Strapping tools

Strapping devices for either PP or PET strapping come in three basic types: manual, pneumatic power tool and battery-powered tools. Some devices cannot be assigned to one particular of  the basic types as they combine two functions in one, like for example the OR-T 50 by Orgapack or the LS-ZP 20 by Zapak, which combine manual tensioning with battery-powered welding.

Using a manual strapping device, strapping bands are tensioned by means of a handle or lever and then closed/sealed with a metal seal or buckle. This procedure can either be done with two separate tools (cheapest version) – a tensioner and a sealer – or it can be combined in one tool. The latter version is more comfortable, as there is no need to handle two different tools. In some cases two tools are required, though, f.ex. if the supporting surface is too small. The most comfortable way is to use a magazine device or –tool where the next seal automatically "postslides" after every strapping cycle.

For users doing a lot of strapping cycles, the investment in a battery-powered strapping device pays off. Here, the acquisition costs are certainly higher, but the gain in efficiency as well as the savings for seals or buckles soon become evident. Tensioning and welding of strapping bands is done the same way with every battery-powered tool: The tensioning is done by means of a tension roller, which has a toothed belt drive transporting the strapping. Then a so-called “friction-fastening-method” or “rub-press-method” is used: The two ends of the strapping band are rubbed and pressed against each other at the same time which welds them together.

The above mentioned OR-T 50 and LS-ZP 20 are truly a specialty among battery-powered strapping devices: They combine manual tensioning with battery-powered single-push welding.

All models of the LS-ZP-series offer an outstanding cost-effectiveness among all battery-powered strapping devices: Both tensioning and welding are triggered by a single button. In their latest version another essential advancement is the brushfree motor, so that now the brush lid set -one of the main wear & tear parts- is not necessary anymore. This leads to enormous savings along the life cycle of these devices. From a technical point of view the BXT-2 battery-powered devices from Signode are the highest standard. The buttons are positioned very user-friendly, so that one-handed operations are possible, and in addition, the device is fairly immune to falling down which helps in rather rough operating situations.

If similar packaged goods are to be strapped, a fully automatic mode can be used which means that tensioning and welding time can be preset exactly and will be replicated automatically. The battery for the models Signode BXT-2, Orgapack OR-T 250 and OR-T400 was also replaced by a lithium battery, which is not subject to the memory effect, which used to occur with the NiCd battery when it was not fully charged and discharged. This change improved the tensioning power for the first two models to about 2.500N and for the OR-T 400 to 4.000N.

Strapping devices with pneumatic control are used a lot less than battery-powered ones as they cannot be used as flexibly (they rely on compressed air supply). However, where constant tension power is needed or where there is a great volume to be packed and strapped, pneumatic control-devices are often a good choice since they do not require a battery which in turn would have to be charged regularly.

Among strapping devices for steel strapping one can differentiate between two types depending on the supporting surface available:

• Steel strapping devices for round packs
• Steel strapping devices for flat packs

With round packs there is no or a very small supporting surface available. For this kind of strapping only steel-strapping-devices are suitable, therefore, there is no chance of using PET- or PP-strapping.

By contrast, flat packs offer a larger supporting surface (at least 16 cm). In that case, strapping devices for plastic strapping may be used as well as sealless steel-strapping-devices. Also, it is possible to use a round-pack device for flat packs; however, the other way around this does not work.