STAINLESS STEEL CABLE TIE CHARACTERISTICS

Stainless steel cable ties clearly have a greater tensile strength than nylon ties of the same size, making them better suited for securing large loads. They're used in automotive, construction, transportation, petro-chemical processing and off shore rigs as well as agriculture, nuclear energy, aerospace, fire protection and communications. You'll find metal ties used to secure pipes, poles, antenna mounts, cables and more where surviving harsh conditions is needed.

Let's look at a few characteristics of these metal ties.

• Stainless steel, also known as 304 steel, is an alloy that contains about 18 percent chromium. That's the ingredient that gives stainless steel its high resistance to corrosion. With that resistance and the strength of steel, metal cable ties are often preferred for outdoor applications.

• Weathering, UV rays and temperature extremes will compromise nylon ties in time. The chromium content in stainless steel ties actually builds a thin protective layer (of chromium oxide) on the steel that restores itself continually and wards off corrosion.

• Cable management is one of the most common applications for metal ties. Whether the cable bundle is indoors, outdoors or even buried underground, stainless metal ties last.

• Vibration can cause slippage, friction and undue wear between mechanical components. The tensile strength of metal ties (150 pounds or better) can clamp components together tightly enough that vibration between components is minimized or eliminated.

TMA's (tower mounted antennas) used world-wide in the cellular industry are big consumers of metal cable ties. The marine and boating industry as well uses stainless steel ties due to their resistance to corrosion by salt. However when stainless steel is submerged in water, the relative lack of oxygen

prevents the oxidation process – reducing stainless steel's corrosion resistance – and making nylon and other materials more suited for underwater use.

Our metal ties use a self-locking ball bearing head that prevents sand, dust and dirt from interfering with

its operation. Metal ties are available in lengths from five inches to 33 inches and tensile strengths from 150 to 485 pounds. They're rated to operate in temperatures between -112 and 1000 degrees Fahrenheit.

We recommend installing these ties with our MK9SST cable tie gun. If you need further assistance determining your cable tie needs, please don’t hesitate to talk to one of our customer service experts.