The Panduit team discuss why even cable ties and mounts need to have specific properties for use in hygiene-sensitive areas
The cost associated with product recalls, and the related manufacturing downtime in cleanroom manufacturing environments is driving increasing investigation into the capabilities of every element of the manufacturing process. Pre-Insulated Ring Terminals
The fact that not all cable ties are the same does not only refer to the quality.
In the food and other hygiene-sensitive areas of industry, the requirements for material, colour, and resistance to microbial contamination increases the closer the component comes to the manufactured product.
This makes off-the-shelf fastening technology a special solution for such industries.
For laboratories, pharmaceutical, medical, and food production, specific antimicrobial and metal-detectable cable ties and fasteners offer a highly effective and cost-efficient solution to the market.
The fastening components can be identified by metal detection devices on production lines
The fastening components are made from a metal-impregnated and/or antimicrobial embedded material and can be identified by metal detection devices on production lines.
Antimicrobial metal-detectable nylon cable ties and mounts are easily identifiable by metal detection equipment and are embedded with an (Environmental Protection Agency) EPA-registered, antimicrobial agent and ionised additive which has been independently laboratory tested to inhibit the growth of various bacteria, moulds and fungi on the surface of the cable tie in accordance with ISO 22196:2019 & ASTM G21-15 standards.
This reduces the formation of harmful germs and odours, improves hygiene and increases safety in critical areas of application.
The cable ties ensure a reliable hold in the operating temperature range between -60°C and 85°C, in accordance with UL746B and are resistant to chemicals and other cleaning agents.
The ties are resistant to chemicals and other cleaning agents
As such the cable ties comply with Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) specifications, which is a systematic preventative approach to food and pharmaceutical safety that addresses hazards as a means of prevention rather than finished product inspection.
They also comply with the North American standard of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the hygiene regulations of the European Union (EU).
There are a range of cable ties sizes produced for these applications and Panduit manufactures the devices at its own production facilities to maintain consistent characteristics and quality across its manufacturing base.
These innovative cable ties offer protection due to their antimicrobial properties to prevent contamination.
The material mix of nylon 6.6 and the integrated metal filaments facilitate machine identification, whilst the bright blue colour allows the components to be quickly identified by sight or photographic/video scanning and removal, to minimise the risk of foreign object contamination.
The cable ties ensure a reliable hold in the operating temperature range between -60°C and 85°C, in accordance with UL746B
This ensures that the cable ties can be quickly detected and if necessary, removed during the production phase, eliminating costly batch waste or product recalls.
Panduit's antimicrobial cable ties offer low thread force for highly efficient fastening of cables and wires effectively, simply, and securely.
At the same time, they inhibit the growth of microorganisms and improve hygiene in environments with a high germ load for greater production safety.
For increased efficiency, the cable ties can be installed using the ergonomic Panduit GT series hand tool, which cuts and retains the cable tie tips ensuring no off cuts contaminate the product environment and provide a flush cut-off.
These tools feature tension measurement for consistent results and increased overall speed of installation and maintenance activity.
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