Metal cable ties are designed for use in areas where high holding force and resistance to adverse environmental conditions such as radiation, high temperature, aggressive chemicals or flame is required. The steel ties are extremely strong and ideal for use in harsh environments. They are used in the chemical, shipbuilding and mining industries, in public transport, in radio engineering or in machine building.
Our offer includes ties made from stainless steel (SS304) and the more protective, acid resistant stainless steel (SS316), so every customer will find a product suited to their individual needs. Due to the construction of the locking mechanism we can distinguish three types of metal cable ties.
Metal cable ties with ball-locks
Metal cable ties with ball-locks are distinguished by a special locking system, which allows the tie to be locked at any place along its entire length. The ball lock works by sliding a steel ball through a diagonal channel, which is taller on one side and shorter on the other. By inserting the steel band into the head of the cable tie, the ball in the lock is moved to the taller part of the channel which allows the strap to move freely. Any attempt to withdraw the strap will cause the ball to move to the lower part of the channel, which will result in the ball getting stuck and blocking the movement. Due to the speed and simplicity of installation, cable ties with ball locks are now the most commonly used metal ties. However, they do have two disadvantages, the first being the distance the ball must travel between the high point where the cable tie strap is free to move and the point where the ball wedges itself in when the strap is retracted. As a result, steel cable ties with a ball lock cannot be installed on inelastic materials as they cannot be tightly fastened. A second disadvantage of metal cable ties with ball locks is their lack of vibration resistance. During vibration, the ball can move towards the higher part of the lock, leading to a loosening of the tie. These ties are made from type 304 steel or, for chemically aggressive environments, from type 316. For highly chemically aggressive environments, it is possible to order steel ties made from acid resistant steel 316, additionally coated with plastic. The steel ties with ball lock are the ideal solution in areas where high resistance to aggressive chemicals, temperature, fire and tear is required. The exceptional heat and flame resistance of the metal ties is used to fix electrical installations in areas of escape routes in public buildings, making sure cables remain securely held in place and will not fall to block emergency exits during a fire.
HellermannTyton’s stainless steel cable tie made from stainless steel 316 is ideal for use in the mass transit, ship building, mining, exhibition and refinery industries.
Made from stainless steel 304, this cable tie has a special locking mechanism that prevents it from opening. Provides an extremely durable and robust fixing.
Metal cable ties with fold locking
Cable ties with fold locking have a very simple design. They are usually stamped as one piece of sheet steel, so that on one side of the tie there is a lock equipped with a bridge and additional “whiskers” on the sides of the strap just before the bridge. Installation consists of passing the steel band under the bridge of the lock and a 180 degree bend of the tie. The side whiskers prevent the accidental bending of the steel band and unravelling of the cable tie. The lock is designed in such a way that after closing, it can be unfastened and reused. The main advantage of metal ties with a fold locking, apart from the possibility to undo and reseal them, is also possibility to install them on inelastic structures, e.g. metal, as well as their resistance to vibration. Therefore, they are very often used in road and railway infrastructure applications (e.g. for the installation of signs or traffic lights on metal or reinforced concrete poles), but also in other applications where very high tensile strength and chemical and fire resistance are required, but steel ball clamps cannot be used. In addition to road and rail infrastructure, the main fields of application are rail transport, shipbuilding, chemical, petrochemical and mining industries.
HellermannTyton’s releasable steel cable tie with a special polyester coating, which prevents corrosion between dissimilar materials. It provides an exceptionally strong and durable fixing.
Cable tie made from SS316 (1.4401) steel, 16mm wide. Suitable for heavy-duty applications. AMT metal ties are available in different lengths from 500mm to 1500mm, in a light-duty version, which is 0.4mm thick, and a heavy-duty version, 0.75mm thick, with higher tensile strength. A double wrap version, which steel strap is threaded through the lock twice before it is bent, is also available. This gives a loop with twice the strength of a standard tie.
Metal cable ties with a raster locking
Metal MAT type cable ties have a very interesting design, due to the special raster locking system, they work in a similar way to classic plastic ties. Since the steel from which the metal ties are made is much thinner than the band of nylon cable ties, it is not possible to make serrations on it as in the case of plastic ties. This is why the band is specially perforated, creating a so-called ladder. The locking latch of the metal cable tie jumps over this ladder, blocking the strap when it falls into a particular slot in the ladder. This design, similar to the ball locking steel ties, allows for a quick and easy installation and at the same time allows for use even on inflexible materials. Unfortunately the perforation of the strap of the steel tie will reduce its tensile strength. The metal ties with a raster locking are made from stainless steel 316 and are used in industries such as railways, shipbuilding, chemicals, petrochemical and mining. They are also ideal for securing equipment in theatres and exhibition halls. The use of these ties increases safety in the event of a fire, as the cables are permanently secured, so the emergency exits are not blocked.
Stainless steel ladderstyle cable tie from HellermannTyton’s MAT series of ties, it is made from high quality type 316 stainless steel. Works like a ratchet system. For a secure and durable fixing of cables, it is resistant to chemicals and fire.
Protective channels for steel cable ties
In our shop we also offer protective channels designed to work with steel cable ties. These products protect the insulation of cables and wires from mechanical damage such as cuts caused by the metal cable ties, or abrasion caused by vibrations. They protect the cables from the inside of the tie as well as its edges. The flexible protective channel also provides additional resilience, making it possible to install the ties with a ball lock on inelastic parts. The channels are typically used in demanding environments such as ships, oil rigs and nuclear power stations.
HellermannTyton’s LFPC protective channel for use with the HellermannTyton’s MBT series stainless steel ties of a width of 7.9mm. Made from halogen free polyolefin, it is extremely flexible. Effectively protects and secures the cables, wires and pipes being fixed.
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