Image Credit: Global Industrial

Banding and strapping are used to secure items for shipping or storage.

Types of Banding and Strapping

There are many different types of products.

• Polypropylene banding and strapping is suitable for securing lightweight bundles, boxes, cases, parcels and palletized loads. Often, polypropylene strap and polypropylene band is secured with hand tools such as tensioners, sealers, or friction welders.
• Steel banding and strapping is designed for heavier, palletized loads; plywood cases and wooden crates; and sharp-edged objects.
• Stainless steel banding and strapping is made of metals from the Type 200 - Type 300 range. Other types of steel banding and steel strapping are painted and waxed, or available with a solvent-based zinc epoxy that provides greater corrosion protection than water-based paints.
• Polyester banding and strapping (PET strap) is comparable to some types of steel strap in terms of break strength, but is less expensive and resistant to rust.

Specifications

Specifications for plastic banding and plastic strapping include:

• Width
• Thickness
• Coil diameter
• Core size
• Footage per hundred weight
• Total length per coil
• Inner diameter (ID)
• Outer diameter (OD)
• Face size
• Color

Metal strapping and metal banding carries these same specifications, along with additional parameters such as type (grade) and tensile strength.

Applications

Banding and strapping are used in a variety of applications.

• Hand-grade polypropylene strapping and banding is used in carton closure, bundling, and reinforcement applications.
• Machine-grade polypropylene is produced in a variety of core sizes to fit most automatic strapping machines.
• Steel strapping and banding is more expensive than polyester, but provides outstanding strength.
• Stainless steel strapping and stainless steel banding is used in combination with stainless steel clips, but buckles may be used for light to medium-duty applications.
• Polyester strapping and polyester banding provides excellent retained tension, superior recovery properties, and compliance with requirements for bundling construction materials such as brick and lumber. Because of its resistance to ultraviolet (UV) light and weather, PET strap is also suitable for outdoor use in both hot and cold climates. 

Standards

Metal banding and metal strapping may receive approvals from the American Association of Railroads (AAR) and the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM).

A-A-131 - RUBBER BANDS

A-A-2027 - STRAPPING, NONMETALLIC (NYLON, FLAT AND CONNECTORS

A-A-2111 - SEALS, STRAPPING (HEAVY DUTY, STEEL, FLAT)

A-A-687 - STRAPPING,NONMETALIC (AND CONNECTORS)