Popularly known as Cable Ties, zip ties are lengthened strips used all over the world. These strips are made up of plastics, nylon, rubber, and Velcro- for commercial usage. The zip ties are used to organize cables by preventing them from getting entangled efficiently hides cables making your house/office looking clean, and also they prevent children from tripping over cables furthermore limiting cables from getting disconnected and damaged.
Zip ties were first fabricated by Thomas & Betts in 1958 under the brand name Ty-Rap. The idea of the zip ties came to Maurus C. Logan while he was excursions a Boeing aircraft manufacturing facility in 1956. He noticed aircraft wiring was a bulky, unmanageable, and intricate work which involved the use of boundless feet of wire kept on sheets of 50-foot long plywood and that was held in place with knotted nylon cords. Each knot had to fasten tight by wrapping it around one’s finger which subsequently cut the operator’s fingers a number of times.
This gave Logan an impulse to design an easier, more forgiving, way to accomplish this critical task. On experimenting for two long years, on June 24, 1958, Ty-Rap cable tie was fabricated and a patent for the same was submitted.
Logan worked for Thomas & Betts when his invention got recognition. Founded by Princeton graduated engineers- Thomas and Hobart D. Betts in 1898, Thomas and Betts, is renowned as the inventor of cable ties and facilitator of wire harnesses. Over the years, it has gained recognition as a design and manufacturing company that produces components for electrical and communication markets. In 2012, ABB bought Thomas & Betts for $3.9 billion.
- Decorating Christmas Lights Garland and Wreaths : On using zip ties for the hanging of lights, garlands, and wreaths, you will notice beautifully these will go on straight, and will remain as it is throughout the season. The same can be done while decorating lights around tree branches to secure their place. Since Zip ties are available in a variety of colours, choose one that will camouflage with your decoration and the ambience.
- Childproof Your Home : Have mischievous kids at home? If yes, then rather than locking up your cupboards and cabinets, simply use zip ties to childproof them. It’s much cheaper and just as effective. Also once you’re done, snip the ties off, and trash them.
- Secure Your Suitcases Just in a minute cinch the two zippers of your suitcase together using a zip tie whenever and wherever you travel. In such cases always carry a few extra ones.