Polypropylene Strapping!

Polypropylene strapping is the most commonly used and least expensive of all strapping materials. It is light and easy to apply and recycle. Characteristics include high elongation and elongation recovery, but low retained tension.

Available in both manual and machine grade, it can be sealed with buckles, seals, heat seals or friction welds. Polypropylene is best for light duty palletizing, unitizing, carton closing and bundling. It is used in all semi-automatic strapping machines and nearly all stand alone arched chuted machines.

Commonly used terms about strapping in packaging

Split Resistance - The ability of strapping to resist lateral tearing (splitting) in operation.

Break Strength - The amount of force required to break the strapping.

Elongation - The % of stretch in the strapping as force or tension is applied.

Camber - The side to side curvature of strapping. Machine grade strapping must be camber free to allow the strapping to move through the equipment.

Creep - The loss of the strapping tension that occurs over a period of time.

Elongation Recovery - The strap's ability to return to its original state after tensioning.

Knurling / Embossing - The textured pattern applied on the strapping surface during manufacturing. Good quality embossing on the strap ensures better joints, reduce the tendency to splitand improve stiffness characteristics without losing significantly on break strength. Good embossing also ensures minimal slippage on the strapping machine between grip wheels while tensioning.

Joint Efficiency - The usable strength of strapping is only as powerful as the joint holding the two strap ends together. Joint efficiency is expressed as a % of the total breaking strength of the strapping.