Strapping edge protectors are the paper L profiles placed between a tensioned band and the corner of the load. The band pulls in a straight line; the corner is the only place where that line meets an edge, so without a protector the band cuts into the carton, the carton relaxes and the band goes slack within a day of travel.
Specification at a glance
| Band | Wall we quote | Leg width | Note |
|---|
| PP hand band | 2.5-3 mm | 40-50 mm | Most forgiving, lowest cost |
| PET machine band | 3.5-4 mm | 50 mm | Higher tension, needs more wall |
| Steel band | 4.5-5 mm | 50-60 mm | Leg wider than the seal |
| Steel band, heavy coil | 5 mm, doubled | 60 mm | Second piece under the seal |
What the band actually does to a corner
A tensioned band is a spring. It holds its tension only while the material under it stays compressed. Carton board creeps under a concentrated load, so the band loses tension progressively, and by the time the container is opened the straps are loose and the load has shifted.
A protector replaces a line contact with an area contact. The wider the leg along the band direction, the lower the pressure on the board, and the slower the creep. That is why band width, not load weight, sets the minimum leg width.
Band type sets the wall
Hand tensioned PP band at moderate tension is forgiving and works with a 2.5-3 mm wall. PET band is stiffer and is applied at higher tension, so it needs 3.5-4 mm. Steel band is unforgiving: it will cut a thin protector on the first tensioning cycle, so 4.5-5 mm minimum, and the leg should be at least as wide as the seal.
Where a steel band is closed with a seal, put a second short protector under the seal. Seals have sharp edges and are the usual cause of a torn corner on arrival.
Placement that survives the trip
The protector must extend past the band on both sides, ideally 20-30 mm above and below the band centre line. If the band sits at the very top of the board, the board tilts and the band slips off under vibration.
On loads banded in two directions, the vertical band goes under a full-height corner board and the horizontal band goes over a separate rim piece. Do not thread both bands through one board: the crossing point becomes a hard lump that dents the carton.
Questions buyers ask before ordering
Does the protector go inside or outside the band?
Under the band, against the carton. Placing it outside does nothing except protect the band.
How long should the protector be?
At least 100 mm past the band on each side for a vertical corner, and the full load height where the band runs the full height.
Can I reuse the protectors?
Paper ones crease on the first tensioning and should not be reused. Reusing a creased protector is the same as having none.
Will a protector stop the band cutting the carton?
It stops line contact and slows creep. It will not compensate for a band tensioned far beyond what the carton can bear.
Do you supply the banding too?
No. We supply the paper edge protection only, sized to the band you already use.
Mail the dimensions you need, the number of pallets per month and the destination port to mona@hengnicepacking.com for a costed offer.
