Originally developed in the 1950s simply to secure bundles of aircraft cables, the cable tie today has many industrial uses. Here, we take a look at the diverse selection of industries that use all kinds of cable ties.
Aerospace cable ties
Staying close to their roots, cable ties are still used today for effective cable management in the aerospace industry. With the Boeing 747 aircraft containing 150 miles of cabling and the double decker Airbus A380 more than twice that amount, it’s easy to see why cable ties here are indispensable! Every size of cable tie is used, from heavy duty metal cable ties for big cables to small nylon cable ties for small spaces. Often UV and heat stabilised cable ties are used for their thermal tolerance.
Cable ties in agriculture
The agricultural industry is a slave to the elements and cable ties need to cope with extreme weather conditions. UV and heat stabilised cable ties withstand high levels of sunlight, while metal cable ties are corrosion-free – perfect for wet conditions.
Automotive cable ties
Stainless steel cable ties are used extensively in the European automotive industry as they are robust enough to stand up to fuel, grease, oil and extreme heat. They can also withstand weathering.
Cable ties for construction
For almost a decade, stainless steel cable ties have been approved by the HSE for securing mesh panels in scaffolding, as they have a tensile strength in excess of the recommended minimum of 75kg. 4.8mm wide X 300mm nylon 6/6 cable ties (available in packs of 100 with volume discount for bulk purchases) are perfect for securing netting and sheeting on scaffolding. Cable ties have lots of other application in the construction industry and you can find out in Using cable ties in the construction industry.
Cable ties in the electronics industry
Nylon cable ties are frequently used for bundling computer cables and wires, as they are strong, flexible and offer good security. Coloured cable ties are also useful here to identify different groups of cables quickly and efficiently.
Emergency services use of cable ties
Printed nylon cable ties come into their own where vital or sensitive information must be recorded and an audit trail provided, such the classification of evidence or where a chain of evidence must be maintained. Our blog tells you about Uses for Custom printed cable ties.
Cable ties in food production
As expected, there is strict legislation surrounding food production in this country. These safety regulations and protocols serve to reduce the risk of product contamination and therefore product recall which puts public health at risk and is costly to the industry. Metal detectable cable ties can be seen easily and can be picked up by X-ray equipment and metal detectors and are used for bundling overhead cables and pipework in the industry where there could be a risk from contamination.
Healthcare uses for cable ties
Nylon cable ties play a crucial role in the disposal of clinical waste within the healthcare sector. By law, complete traceability is required for all waste, back to the original source, and clinical waste bag cable ties are essential for this to be carried out correctly.
Cable ties in manufacturing and HVAC
Perfect for preventing vibrational damage, metal cable ties are used to secure goods during transit. They are suitable for securing heavy plant machinery and they are also used in HVAC systems, where they play several important roles (see Cable ties in the HVAC industry).
Mining
The extreme conditions that are prevalent in the mining industry - harsh environmental conditions, extreme temperatures, and chemical corrosion – are no match for marine grade 316 stainless steel cable ties which are resilient and strong enough to cope.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of which industries use cable ties, but it gives a good insight into how far the humble zip tie that was first envisioned almost 70 years ago, has come!
For any enquiries or questions about any of our products, please get in touch by email at sales@cableties-online.co.uk or by phone on 01623 412160.
