Far too often, straps and strapping tools are used out of habit when securing loads without considering if they are the right tools for the job. At best, not choosing the right strapping material for the job can lead to an increase in shipment cost, and at worst, the wrong strapping material can lead to dangerous load failures. While choosing the right strapping products for the job can be difficult, Strapping-Products.com is here to make selecting the right strapping materials as easy as possible. We’ll take a look at different strapping products and the ideal loads they are right for.
Evaluating Shipping Loads Before Choosing a Strapping Material
Before you choose the right strapping materials for the job, you’ll want to evaluate your shipment load. Factors to consider in a shipment load include:
- Weight of the load
- Size of the load
- Fragility of the load
- Comprehension tolerance of the load
By keeping these five points in mind when securing a load, you’ll be on the right path to selecting a strapping material that is both safe and affordable for your shipment.
Properties of Different Strapping Products
While there are several different types of strapping products, the most common ones you’ll likely be working with are steel, polyester, and composite strapping. We’ll break down each of these strapping materials to see their individual strengths and weaknesses for different loads.
When to Use Steel Strapping Materials
Steel straps are an excellent choice for heavy loads due to their high tensile strength and minimal stretch. Steel straps, however, come with their downsides, including a higher price point, the risk of damage to more fragile shipments, and sharper edges of cut straps that can increase the risk of worker injury. We recommend going with steel strapping products if you are working with heavy loads that are unlikely to be damaged by straps under tension.
When to Use Polyester Strapping Materials
Polyester straps are an excellent choice for securing medium to smaller loads as they maintain high strength with elastic recovery for long shipments. Besides maintaining tension during shipment, polyester strapping products are also corrosion-resistant, making them an excellent option for wet conditions. Limitations of polyester straps include their limited resistance to heat and not being ideal for larger shipments of heavier loads.
When to Use Composite Strapping Materials
Composite strapping is perhaps the best strapping material for irregularly sized loads. Composite strapping is often referred to as synthetic steel, as it is incredibly strong, and unlike steel straps, it comes with less risk of injury to your workers from sharp edges. We recommend composite strapping if you are looking for a very flexible material that can be used for a variety of shipments. Composite strapping, however, does require the use of edge protectors and comes with a higher price tag than other strapping materials.
Final Factors to Consider When Choosing Strapping Products
At the end of the day, having the right strapping material for the job saves you money, reduces damaged shipments, and reduces packaging waste. Match your load size and weight to the right strapping material, and you can have secure, predictable, reliable, and repeatable shipping practices for your business. Strapping-Products.com is here to help you get the right straps and strapping materials you need for your shipments.
Find the Widest Selection of Straps and Strapping Products at Strapping-Products.com
If you’re looking to get the best prices on the straps and strapping materials you need for your business, Strapping-Products.com is here to help. Our team is proud to offer our customers the tools and supplies they need at prices they can afford. Give our team a call today at 888-803-8140 and ask about our great deals on bulk orders!
