STRAPPING

Get the best out of strapping.

What it can and what it can´t

Typical equipment for strapping:

HAND TOOLS STEP H-46 KRONOS TENSIONER & SEALER BATTERY DRIVEN STEP H-45L HELIOS BATTERY OPERATED HAND STRAPPING TOOL	Semi Automatic STEP TP-202CE1 SEMI AUTO STRAPPING MACHINE	Automatic STEP TP-6000CE1 STRAPPING MACHINE WITH ARCH 850X600-12MM	Full Automatic STEP TP-601A FULLY AUTOMATIC STRAPPING MACHINE - ROLLER DRIVEN TABLE

Process: With strapping, you place a strap around your product. This strap is welded, sealed with a seal, with geometry lock, so it will hold around the product. With strapping, you can have hand tools/ manual, semi-automatic, automatic and fully automatic equipment. Before strapping you have to position your product, either in strapping one unit or several items, the final position must be present before you perform the strapping and this position must be geometrical stable. (See article about geometrical stability in packaging) In order to perform a correct strapping, the product must have enough flat surface towards the strapping machine area, that secures that the strap can be tightened and released and still be tight after released by the spacer. You can strap both hard and soft products, but with limitations towards both types of products. The general limitation is the touching surface length that has to be larger than 100mm and flat.

Equipment used for different levels of strapping:

• Hand Tools:
  
  General: Battery powered strapping tool. With flexible settings, wide tension range, and the ability to accommodate both PP and PET strapping.

√ STEP Kronos H-46A is suitable for Light & Universal application while STEP Kronos H-46B is suitable for Heavy industry application both products are handy to use in iron, textile, foodstuff, merchandise and other related products for strapping.

√ The STEP H-45L Battery Operated Hand Strapping Tool is part of the STEP H Series of Manual Hand Strapping Tools. It is independent of wired power supply which enables it to be ultra-portable. With friction weld sealing technology, it is also independent of using third party seals.

• Semi-automatic:
  
  General: Ring strapping is possible. There are no upper limits to package size, except for what can be handled on the table top.

√ STEP TP-202CE1 is a semi-automatic PP strapping machine made suitable for low to medium volume strapping requirements of various industries. Compatible for PP straps measuring 6 mm up until 15.5mm in width, ensuring a protection of goods integrity.

√ STEP TP 502 MV or Mini Vertical. a Semi-Automatic Pallet Strapping Machine, suitable for corrugated card boards, concrete blocks and loaded pallet with cardboard boxes holding any type of products. Provides ergonomic and cost – effective solution for low volume vertical pallet strapping applications.

• Automatic:
  
  General: Ring strapping is not possible, but Sal-Tech Easy Packaging has possible solutions making arches that can open and close around the product so it can be done. Package size is limited to arch size and the products diagonal length if this is to be turned inside the arch.

√ Automatic arch machine TP-601D that feeds the strap around in the arch and retract it on starting the process, makes the tension and welds the strap. The strap will either be heat, friction and ultrasonic welded. The product must be positioned manually.

• Fully Automatic:
  
  General: Ring strapping is not possible, but Sal-Tech Easy Packaging has possible solutions making arches that can open and close around the product so it can be done. Package size is limited to arch size and the products diagonal length if this is to be turned inside the arch.

√ Automatic arch machine TP-601A that feeds the strap around in the arch and retracts it on starting the process, makes the tension and welds the strap. The strap will either be heat, friction and ultrasonic welded. Positioning the product is done fully automatic with roller conveyor TP-601A or belt conveyors TP-601B, corner pushers, straight pusher, free fall systems with collections and push out, all systems made in a project by Sal-Tech easy Packaging according to set specification, based on each project's demands.

Project specified and advanced strapping equipment:

STEP TP-702NS FULLY AUTOMATIC PRINT MEDIA STRAPPING MACHINE Graphic industry, printed matters, brochures, newspapers etc.	STEP TP-702CQ CORRUGATED STRAPPING MACHINES WITH 4-SIDES SQUARING FUNCTION Corrugated industry	STEP TP-702NIL FULLY AUTOMATIC STRAPPING MACHINE FOR IN-LINE CROSS STRAPPING Graphic Industry, Newspapers, magazines etc.	TP-601B x 2 stk. Corner pusher strapping project solution Distribution hardware, boxes etc.

You can also find a combined system with a focus on ergonomic issues and time-saving.
STEP ERGO STRAP TABLE WITH BUILT-IN SCALE & ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT

STEP/E3 Hallbrook Ergo Strap Table is an ergonomic design used when weighing and strapping boxes and other products requiring being strapped. It is innovatively engineered to provide comfort for its operator with an adjustable table height and a built-in scale to deliver a more efficient process as to the weighing and packing procedure.

Strap Types:

• Plastic strap

√ PP strap – Polypropylen

√ PET strap – Polyester

√ PA strap – Polyamid

• Steel strap

√ Blank steel strap

√ Blue steel strap

√ Balck painted steel strap

√ Stainless steel strap

• Woven strap

√  WG strap – Wowen basic string hotmelt glued Polyester

√ EG strap – Wowen basic string holmelt glued polypropylen

√ Wowen strap – Polyester or Polypropylen

Delivery forms:

• In ordering, it is important to know how the strap is fitted with your equipment. Typically strap is delivered on inside core diameter Ø60, Ø76, Ø150, Ø200, Ø230, Ø280 or Ø406 and again these in some standard width of 110, 150, 190mm. The number of meters per coil, ending method, geometrical lock or tape, an option of reflector you need to know and decide on ordering. 

• Steel strap is delivered in single coils and multiple oscillating coils. 

• Strap width that is in production goes from 4 mm to 38 mm and wider if woven types. 

Special applications – The normal and the odd: 

• PET the stiff strap that often is used to substitute steel strap because it is easy to push through openings and has high tensile strength. 

• PA strap that is hydroscopic making it able to work with the product it is holding, wet timber expand and subtract in being wet or dry. 

• WG strap has high tensile strength and is very flexible around corners and can work with the product. 

• PP strap is good for single standing machines in your production space in direct contact with the operator, easy applications and cheap. 

• Stainless steel strap when the application needs it. 

Environmental conditions:

• PP material has components are of special interest as they often are heat welded:

Toxic and chemical reactions: 

• Polypropylene and Polyester are chemically and biologically inactive. Polypropylene and Polyester can be used in contact with foodstuff. 

Physical contact:

• No risk, except mechanical. 

Welding of PP material: 

• It is recommended to keep the working area well ventilated at all times. In welding with temperatures below 150°, smoke and damp will be minimal and harmless. 

• It cannot be recommended to heat weld PET – Polyester without having direct ventilation and it will be best suited for use where the operator is not close by. 

• Both PP and PET can be friction and ultrasonically welded, without the need to have ventilation. The welding fumes are kept within the welding zone. 

The risk of fire: 

• When polypropylene is heated in the air the material will melt at approx. 165 - 170° and decompose will start at 300° giving low molecule hydrocarbons. It will self-ignite at 380°. 

Burning:

• Controlled burning is recommended. If ignited, the material will continue to burn, even if the ignition source is removed. Decomposition products from burning are H20 and CO2. If burned with low presence of oxygen, then it will produce a mono oxide, that is toxic. 

Reuse: 

• According to German law, PP material for packaging must be black. We recommend this color is used. 

• For PET strap the color is green. PET material is very easy to reuse. 

Related areas: 

• Banding with tape, using paper or film, which is welded. 

• String tying that uses plastic, rubber, viscose to tie and hold the product. 

Written by:

Gunnar Salbæk

CEO/Industrial Design with 30 years of experience in the field.