The Zip Tie Story
301,650
Published 2024-01-27
In this captivating journey through history, we explore the evolution of cable management and the birth of cable ties, a seemingly simple yet revolutionary invention. The narrative begins in the late 19th century when electrical advancements were transforming New York City. Enter Robert M. Thomas and Hobart D. Betts, Princeton University students turned entrepreneurs, who paved the way for the future of electrical infrastructure.
Fast forward to the 1950s, where Maurus C. Logan, a Scottish immigrant working with Thomas and Betts, witnessed the intricate process of cable lacing in Boeing aircraft manufacturing. Cable lacing, a century-old technique, involved using waxed linen cords to neatly secure cable bundles, primarily in telecommunications. Logan, determined to simplify this labor-intensive process, spent two years developing what would become the modern cable tie.
Logan's breakthrough came in 1958 with a patent submission for a nylon strap with an integrated oval aperture, designed to loop around cables and secure itself through friction. Despite initial indecisiveness on the latching mechanism, Logan's design marked the birth of the cable tie. Thomas and Betts further refined the design, leading to the iconic Ty-Rap cable tie, patented in 1962, with lateral locking grooves and an embedded steel locking barb for enhanced security.
The cable tie's success led to legal disputes, as its design closely resembled a British patent by Kurt Wrobel. Nevertheless, Thomas and Betts prevailed in the market, solidifying their claim as the inventors of the cable tie.
The Ty-Rap cable tie evolved into specialized versions, including heat-resistant and space-grade variants. Offshoot products like Ty-Met, made of stainless steel, and Ty-Fast, a nylon tie with an integrated ratchet barb, gained popularity globally, earning the colloquial name "zip ties" or "tie wraps."
Today, over 45 companies globally produce cable ties, with an estimated annual production of 100 billion units. Thomas and Betts, now ABB Installation Products, continue to be a key player in the cable tie market, with ongoing developments for niche applications.
Maurus Logan, the visionary behind the cable tie, dedicated his career to innovation, filing six patent applications and rising to the role of Vice President of Research and Development. His legacy lives on as cable ties have become an integral part of our modern world, found everywhere from the ocean floor to the surface of Mars, silently playing a crucial role in powering our information-driven world and beyond.
👁🗨 CHECK OUT
@ConnectionsMuseum
• [Tutorial] Cable Lacing
🌐 SUPPORT NEW MIND ON PATREON
www.patreon.com/newmind
All Comments (21)
-
▶ Visit brilliant.org/NewMind to get a 30-day free trial + the first 200 people will get 20% off their annual subscription
-
Cable lacing is flat out beautiful, having grown up in the time of zip ties and wire loom, the first time seeing cable lacing inside of an late 20's tube radio, I was blown away at how elegant it was.
-
Cable lacing is still widely used in telecom. Fiber optic cables are often bundled with velcro straps because they are easy to undo and redo.
-
The big downside of cable ties is untrained "techs" improperly trimming them by leaving the cut ends exposed. Long retired now but I still have scars on my hand and arm from the jagged cuts they cause when not properly trimmed, especially in tight spaces.
-
I am a simple man of twisted wires so, over the decades, I have sat for hours admiring the wondrous mechanics of the toothed plastic zip tie. I never thought to look into it's mysterious past. I always assumed zip ties were perfect and of such heavenly design they must have been there at the Creation of the Earth.
-
Let us not overlook the ability of a mere clipping of a zip tie carelessly discarded on the floor to render a creeper and an engine hoist completely immobile.
-
I have used well over 10000 t&b ty-rap cable ties in my career as an electrician. They still make the best quality cable ties that I have used. Although I will say zip ties have almost no place in a datacenter. Speaking as an electrician who works in datacenters. Velcro for data, and ideally busway for power.
-
My wife does electronic assembly (as do I) for a living. She is Cambodian, so instead of calling them Ti-Wraps (Thai Wraps). I like to call them Cambodian Wraps to tease her :)
-
As a USAF electrics installer I mastered what we call "sewing" cables together using lacing twine. I spent many hours sewing cable bundles together. I also welcomed the coming (to us) of zip ties. Not only were they easier to use, but you could sew a form MUCH faster using zip ties. The damage to my pinky fingers aside, I found sewing cable together with lacing twine to be almost meditative. It was very zen. I got so proficient I could sew forms twice as fast as my co-workers.
-
This video ties everything together
-
Half of my life is held together with zip ties. The other half is a combination of bailing wire and stainless aircraft wire. Everything else is details.
-
Thank you
-
Great video thank you
-
So much we take for granted. Even the simplest of things today, has a long story usually. The invention of nylon and injection molding that made the invention of the zip tie possible, has a history of themselves. Lol so cool 👍
-
Having used almost every brand of ziptie, Thomas & Betts is still the best out there.
-
I work in the cable tv industry. Zip-ties hold a special place in all our hearts.
-
Nice video man
-
Very interesting video.
-
that was awesome. thanks.
-
I incorporate wire lacing into my designs whenever possible. I absolutely love the way it looks, and it is very effective. I saw it used in a backup satellite on display at the Tellus Science museum and fell in love.
