What You Don’t Know About Plastic Wire Ties

Have you ever thought about nylon zip ties? Are you aware of what it is made of? What are the different types of cable ties? What are the uses of zip ties? How to fasten and undo zip ties? Well, I have here all the things you need to know about your Plastic Wire Ties.

What is a Plastic Wire Ties?

A cable tie is a strap band or string, made from a polymeric material class called polyamides (Nylon 6/6). The area of width, length, and head uses ratcheting mechanisms to allow locking of items together as required for “bundling.”

Nylon has an excellent balance of properties, combined strength, moderate rigidity, high service temperature, and high durability.

Plastic Wire Ties are particularly immune to repetitive effects, have low friction coefficient, and excellent abrasion resistance. Nylon is resistant to oils, lubricants and most additives, but is targeted by phenols, heavy acids and oxidizing agents.

Nylon is ideal for use with constant temperatures of up to 185 ° F in most practical applications. Nylon 6/6, the most commonly used grade for cable tie output, achieves flammability standards of UL 94V-2. The operating temperature range is between -40 ° F and 185 ° F.

What are Plastic Wire Ties Made Of?

Nylon was the first semi-crystalline synthetic polymer whose physical properties favored certain metals. The high strength and temperature tolerance of polymers enable it to be used in “engineered” applications, thereby slipping into a polymer group defined as “tech thermoplastics.” And Nylon 6 and Nylon 66 are the principal types of PA.

General Purpose Application for Nylon 6/6

• Nylon 6/6 – General Purpose 

 Nylon 6/6 is ideal for use at a constant temperature of up to 150 ° F in most practical applications. Nylon 6/6, the most common grade used in cable tie manufacturing, follows the flammability requirements of UL 94V-2. The operating temperature range is between -40 ° F and 185 ° F.

• Nylon 6/6 – UV Stabilized 

 Nylon 6/6 is used outside for constant or continuous exposure to sunlight. Nylon cable connection is a form of added ultraviolet (UV) radiation that is weather resistant. Its classification is rendered by inserting stabilizers into the resin of nylon. UV Stabilized Nylon cable ties are only offered in black.

• Nylon 6/6 – Heat Stabilized 

Nylon 6/6 is used at high temperatures (up to 250 ° F) in constant or sustained use. As a result of high temperatures, General-Purpose nylon will have reduced physical properties and fatigue. Nylon cable ties provide extra thermal resilience with specially formulated heat stabilizers.

Heat controlled nylons are equipped for constant temperature treatment over 185 ° F, which exceeds UL requirements for electrical applications.

There are many models available, including Nylon 11, Nylon 12, Nylon 610, Nylon 612, Nylon 1010, Nylon 46, Nylon 7, Nylon 9, Nylon 13. And now, you can use the latest Nylon 6I, Nylon 9 T, and MXD 6 Nylon Special form.

These engineers are so smart to develop and create the latest nylon forms for new uses.

General Purpose Application for Nylon 12

Nylon 12 – Weather Resistant

Weather-resistant Nylon 12 has 194 ° F (90 ° C) relative thermal index UL. Nylon 12 Product is immune to most salts and chemicals and is rated for 12-15 years of outdoor usage — an ideal solution for solar applications. Nylon 12 Material has a low-temperature hardness of -40 ° F (-40 ° C) at room temperature with an Izod value of 1.3 ft-lbs / inch.

There are too many different types of nylon to name them, The Reinforced Nylon, MC Nylon, RIM Nylon, Aromatic Nylon, Transparent Nylon, etc. Yet one thing I want to mention is that the zip tie’s primary raw material is PA 66.

It has many advantages when it comes to overcoming acid, foundation, heat, and has strong tensile strength. It also has a great fight with aging.

What are the types of plastic cable ties?

You might find that the type of cable ties is not only one. There are many different types to meet people’s various uses.

1. Self- locking Type

This tie is used for self-locking. It’s made o material from PA 66, which has been approved by the UL. Once we drop the connection into the head hole, it’s secure in the locking. You’ll note that in our life and business, it’s the most used one.
These are typically considered to be single-use and can meet bundling specifications from 14 mm to 360 mm and 8 to 144 kg tensile loop size. Self-locking cable ties can be bought in a wide variety of colors and can also change the width of the links.

2. Reusable Type

Reusable zip ties are built for multiple uses, making them very functional. Some reusable cable ties use a release mechanism while some use the release of the pawl. The release mechanism of the trigger binds everything tightly together and separates only with a human touch.

The pawl escape button is part of the head ratchet and can be freed by pressing down the pawl handle to release the ratchet from the attachment for easy removal of the neck.

Since it is reusable, it is also economical. It is also eco-friendly, which makes it very popular in the market.

3. Beaded Type

This style has several beaded shapes in the tie. So, it can be unlocked after using it. It can be used in several ways.

