subject: Look It Up Before You Strap It Up [print this page] Mankinds ability to conquer the world has always been intrinsically linked with his ability to transport cargo.
From the early Neanderthals transporting animals back to their caves, to the pioneers who opened up the spice routes, mans desire to ship and trade is as old as civilisation itself.
In the modern world this desire is no less strong, and although the technologies we use to ship good across the globe may have changed, just like our adventurous forefathers we face the same problems when it comes to securing cargo.
Advances in packaging and loading technology have certainly greatly reduced the levels of lost and damaged cargo in modern haulage, but perhaps a little more credit should also go to a basic technology that has had just as profound and affect cargo straps.
The technological advances made in the field of cargo straps have been huge, as the primitive ropes and lashings so beloved of the transport industry in the last century have been replaced by straps made from advanced materials capable of supporting huge amounts of pressure and strain.
Thats not to say that all cargo straps are the same however, far from it, and the type of tie down fastener you choose is a very important consideration for any company that requires load securing equipment. There are three main types of fastener in the market: cam, over-centre and ratchet, and although ratchet fasteners are the most complex to thread, they also offer the most advantages in terms of easily and quickly securing your cargo in place.
Its vital that when transporting cargo over distances of any size that you use a ratchet strap best suited to your needs, and there are two main factors that you need to consider in order to enable you to choose the ratchet strap thats going to offer you and your cargo the most security.
The first thing to consider is the load weight that your straps are capable of supporting. In general, the thicker the strap the greater the load weight it can support, but this is not always the case and advances in material technologies mean that slender straps can now often support loads equal or greater than their thicker counterparts.
A standard 50mm ratchet strap commonly has a lashing capacity of 2000daN and a 75mm ratchet strap has a lashing capacity of 5,000daN when made to EN12195-2. Its important to remember too that your choice of end fixture on your strap will affect its load capacity, so be sure to bear this in mind when choosing your strap.
Once youve considered the options available and made your decision, now all that remains is to carry on the good work of our industrious forefathers (although if you are transporting dead animals, Id highly recommend freezing them first).
