As a basic and indispensable tool to manage cable mess, cable tie or tie-wrap has been widely adopted in data centers. It is a type of fastener, for holding items together, primarily patch cables or copper wires. With low cost and ease of use, cable tie is ubiquitous in a wide range of applications. Many people may think this kind of tool is so simple that they won’t worry whether they choose a right one or not. However, people who have this opinion are definitely wrong. As a matter of fact, there are various types of cable ties according to their color, length, width, serrations and each of them is designed for different applications. To choose the suitable cable tie for your cabling system, this post will provide some suggestions.
Cable tie is a necessity for supporting and holding cables, wires, and other objects in place. The importance of using cable ties comes in two aspects. One is that cable ties can offer great protection for the cables and wires that are tied with them. The other is that they will be highly helpful in keeping the wiring section in a pretty organized manner and thereby, will be useful to save more space. You would be aware of the fact that the demand for these tools has greatly increased today. The following picture shows that plenty of cable ties are used to manage cables.
When choosing cable ties, you should take the following factors into consideration:
When selecting a cable tie for your project, the most important factor to consider is the materials used. Cable ties are available with a wide range of materials, and each with its own characteristic is applied in a specific situation. Nylon is a popular and less expensive material for normal environments and everyday use. A material like stainless steel can remain incredibly sturdy in the face of extreme temperatures, but it may not be the right choice in chemical or radiation-filled environments, which may require Halar or Tefzel materials to withstand a variety of environmental hazards.
After choosing the certain material according to your demand, you should consider which construction of cable tie you need. Generally, cable tie comes in one-piece and two-piece construction. Cable tie with one-piece construction is exactly as it sounds: each tie, including its locking mechanism, is a single unit, molded of one material. Two-piece cable tie has the smooth stainless-steel locking mechanism that is incorporated into the head of each tie, allowing it to be smoothly adjusted for exactly the right fit around a bundle of cables, with fewer risks of over-tightening. One-piece cable tie is typically lower in cost and it is good for applications around the home or office, while two-piece cable tie has higher performance and is more resistant to brittleness and breakage in harsh environments, particularly appropriate for harsh conditions.
Cable ties are available in lengths ranging from few inches to many feet. Be sure to measure the diameter of the cable bundle you’ll be trying. Since cable ties get trimmed after installation, it’s not a big deal if you buy them a little on the long side. Just do not find out at the last minute that the cable tie you are using is too short to do the job.
In general, cable ties are commonly used in the color of white or black. The white cable ties are normally used indoors, while the black cable ties, which are weather resistant due to the UV stabilized nylon 6/6 material, are used in continuous or extended exposure to outdoor sunlight. Besides, there are also many colorful cable ties that are popular with users. The different color-coded cable ties can be used to mark different cables bunch, making the cable management easier. Here shows cable ties with different colors.
You should think of the strength of the tie that you will need, when selecting the suitable one. The way we measure cable tie strength is by obtaining its tensile strength. Tensile strength is measured by Newton or pounds and is basically the breaking point of a cable tie. The higher the tensile strength, the stronger the tie. For example, if a cable tie has 250lbs in tensile strength, it would take over 250lbs of pressure in order to break the latching mechanism on the tie.
Cable tie is not as simple as you think. Choosing a cable tie randomly will cause mistakes in your cabling system. Through the suggestions provided above, you should consider many factors, such as material, color, construction, and so on, when selecting a cable tie. By the way, you should remember that whenever choosing components to be utilized in your project, do think twice.
Write a comment