Also known as zip ties, cable ties are fasteners that bundle your cables and wires together to keep them organized and prevent damage. They come in different sizes, lengths, materials and even colors. The different uses of cable ties vary across industries, but what they all have in common is that they’re the most effective way to manage your cables.
Scottish-born Maurus C. Logan, who worked at Thomas & Betts, invented cable ties in 1958. He got the idea while touring an aircraft facility, noticing how difficult and complex the job of wiring was. It involved thousands of feet of cabling manually secured with knotted, wax-coated, braided nylon cord, leaving the workers’ hands with deep cuts and callouses. This is an example of a simple invention having a profound effect on lives.
Materials play a large role in determining which solution is right for your application. You'll find durable cable ties in these materials:
Nylon produces a high-strength zip tie with good thermal and abrasion resistance. It also resists fuels and most chemicals. Nylon 6/6, the grade most often used for cable ties, meets UL94 V-2 flammability ratings and can operate in temperatures as low as -40°F. Typically, a nylon zip-tie melting point is 185°F.
Nylon cable ties can be heat stabilized for continuous or extended exposure to high temperatures of up to 250°F. The manufacturing process can also produce UV stabilized ties for outdoor use. For example, you can have the same cable tie, but manufactured for different applications.
Example:
Nylon standard cable ties, releasable
Outdoor use
Indoor use
Natural✔
Black UV stabilized✔
Browse nylon cable ties
If you’re looking for chemical resistant cable ties, consider polypropylene (PE). It resists acids, polyhydric alcohols, neutral salts and basic salts, making it a better choice in this instance than nylon. It does have a lower tensile strength than nylon 6/6, but it’s also more flexible. Polypropylene can also stand up to UV exposure.
Just as you can get the same cable tie formulated differently, you can get the same cable tie in different materials. For example, beaded cable ties are available in nylon or polypropylene.
View our range of polypropylene cable ties
Low density polyethylene (LDPE) has a high-ductile nature and less-than-average tensile strength. As a material for cable ties, it’s not commonly used. However, it stretches and conforms well to surfaces and has excellent chemical resistance to dilute and concentrated acids, alcohols, bases and esters, so it has its uses. For these reasons, it’s often used for ties that are meant to bundle cables temporarily.
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Stainless steel cable ties provide high tensile strength. They can also stand extremely high temperatures, from –328°F to 1000°F. There are two types of stainless steel used in cable ties: 304 and 316. Type 304 is used for general purposes, with both indoor and outdoor applications. When corrosion is a threat, it’s Type 316 you need.
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Learn more about the tensile strength of cable ties in our expert guide.
Now that you understand the difference in materials, let’s look at applications. It also might help you to read Cable management – the design engineer’s application guide
Ties are available as single-use and reusable. You can remove zip ties without cutting if they’re single-use, but it will slow down your processes to open them. To open a traditional tie:
We advise you not to re-use a single-use tie too many times. The more you open and retie them, the quicker the ribs, or teeth, will wear down. Another issue is the locking mechanism itself. Its grip loosens over time when you push or pull against it multiple times.
Free CADs are available for most solutions, which you can download. You can also request free samples to make sure you’ve chosen exactly what you need. You might find The ultimate guide to cable management helpful. If you’re not quite sure which solution will work best for your application, our experts are always happy to advise you.
Whatever your requirements, you can depend on fast despatch. Request your free samples or download free CADs now.
Questions?
Email us at sales@essentracomponents.com or speak to one of our experts for further information on the ideal solution for your application 800-847-0486.
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