About Plastic Strapping.

Plastic strapping is a generic term used to describe all non metal straps and includes extruded polypropylene & polyester, together with corded or woven polyester straps. More than 75% of all plastic strapping applications are catered for with polypropylene strap, approximately 15% by polyester strap and the remainder with corded or woven straps. 

Click this link - plastic strapping types - to enable accurate identification.

The extruded plastic strapping is available in different grades/sizes/break strengths and elongation characteristics – for hand tool use – for use with semi automatic machines – and automatic/automated strapping machines.

For handtool use the plastic strapping is usually presented on spoked plastic reels. For semi and automatic machine use the plastic strapping is wound on cardboard cores having a 200mm ID x 195mm width… and very occasionally 280MM ID x 195mm width. For large automatic/ automated pallet strapping machines strapping  wound on 406MM ID x 150mm cores is the preferred option.

 

Plastic Strapping




Choice of strapping materials (a simple overview) to use depends on the application i.e type of product, method of handling, tendency for pack to move off the pallet or settle.

For example polypropylene strapping

Polypropylene Strapping

is used for all types of bundle/box that can be easily lifted manually – for pallet strapping applications involving boxes of product, where the poduct is inherently stable i.e can be moved carefully by FLT without dropping off, but requires stabilisation for safe handling and transportation to prevent dynamic loading causing sideways shift of the load off the pallet.

Polyester strapping

Polyester Strapping

...with its improved load holding/ minimum tension relaxation properties is frequently used for solid/heavy items that have ‘no give’ e.g. concrete slabs, bricks and other building products, metal ingots and other products where a unit load might comprise many small components that have to be secured short/long term, when stored inside or out and subject to UV and changes in ambient temperatures.

Corded and woven polyester strapping

Cordstrap

is generally joined by means of a buckle and tension applied with a simple tensioner. The range of break strengths available with this type of strapping is equal to and far exceeds those available with extruded polypropylene and polyester strapping, making these types of strappingl particularly suitable for use in particularly heavy or awkward applications. The strapping can easily be retightened should the pack move or settle, by means of a simple tensioner.

 

Plastic Strapping Safety Issues:

Note that the quoted strength of plastic strapping is that applicable only whilst the strap is still on the coil or reels and that the moment it is applied tensioned and sealed around a palletised load it can be severely de-rated, vaying with the method used to join the straps, as the plastic strapping loop will only be as strong as the weakest link i.e. the joint made. Methods of joining strap include plastic buckes, metal buckles, standard clips, heavy duty clips. serrated clips, heat and friction welded joints. The stropngest methods of joining plastic straps are metal buckles, heat seals and friction welds, all of which are approx 75 -80% efficient, expressed as a percentage of the quoted break strengths for a strapping material. eg a strap with a quoted break strength of 300 kgs will fail at approx 240 kgs. The same strap however when joined with a plastic buckle or standard metal clip will fail within the range 60 - 100 kgs. underlining the fact that too be sure that your strapping system is fit for purpose advice should be sought from a specialist strapping company.

Printed Strapping

Polypropylene and Polyester straps are available printed with your company name, logo, sales message etc

Printed plastic strapping

Click here to learn more about Plastic Strapping

 

 

 

 

Contact information.

RETURN TO HOME PAGE