Definition of Terms related to Banding Tools
TENSIONER DEFINITIONS:
TENSIONER: Tool used to pull your banding tight around your package/skid/shipment. 1/3 tools used in a normal setup.
---FEEDWHEEL TENSIONER: Tool used to pull your banding tight using a knurled wheel that rotates and pulls tension. These tools have unlimited take-up but can easily be damaged if pulled too tight. These tools are good for regular duty to heavy duty, flat surface applications.
---WINDLESS TENSIONER: Tool used to pull banding tight using a slotted barrel that pulls and "winds" the banding around it. This style of tensioner allows for the greatest amount of tension in all banding tools. These tools are good for heavy duty, flat surface, high tension applications.
---RACK AND PINION TENSIONER: Tool used to pull banding tight using a gripping dog to hold the banding while a rack moves back and forth to achieve tension. These tools always have limited take-up when banding. These tools are generally good for small surface, round, or bundle type of packages.
SEALER DEFINITIONS:
SEALER: Tool used to close seal on the banding material. This tool is used to insure the banding stays in place after the tensioner has been removed. 1/3 tools used in a normal setup.
NOTCH JOING: Sealer puts 2 or 4 cuts in
---SINGLE NOTCH SEALER: Tool used to close seals on the banding material. This type of sealer uses only 1 set of notchers to put 2 small cuts into either side of the seal to close the seal and banding together. Generally speaking, this will make your joint effiency lower.
---DOUBLE NOTCH SEALER: Tool used to close seals on the banding material. This type of sealer uses 2 sets of notchers to put 4 small cuts into either side of the seal to close the seal and banding together. Necessary in most heavy duty applications. Generally speaking, this will make your joint effiency higher.
CRIMPER: Tool used to close seal on the banding material. This tool is used to insure the banding stays in place after the tensioner has been removed. This type of sealer presses or "crimps" undelations into the seal and banding. 1/3 tools used in a normal setup. This tool is best for high impact or shifting loads.
Combination-The bander tensions,seals, & cuts the banding with the same tool.
Double Notch-When there are two notches on each side of a seal. (four notch cuts total)
Feedwheel-Knurled wheel that rotates to pull the banding tight.
Friction Weld-This is when slight pressure is applied to the two pieces of poly banding that is to be sealed, and it is then moved across one another creating heat that bonds the two pieces together.
FRL- Filter-Regulator-Lubricator cleans,regulates, and provides oil to the air supplied to your pneumatic bander.
Gripper-Serrated plate that holds the lower band while tightening the band.
Joint-The point where the steel or poly banding is connected together to retain tension. This can be achieved with a metal seal or it can be "sealless". This is the weakest part of the band applied to your load. This is where the banding should always fail if using a quality band. Lower quality straps may fail elsewhere. This is the weakest part of the band applied to your load. There are many ways to achieve a higher joint strength as well as many to weaken this point. This is determined by many factors like banding tool used, condition of your bander, banding, and seals. The joint efficiency of poly banding or steel banding is determined by the joint.
Joint Efficiency- This is the measurement that is calculated to determine what the actual strength of a strap is and at what point the band will fail. One common misconception is that bigger must be better. Bigger is only better if the banding tool is manufactured for a bigger strap. The joint efficiency can drop significantly if the strapping used is out of range for the capability of your banding tools. Consult your owners manual or contact us to help determine what the proper range of your banders capability.
IE: A common double notch sealer and regular open seal are used for the following example. (Rated up to .023)
3/4" x.020HT steel banding Break strength 2100lbs
3/4" x.029HT steel banding Break strength 3125lbs
The joint efficiency with the .020 is at 72% fails @ 1512lbs
The joint efficiency with the .029 is at 40% fails @ 1250lbs
As you can see using a larger strap does not necessarily increase your strength of band applied to your load. Because the joint efficiency drops, your overall strength has dropped. Banding is sold by the pound and the "bigger" not only yields substantially less footage per pound but has a lower joint efficiency leading to a lower break offers less secured. Bottom line is "bigger" is not always better if your bander is not rated to handle this. Consult your manual or contact us if there are any questions about your banding tools capability.
PET-Polyester banding offers the greatest strength of "plastic banding". PET is much more rigid than PP and retains tensions for longer periods of time. This plastic band is generally green in color, but can be black as well. This banding can be sealed with metal clips (seals) or can be used with a friction weld bander. In order to achieve the full benefit of using polyester strap, you must use a banding tool that is capable of elongating or stretching this banding. This type of banding is much more durable than a polypropylene strap.
PP-Polypropylene strapping is the most commonly used banding and is usually the least expensive. This banding is not a strong as PET and does not retain the tension that polyester banding does. It is the most common strap used in automatic and tabletop banding machines. This banding comes in several colors but most common is black or white. This band can be sealed with buckles, seals (metal clips), friction, or heat.
Pneumatic-Requires the use of compressed air. Most banders operate @ 90psi. Consult your operators manual of your bander for this information.
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Sealless- Does not require the use of a metal clip to join the tensioned band together. Can be steel or poly banding.
Steel banders use a punch and die to interlock the banding (commonly referred to as "clipless"). Battery operated poly banders use movement and pressure to create a "friction weld". Banding machines generally use heat to seal the banding.
Single Notch- When there is only one notch on each side of the seal.(two cuts total)
Serrated- This is when the seal has rows of teeth and the seal is "roughed up" to grip the banding. This type of seal is used for polypropylene banding. Some manufacturers us a "sandpaper" or "grit" seal that serves the same purpose.
Seal- Sometimes referred to as a "clip". This is a metal fastener used to close or secure the banding. Seals are used for both poly and steel banding.
Sealer-A tool used to join the banding together using a metal seal.
Superior-The level of service that we offer all of our customers.
Tensioner-Banding tool that is used only to tension the steel or poly banding. Another tool would be required if not using a buckle.
Windless-Uses a barrel instead of a feedwheel to achieve tension by "wind" the banding up on a metal barrel. This allows for much greater tension. Steel banding and poly banding tools are available with this type of tensioning.