Daniels Manufacturing Corporation® (DMC) has announced that LaceLok® is now qualified to MIL-DTL-32554 and MIL-DTL-32555. This technology is a direct replacement for lacing tape/string ties and cable ties for secondary support of wire harnesses.
Hand-tied lace and plastic cable ties have been the primary options for wire harness secondary support for over 50 years. Unfortunately, both methods present significant ergonomic, safety, and consistency risks. Hand-tied lace often causes fatigue and repetitive motion injuries. It is also often applied inconsistently as the applied tension can vary from operator to operator or across the duration of an operator's shift. Alternatively, cable ties offer a large profile that can damage adjacent cables and sharp edges after the excess cable tie is cut off. Plastic cable ties are also often less resistant to temperature range and various common chemicals. For these and other reasons, the US military has approved LaceLok, but prohibited the use of plastic cable ties on aerospace wire harnesses per the Joint Services Manual NAVAIR 01-1A-505-1.
LaceLok combines the ease of cable ties with the abrasion and chemical resistance of lacing tape. The LaceLok system consists of LaceLok and the LaceLok Installation Tool. LaceLok is constructed with the same Nomex® lacing tape used in hand-tied lace. The Nomex lace is attached by aramid fiber thread to an ultra-high temperature thermoplastic fastener head. LaceLok can withstand extreme temperatures from -76°F to 500°F and is resistant to hydraulic fluid, jet fuel, lubricating oil, and isopropyl alcohol. LaceLok is offered in a variety of lengths from 6" to 24" long and can be wrapped once, twice, or three times around wire bundles to provide tensile strengths of 55 lbs to 165 lbs.
Using LaceLok is simple and ergonomic. The user wraps LaceLok around the bundle and squeezes the trigger 2-3 times to tighten, lock, and terminate the fastener. The resulting loop force is controlled by the fastener, not the user.
