Modern load securing strap

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Modern realities of the world mean saving time, money, resources and costs. And if only twenty or thirty years ago, the duties of a truck driver included only transporting cargo from one point to another, then truck drivers of our time already, as a rule, forward their own cargo. The concept of "forwarding" includes not only the safety of the goods, but also the responsibility for its integrity, safety and absence of damage.

Modern forwarding driver is obliged to control the entire process of transportation work, which begins and ends with loading and unloading. One of the main tasks in this case is to correctly and competently secure the transported luggage on the trailer of a truck tractor. Invaluable assistance in this matter to the trucker is provided by a belt for securing the load.

Load securing

There are many ways to secure cargo on a trailer. The method of fastening and the type of fixation depends on howas a rule, from the cargo itself and the type of trailer. In rigid vans of a closed frame type, as a rule, spacers or special curtains are used. But on platform trailers, both standard and low loading, they mainly put tension belts.

For securing cargo, especially oversized and heavyweights, chains are also used. Each of these options has its own advantages and disadvantages. For some types of cargo, only chains are used, more fragile pallets are fastened with straps. It should also be added that, as a rule, a belt for securing cargo or a combined method of fixing is used to fix luggage inside tent trailers.

What is a belt?

Belt ties are a coil of textile tape made of polyamide, polypropylene or polyester. As additional additives or other base material, any fabric made from durable synthetic fibers can be used. On the one hand, these ties demonstrate excellent wear resistance, and on the other hand, they have sufficient elasticity to use the load securing strap as a reliable and safe way to fix the transported utensils. With their help, they carry out both commercial and industrial transportation of various kinds of goods, for example: building materials, lumber, rolled metal, bulk goods in bags, furniture, equipment, double-glazed windows, building structures, prefabricated pallets, mechanisms and household appliances.

Features

Each strap for securing cargo is selected by the forwarding driver based on two main characteristics: its length and the limit of the applied load. Ties also differ in the width of the tape, the presence (absence) of the tensioning mechanism and its type. The standard tape length is six, eight, ten or twelve meters. The breaking load on such a tie-down strap for securing the load basically does not exceed 20 thousand kgf, and the width of the tape is standard from 25 to 150 mm. Some trading companies sell such tapes in coils with a length of 50, 100, 200 m and more. This option is suitable for securing the load along the length of the trailer (or semi-trailer) or for replacing worn belts, but with fasteners and tie-downs that are still serviceable.

Belt tightening

However, simply tying the load with a belt is not enough. Firstly, the forwarding driver needs to correctly think over the scheme for tying the luggage being transported. Here you need to take into account various factors. In case of sudden braking, the load should not break forward and pierce the cab of the tractor, and on the rise - move down onto the following vehicle. When driving on uneven asph alt or rough terrain, it is necessary to keep the load from any longitudinal and transverse displacement. And there are also non-standard transportations and cargoes with displaced centers of gravity.

Secondly, the driver needs to tighten the belts so as to firmly fix the load in place, eliminating its potential displacement. And here the mechanisms for the load securing belt come to the rescue.

Tensioners

There are few options here. You can tighten the straps with your hands using muscle strength. In this case, they are fixed on the end fasteners, i.e., with rings and hooks to the sides, trawls, as well as to any other surfaces of the trailer. This type of attachment is suitable for light loads, and their transportation must be carried out on a tarpaulin platform or on a rigid box trailer to avoid tipping the load itself onto the roadway.

However, the bulk of the transported goods flow is fixed on belts for securing cargo with a tension mechanism. Typically, this is a ratchet type device with mechanical release protection, more commonly known as a "ratchet" or "ratchet". Less popular winch and chain tensioners are no longer used.

Sling versatility

At present, the ratchet-type tensioning strap for securing cargo with a mechanical tensioner is the most popular way to secure the transported luggage. In addition to drivers of heavy vehicles, they are quite often used by owners of passenger vehicles when transporting bulky goods in an open way, usually on a roof rack.

True drivers are also happy to use this type of fastening of transported goods. The straps firmly and securely fix the load, while delicately compressing the load from all sides, causing minimal damage to the package. They are impact resistanttechnical fluids such as oil, gasoline, kerosene, various ethylene glycol antifreezes and other chemicals. Modern belts allow you to hold quite high tensile loads and do not change their original length when wet or frozen, which makes it possible to use them at any time of the year and under various weather conditions.