• • • COVER STORY • • •
MLT strap with cable protection cushion sleeve
There are also safety considerations, as some products leave sharp cut edges exposed once installed, creating hazards for both cables and maintenance personnel.
An alternative solution to these problems is
the MLT ball-locking stainless steel tie or MS fold-over style stainless steel strap. These ties and straps, manufactured from high-grade 316L stainless steel, combine the robustness of traditional cleats with the flexibility of a modern fastening system. Unlike rigid plates, the straps can accommodate single, trefoil, or even quad formations with ease, drastically reducing the number of part numbers required on site. In some cases, a single strap design can replace more than forty traditional cleats, simplifying both procurement and stockholding. Their lightweight profile means that 4,000 straps occupy one pallet of storage, compared with nine pallets required for the same quantity of conventional cleats.
Installation is another area where the benefits become clear. Traditional cleats often require precise alignment and bolting necessitating two-person installation for larger sizes. By contrast, MLTs and MS straps can be fitted quickly by a single installer using either a manual or battery- powered tensioning tool. The battery operated tool tensions the strap to a calibrated level before cutting the excess cleanly, leaving no exposed edges. This process is not only faster, typically reducing installation times by fifty per cent, but also safer, as the design ensures no sharp cut-offs that could harm installers or damage adjacent cables. The straps themselves are manufactured with #1 grade rounded edges, further reducing the risk of abrasion on cable sheaths, and the use of cushion sleeving is essential to increase cable housing protection. Performance under fault conditions is critical, and here too the MS straps excel. Third party
electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk
testing has confirmed their ability to restrain cables under peak forces of up to 188 kA in trefoil formations, comparable with the strongest plate-based cleats. Their stainless steel construction also makes them resistant to aggressive environments, including those with high humidity, saline atmospheres, or chemical exposure. Fire performance is another key attribute. The straps have been tested by independent safety test company, Warrington Fire Services, to provide a 120-minute fire rating at 1000°C, comfortably exceeding the industry benchmark of 90-minutes and giving additional assurance for mission-critical environments such as data centres.
These benefits translate directly into applications across multiple sectors. In smart buildings, where electrical backbones must be installed within increasingly dense risers and distribution zones, the slim profile of the straps is invaluable. Their speed of installation allows contractors to meet demanding schedules while their stainless steel construction aligns with modern sustainability benchmarks. Data centres, with their high-capacity feeds and relentless demand for uptime, benefit from the straps proven short circuit containment and fire resistance. Their light weight and compact packaging make them ideal for phased rollouts in large facilities. In industrial settings, the corrosion resistance of 316L stainless steel ensures long service life even in harsh conditions, while the ability to restrain multiple cable sizes with a single product reduces downtime during maintenance or expansion programs.
The environmental advantages should not be overlooked. With growing emphasis on carbon reduction in construction projects, the straps support sustainability in several ways. Fewer part numbers mean fewer products manufactured, transported and warehoused. Their compact form
reduces packaging waste and lowers shipping volumes. Contractors benefit from reduced material waste on site, as the same strap can be adapted for different cable runs rather than being discarded when a specific cleat size is not suitable. Panduit has already achieved recognition for its sustainability practices, including EcoVadis Silver medal status and is pursuing Environmental Product Declaration certification for its cleats to further quantify these benefits. When comparing the MLT and MS Strap solutions directly with traditional cleats, the advantages are striking. Strength is equivalent, but size, weight and storage requirements are dramatically reduced. Installation times are significantly less, safety risks are mitigated and the flexibility to secure multiple cable formations with a single product brings a level of efficiency that conventional cleats simply cannot match. Add to this the proven fire rating, corrosion resistance and alignment with sustainability goals, and it becomes clear why these straps and ties are increasingly seen as the evolution of cable management rather than a niche alternative. As infrastructure projects become more complex and sustainability targets more stringent, the choice of cable restraint system is no longer a small detail. It is a decision that affects safety, efficiency, cost and environmental impact. Panduit’s MLT stainless steel ties and strap cleats embody this new way of thinking. They provide all the reassurance of compliance with international standards, combined with the adaptability and efficiency demanded by modern power installations. In smart buildings, data centres and industrial sites alike, they are reshaping the way we think about securing the arteries of our electrical systems.
https://www.panduit.com ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • NOVEMBER 2025 9
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