As previously noted, another term for cable ties is a zip tie. Usually outside of professional or industrial engagements, the word “zip tie” is used in more informal chats. Given that they are two names for the same product with a shared history, a zip tie and a cable tie serve the same purpose.
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Zip ties are more likely to be mentioned and utilized by artists, crafters working on “Do-it-yourself” projects, and home repair professionals who will use them to attach computer wires, bike components, or creative organizer creations. The word “zip tie” is more frequently used in consumer-focused transactions than in corporate or industrial settings since these zip tie consumers typically buy cable ties in smaller quantities.
Nonetheless, since zip ties are simply another name for cable ties, you may use either phrase interchangeably in any context or dialogue.
What Are Zip Ties Used For?
For good reason, cables ties, sometimes referred to as zip ties, have become indispensable for a wide range of people and businesses. Zip ties are inexpensive, practical, and available in a range of sizes and forms to suit your particular requirements. However, given how creatively they are still being utilized, one must wonder: what was the original purpose of Zip ties? In the post that follows, we address that query, go over cable tie classes, and go over even more cable tie fundamentals!
Who Owns the Zip Ties Patent?
Zip ties are now considered a standard component of equipment. However, Marcus C. Logan first created zip ties in 1958; they were known as Ty-Rap cable ties at the time and were patented. It was naturally difficult to evaluate his net worth as the creator of the cable tie. But according to some reports, since its creation, more than 28 billion zip ties have been made. All speculation notwithstanding, Logan’s initial cable tie design was intentionally apparent.
Two years before his invention, in 1956, Logan saw while on a tour of a Boeing airplane facility that thousands of feet of electric cable needed to be manually and laboriously knotted together by personnel. This was not just a laborious procedure, but workers’ hands and fingers were regularly sliced by the waxed nylon strands, raising major safety issues. With the knowledge that there had to be a more effective way, Logan set out to create what would eventually become the standard cable tie.
What Is the Current Use of Zip Ties?
These days, cable ties are used for almost as many things as there are types of ties. Granted, it was a little dramatic, but the true extent of what you can do with cable ties is just your creativity. Zip ties are utilized in a variety of sectors, including the following, despite their initial purpose of helping to secure cables and wires:
Farming
Expert athletics
Building
Amusement
Space travel—yes, read this story on NASA’s usage of zip ties on Mars—
Outside of the workplace, zip ties are also employed in more inventive ways such as:
like a key chain
Like a lock
In place of a zipper pull
For food packets to be sealed
To make cabinets childproof
To suspend lights outside
What Kinds of Zip Ties Are There?
Depending on how you classify them, there are several kinds of cable ties. They are generally arranged according to the following standards:
Measurement
The length of a cable tie begins at around 4 inches. A few of the lengthier cable tie options have a length of around 5 feet. Naturally, cable ties are available at nearly any intermediate length. Additionally, if you want to make the precise length you need, you may always link two or more cable ties together. Visit our cable tie page to find out more about all the common lengths of cable ties.
Length
Talking about cable ties in millimeters makes more sense because they are often less than an inch broad. Thicker cable ties start at 8.5 and 9 mm in width, whereas thinner ties start at 2.5 and 3.6 mm. In general, the broader of two cable ties made of the same material will be stronger.
Power
Tensile strength, or the maximum weight a cable tie can support before breaking, is the term used to describe strength for the majority of cable ties. The spot where a cable tie joins is where it is weakest and most likely to break. The tie might come undone if there is too much weight on the ends, pulling them apart. Conversely, if there is an excessive amount of weight, the tie’s body may occasionally split.
Material
Cable ties are available in various materials to suit your individual requirements. The following materials are most frequently used to make cable ties:
Aluminium
Fabric
Nylon
PVC, or polyvinyl chloride
PTFE, or polytetrafluoroethylene