What are cable ties used for?
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.
How do nylon cable ties work?
One end of a cable tie is pointed and features serrations or ridges (a gear rack). The opposite end of the tie has a ratchet within a square hole. When the pointed end is passed through the square head and past the ratchet, it cannot be pulled back, resulting in a loop which can be tightened and which self-locks.
What are nylon cable ties made from?
In manufacturing and engineering, nylon is used to make a wide range of items, from rivets to cable ties, and is generally available as, amongst other options, nylon 6 and nylon 6/6. At cableties-online, all of our non-stainless steel cable ties are manufactured using nylon 6/6.
Nylon is the generic name given to a large group of plastics, or synthetic polymers, called polyamides. The numbers 6/6 and 6 refer to the nylon's individual chemical structure, in particular the number of polymer chains their structure contains. Nylon 6 comes from one monomer (a molecule that can be bonded to other identical molecules to form a polymer - Oxford Languages), which has 6 carbon atoms. By comparison, nylon 6/6 is derived from two monomers, each with 6 carbon atoms and is consequently more durable and stiffer.
What are nylon cable ties used for?
Still predominantly used to bundle wiring and cables together, cable ties today play a part in industrial, commercial and domestic applications. In the aircraft and automotive industries, cable ties enable efficient cable management and the range of sizes available allows them to be used for everything from large, heavy hoses to delicate wiring in confined spaces. Their chemical and heat resistant properties also makes them ideal in environments where oil and petrol are to be found. In food production and the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry, variations of the standard nylon 6/6 cable tie are used. Closer to home, cable ties are indispensable for keeping unruly and unsightly cables at bay in the home office or behind the entertainment station. However, they can also be used in the garden and elsewhere around the house and some people have been known to create works of art out of them!