how we handle cable ties according to our Cable Ties guide

The quality of the cable ties is thus dependent on a number of surrounding factors. In part, the most commonly used material is Polyamide 66 (PA66) hygroscopically, which means that it absorbs and releases water. This in turn means that the cable tie is differently flexible at different water contents. In order to always have as good a cable tie as possible, it is important to store these in a suitable way. It is especially important not to leave an opened bag for a long time without using the straps. In addition, there is the risk that the water will disappear out of the bands and they can be perceived as more inflexible. This is especially true during the cold season.

Some storage tips!
Always store the cable ties in a sealed plastic bag.
Likewise, do not expose the tapes to direct sunlight.
Finally, therefore, do not let the bands lie too close to direct heat sources (elements).

In summary, if you have questions regarding cable ties, contact KACAB Teknik AB first!