The material used for this one is nylon 6/6 with a temp range of -40 degrees to 185 degrees. These are releasable or reusable for temporary applications. It can clasp up to 50 pounds of tensile strength.

4. Mounted head cable ties

To add a mounting spot, mounted head cable ties are made. It allows a screw to attach the cable tie so that it can be attached to a chassis, panel or wall of a vehicle. These types of cable ties can be used between 20 and 60 kg for bundle strengths. Standard colors usually are black or natural nylon.

Interesting fact: Black is the best color to use if cable ties will be exposed to sunlight because the black carbon additive used for the color also provides UV protection.

5. Stainless Steel Type

The stainless-steel material makes this type. It has a strong tensile strength relative to the connections made of the PA 66 stuff.

Stainless steel cable ties are most used in an automobile or manufacturing environment or in situations where a nylon cable tie does not protect the function. It may be hot conditions or atmospheres where heat is available.

6. Double Head Type

It has a double head for simultaneously locking two objects. Such cable links are suitable for operating two different parallel cables. They allow the installation of a second cable run without the need for additional cable ties. Which ensures we will one time lock the two cable packages and isolate them from each other as well. Using it’s very convenient.

7. Push Mount Tie

Push mount cable ties to have an integral mounting system that can be used to connect cables to a frame or framework without any further repair. The tie’s mounting part is easily inserted into a pre-drilled hole and locks in place. There are arrowheads, rivet drives, and cable ties for the blind hole stud.

8. Self-adhesive cable ties

Self-adhesive ties take away the need for a cable tie and separate cradle. This kind of cable tie is ideal for tasks requiring quick and easy hand fixing.

What are the uses of plastic wire ties?

plastic tie wire must meet a wide range of requirements because they are used in a wide variety of applications – from the simple bundling of wires with cable ties to uses of cable ties under severe conditions. A cable tie or zip ties is a type of fastener. Especially for joining various electronic wires or cables together and to organize wires and cables.

Plastic cable ties are utilized in several industries: in harness making, in the electrical installation, for preliminary installation purposes, in the construction industry, in the packaging industry, or under difficult environmental situations similar in the offshore sector.

Plastic cable straps offer great performance fastening, routing, connecting, protecting, and classifying solutions to different markets. plastic tie wire are developed to market solutions that uniquely fit an industry’s needs – solving an application condition, saving installation and component expenses, and increasing the quality of the product – no matter what your industry.

1. Electronic Factory

Plastic cable ties have a big part in the Electronic Industry.  It entails making and collecting products to consumers, whether individuals, company, or other corporations.

It’s interesting to note that in a world of complicated processes that lead to everything from building aircraft, computer devices, mobile devices, and everything from Electronic Industry to the simple cable tie is continually in play. It is still one of the handiest tools in the world.

Many manufacturing tasks are trusted to the simple cable tie. Color-coded or marked cable ties make locating, tagging, and identifying types of cable to minimize errors, risk of accident during operations, securing cables, and making the wires and cable neat and organized.

2.  Food Production and Pharmaceutical

This industry must do a lot with packing and shipping. This indicates that products are going through metal scanners or detectors looking for contraband, particularly when sent out of the country. Still, these industries want to protect their contents. It’s why you see a lot of boxes and containers sealed with metal cable ties. They also use a special cable tie weight for easier control during transport.  You’ll also find companies making use of a stainless steel cable tie tool for easy installing and removing ties.

3. Shipping and Transportation

Transportation is a significant part of the manufacturing industry. Transporting goods and products is a 24/7 business, and so is the use of plastic tie wire. Of course, experts must take into account a range of conditions before choosing a plastic cable tie. Perishables require a product that’s odor-free and tasteless. Products and goods that need to remain under a precise temperature — insulin, fish, vegetables — will require a cable tie for the situation. Plastic cable straps have a variety of operating temperatures that don’t have any impact on perishables.

4. Automobile Industry

Electrical ties plastic play an essential role in the automotive field, which is approved by most automobile companies due to its reliable quality and superior characteristics.

• It is used in the automobile exhaust pipe. Instead of the conventional welding method, the welded strip is used to evade the phenomenon of tension breaking welding point produced by thermal expansion. The service length of the heat insulation plate is improved, and the security is increased. Easy installation decreases the cost of tail gas pipelines.

• Manageable structure and high reliable strength produce an excellent performance for the dust sheathing of the drive shaft.

• The stainless steel band product assures the safety of the automobile brake busbar with its unique coated stainless steel band also it protects the bus surface remains not damaged.

• The black plastic cable ties is used for the reliability of airbags, and it ensures the fixing of an airbag.

• Used in the water outlet and inlet pipes and air pipes of automobiles, the stainless steel tie band guarantees the sealing, security, and protection of the pipeline with its excellent tightness.

