What are nylon cable ties?
A nylon cable tie is a long thin strip of nylon that is used to hold items, usually cables, together in bundles. Cable ties were originally invented by Maurus C Logan after a visit to an aircraft facility in the 1950s. He witnessed the devastating effects that securing the aircraft cabling and wiring had on workers' hands, and decided to create something to make their lives easier. It took him 2 years to finalise the design, which was patented in 1958. Cable ties are also known as zip ties, hose ties or Ty-Rap (a brand name).
How do nylon cable ties work?
One end of a cable tie is pointed and features serrations or ridges (a gear rack). The opposite end of the tie has a ratchet within a square hole. When the pointed end is passed through the square head and past the ratchet, it cannot be pulled back, resulting in a loop which can be tightened and which self-locks.
What are nylon cable ties made from?
Nylon cable ties are made from a group of plastics known as polyamides and are usually either nylon 6 or nylon 6/6. These figures refer to the chemical structure of the particular nylon used and while each type shares some qualities,
