To comply with food production quality requirements there are good selection principles for cable tie fasteners and their accessories. The fact that not all cable ties are the same does not only refer to the quality, but also the requirements on material, colour and resistance, which increase the closer the component comes to the ingredients. This makes off-the-shelf fastening technology a special solution for the food industry.
Caption: It’s all in the mix: Metal-detectable cable ties can be easily identified in the manufacturing process.
Cable ties are like an air hook, they bundle, assemble, fasten, and identify in countless indoor and outdoor applications as well as in demanding environments such as the food production. Using cable ties, wiring accessories and installation tools, users benefit from faster and better installation results.
In the food & beverages sector, they must meet very stringent requirements depending on the specific place of use. Panduit offers a comprehensive selection of cable ties in terms of size, material, colour and design. To find the ideal solution, Panduit has developed a 3-step selection system for the optimal customer solution: Cable tie function, material properties and cable tie type or group.
The requirement parameters for food production plants are manifold. Added to this are the characteristics of the media used, for example. solid, liquid, gaseous, alkaline, acidic or volume, shape, particle size and viscosity, which make standardisation difficult.
Applications essentially differ in their cleaning processes. A dairy plant is cleaned in a fundamentally different way to a cereal flake production plant. Therefore, specific quality standards apply to every production plant and every process.
According to DIN EN 1672-2 “Food processing machinery – General principles for design – Part 2: Hygiene and cleanability requirements”, food processing plants can be divided into three hygiene areas:
- food area/hygienic design zone (food): This area includes all surfaces in direct contact with the food and all surfaces from which food returns to the product stream by dripping, leaking or spilling.
- splash zone (Splash/Wash-Down): This zone is located near open food. The food does not get back into the product stream.
- non-food area (No Food): All other areas.
This makes it clear that even if you are in the food sector, you are dealing with already packaged food in the packaging line where there is no hygiene risk. Standard design criteria can be applied there for the most efficient cable tie solution.
The process decides the material
Panduit has three special product groups of cable ties in its range especially for the food industry, distinguishing between mechanically, chemically, and thermally suitable materials. It’s worth taking a close look here, because depending on the area of application, it can be crucial for the functionality of the fastening component in the face of contaminants from dust, dirt, grease and water to constant vibrations, variable temperature changes and possible chemical interference.
Metal detectable cable ties made of polyamide 6.6, also known as nylon 6.6, are very versatile and can be used very flexibly. The robust fastening component was developed to eliminate potential hazards in sensitive areas. Due to the mixture of polyamide 6.6 and integrated mini metal parts as well as the light blue colour, the human eye or special metal detectors can easily recognize and locate them. Thus, the cable ties or parts of them can be quickly detected, removed and allowing use in every production phase due to the material and optical properties. The tensile strength at 23°C ambient temperature is 12,000 psi according to the ISO 527 test method. In addition, the nylon 6.6 cable ties are radiation resistant and achieve a water absorption of only 1.2% within 24 hours according to ASTM D570 tests.
Panduit is an industry leading innovator and offers another metal-detectable cable tie series made of polypropylene. According to the aforementioned test method, the dark blue series absorbs only 0.1% water and is a chemically resistant, to the required industry standards. Due to its resistance to inorganic and organic acids, alkaline detergents as well as disinfectants and cleaners, the polypropylene cable tie is ideally suited, for example, for the milk and meat processing industry.
Both metal-detectable cable tie series, are specially developed for the food industry, and can be used permanently at temperatures between -40°C and +85°C or up to +115°C for polypropylene and are also flame-retardant.
When it’s essential – stainless steel
When strength, vibration, corrosion and extreme temperatures are a concern, stainless steel cable ties and mounts provide a strong, reliable system for cable bundling and mechanical fastening applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Panduit’s stainless steel solutions focus on three key elements: Applied materials, rounded design and the patented locking system with inserted stainless steel ball for life cycle hold.
The stainless steel fastening component is made of both the standard grade 1.4301 (AISI 304) and the durable stainless steel 1.4401 (AISI 316). Both series are thus particularly resistant to corrosion and liquids, even during frequent cleaning processes. In contrast to the material 1.4301 (AISI 304), the stainless steel 1.4401 (316) is a chrome-nickel stainless steel with two to three percent molybdenum.
The molybdenum content makes the material even more resistant to corrosion and more robust against wear. These properties stand out particularly when the cable ties are exposed to chemicals and water – especially chlorinated or salty environments. The stainless steel finished fastening components also perform highly in terms of tensile strength and operating temperature range.