5. Marine Industry

The sea is famous for its terrible conditions. Inside the ship, everything has to be safer, with fire security a key factor when it comes to guaranteeing the materials used. This is where specialized cable tie solutions for marine environments come in. Specifically developed for the marine industry, they are halogen-free and provide the certifications required to fulfill all conditions. Moreover, with heat-resistant cable zip ties, it delivers just the right answer to problems of functionality under severe conditions that exist in the shipbuilding or marine sector.

The strength of this material has not only been confirmed for many years in different industries, such as offshore rigs and wind power but is being continuously proved in continuous tests under real severe conditions.

6. Household Use

Cable or zip ties are used for securing the mess of wires and cables under your desk or behind the television. But their value extends far beyond cable management. The lightweight, affordable, and strong ties can be applied for several tasks around the house.

Here are some uses for zip ties you might not have imagined of yet.

• Child Safety

If you require to keep kids out of a cabinet or two, you do not need to buy a child lock, at least not for a short solution. Just roll a zip tie plastic type into two adjacent handles or around two knobs and pull tight. You’ll need to cut the cable tie off to access the cabinet later, so it’s not a long-term solution. But it will prevent those little hands out in a pinch.

• Tamper Indicator

You can use plastic cable straps as a tamper symbol for several items.  Run one into the zippers of your tent door when you are outside from your campsite. Run a cable tie between the loops on two zippers of a backpack when traveling. Or put a hole through the handle and lid of a storage bin to lock and secure it.

This will not do much for theft prevention — anyone with scissors, knife or even nail cutters can still get into your things– just having them in position will act as a restraint or a quick sign that someone has messed with your things.

• Hanging Decorations

Zip tie plastic type are a fantastic option for hanging temporary decorations. The regular white or black may not blend in with the decorations properly, but cable ties now come in different colors. Green goes well with Christmas decor, Brown and orange will go great with thanksgiving decorations. Cable ties are especially great for hanging string lights, wreaths, and garland.

• Unclog a Drain

If you got a long cable tie, you would be able to get by with just one. If all you have is smaller ties, you will require to string them together to reach the clog. Usually, you need between 18 inches and 2 feet. But if needed, you can continuously add length by stringing more ties.

After you have connected all the ties, you need cutting pliers or a pair of scissors to create slanting cuts near the length of the bottommost tie. The cuts need to be staggered and angled upwards. Then bend the edges created by the cuts outside with a pair of pliers to create barbs.

Insert and feed this down into the drain. Pretending the clog has been made by other small buildup or hair, it should grab loose whatever is clogging the drain when you pull the ties back out.

When were plastic wire ties invented?

Plastic cable straps were created in 1958 by an electrical company named Thomas & Betts. Ty-Rap was the first name of the device. Initially, it was designed to secure airplane wires. The first design used a metal tooth inside the pawl. To make the devices more affordable, producers later converted it to plastic/nylon design.

An employee of Thomas & Betts named Maurus C. Logan came to the idea of zip ties cable while visiting a Boeing Manufacturing Facility in 1956.  Wiring and tying aircraft cables were complicated, with thousands of feet of wire tied to sheets of plywood and nylon cors. Observing how usually employees were hurting themselves in the process, Logan began the task of making a less painful process.

How do you use a plastic wire ties?

Using plastic wire ties is comparably easy. The first step is to turn the tie around the things that you want to bundle. The second step is to put the end of the tie that seems like an actual tie and attach it through the square notch on the back of the cable tie. From there, you easily tighten the tie until you have a secure fit. To loosen the tie, you will need to require cutting it with a pair of scissors as the tie will be too hard to try to loosen on your own. A electrical ties plastic is a simple product to use without a lot of skill or effort. They come in various colors and are generally made from plastic.

Here are some ways how to open a zip tie:

1. The Gentlest Way

First, we need to pick the right tool. You can use a thin and sharp tool. If it is metal, it will be better — for example, scissors, a knife, and so on.

Then we insert the tool into the head of the plastic zip ties. There are the teeth and the lock. What we need to do to break out of zip tie is to push the point or teeth. Then pull and remove the tie out of the head.

Remove zip ties just like this. The ties can be reused again. But the bundling performance is not the same as before. You can use it in someplace where the bundling condition is not so high. If you want to get out of zip ties often, I recommend you buy the releasable cable tie.

2. Most Useful Ways

At the point, we need to separate the bundled wires at once. And there are no proper tools to release the cable zip tie gently. Now you can do all the actions to get a cable zip tie off like forcing it to pull out, you can cut it or burn it, but it may be a bit dangerous.

That’s all, folks! You’ve learned what nylon zip tie is and what they are made of. You also understood how the different types of nylon cable ties are functioning and the uses of these links. Bonus! We also learned how to fasten and unzip these zip ties. I hope you garnered every knowledge you need to know about plastic wire tie.