Industrial strapping reduces damage, loss, and cost. Steel, polyester, nylon, polyethylene, and more - strapping secures containers big and small for storage and shipping. It protects inventory, strengthens stacks, and opens space. In doing so, strapping protects worker and container during shelving, loading, and transport.

Strapping

What's in a strap?

Industrial strapping comes in a variety of materials, sizes, and uses. Each group has advantages and disadvantages for specific applications. So, the typical industrial environment will have a number of strapping options because this is not a one type fits all situation.

Steel works best to bundle and unitize heavy materials and loads. (See Signode and Cornerstone for width, break strength, weight, and price/pound.)

  • Regular Duty Steel strapping is a low carbon steel for reinforcing packages, unitizing medium heavy product, and stacking product firmly.
  • High Tensile Steel strapping is a heat-treated high carbon steel with high strength and shock resistant elongation. High tensile steel is the workhorse for tying down steel coils, lumber loads, and open trailer loading.
  • Stainless Steel strapping adds the advantage of corrosion and rust resistance in outdoor storage or permanent/semi-permanent applications like outdoor signage, duct work, and hose clamps.
  • Punched Steel strapping comes in a number of widths and punch hole configurations. The punched holes facilitate strapping and anchoring in construction, insulation, and concrete bracing.
  • Zinc-coated strapping maximizes resistance to rust in all environments where climate is an issue.

Synthetic products reduce costs compared to steel strapping, suit more purposes, and provide recyclable remains.

  • Polyester strapping accepts high initial tension and retains its value longer than other plastics. It easily replaces steel products - at considerable cost savings - where "heavy duty" is no longer the issue.
  • Nylon strapping beats other materials with its high-tension recovery rate and versatility. It suits cold rooms, food processing, and paper and lumber processing.
  • Polypropylene strapping comes in as the cheapest option and certainly fulfills its promise of strength and durability for light loads, package reinforcement, or container closure.
  • Bailing Wire remains a traditional need in agricultural projects. Annealed or galvanized, bailing wire is easily fed, bent, and hand managed.

What's in an application?

Different strapping materials and different uses call for different application methodologies. Scissors or a sharp blade might be enough to cut or trim a cord, but these materials require equipment that will facilitate the application, minimize labor and risk, and reduce waste. In short, the various types of strapping work best and most efficiently when applied with specific tools.

Steel, for example, can be tough on the hands and stressful on the muscles. Poly products, on the other hand, need their own kind of cutting, strapping, and sealing tools. This does not require an exhaustive inventory of tools and machines, but everyone benefits from the availability of equipment specific to the strapping material and purpose.

Typically, a strapping process involves several steps:

  1. a dispenser feeds strapping over a surface
  2. a pull creates tension in the strapping
  3. seals and/or buckles secure the tension

In addition, there may be need for accessories that protect container edging, secure the seals, or automate the entire process. Almost all needs for most applications come in kits including tools and supplies. Additional supplies for larger strapping machines operations, including bundlers, tabletops, modular, and automated machines are cataloged and offered with iPack advice.

Checklist of Industrial Strapping Equipment

Power strapping machines ensure uniform strap placement and load integrity for high production applications.  Strap equipment is available in semi-automatic strapping equipment and fully-automatic strapping machines, including tabletop strapping machines and those that involve conveyor strapping.  These pieces of equipment can be integrated into new or existing production lines to both maximize the productivity of your application – including those involving bailing, bundling, carton closing and unitizing.

  • Bundlers bind and seal small packages, newspapers, or magazines
  • Table Tops offer lubricant-free operation, jam-resistant technology, automatic cut-off and re-feed options, as well as a fully accessible strap path.
  • Automatic Strap Machines integrate with conveyor belts to provide the fastest and most efficient strapping in the industry.
  • Arch/Chuted Machines serve the spectrum of mailroom and distribution center needs. Once the operator positions a package, a strap wraps the item, stretches the wrap, heat seals the ends, and re-feeds for the next cycle.
  • Strapping Kits contain the cutting, stretching, and sealing tools for most common portable strapping applications.

A variety of tools will load seals, tie straps, tension the tie, and seal and cut the wrap. These combination tools serve a number of strapping materials, widths, and feeds.

Checklist all adds up

Strapping needs and their solutions are each unique. Savings come with high speed, maximum efficiency, and low maintenance. Additional savings come from finding the machine, strapping material, and support tools best matched with the specific application.

That's where iPack excels - specifying the customer need and engineering the solution.

The IPS packaging experience knows how to match quality, service, and inventory with client handling and shipping problems to lower their operation costs, increase their productivity, and affect their return on investment.