Our certification library holds three resin documents for our cable ties: one for the nylon 66 used in standard ties, the data sheet for the APF flame-retardant tie resin, and the UL listing for the APH heat-resistant tie resin. The tables are dense with numbers, but they are easy to read once you know the order. Using these three documents as examples, here is how to read a resin data sheet.
First, check what kind of document it is
Documents loosely called "data sheets" are often quite different in nature. A technical data sheet (TDS) from the resin maker lists typical values, a UL listing card states ratings UL has verified, and a safety data sheet (SDS) focuses on handling and safety. They cover different ground even for the same property, so check the type of document first.
| Document | Type | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Resin data sheet (TDS) | Ascend Vydyne 21SPF safety data sheet (SDS) | Composition (nylon 6,6) · section 9 properties (melting point 260 °C, density 1.14 g/cm³) |
| Flame-retardant resin data sheet (APF) | BASF Ultramid A 50H1 manufacturer data sheet | Typical mechanical, thermal, electrical and flammability values with test methods |
| Heat-resistant resin data sheet (APH) | INV Nylon U4630HSL UL listing card (Yellow Card) | UL94 rating by thickness · relative thermal index (RTI) · outdoor suitability (f1) |
Read each row as property, test method, unit and value
A row on a data sheet usually lists the property, the test method (ISO, ASTM, IEC or UL), the unit and the value. Different test methods use different specimens and conditions, so their numbers cannot be compared directly. The APF resin sheet, for example, gives flexural strength as 135 MPa by ISO 178 and 125 MPa by ASTM D 790. When comparing two resins, compare values from the same method and condition.
Dry versus conditioned (cond.)
The first thing to check on a nylon data sheet is the "dry / cond." label. "Dry" means freshly moulded and dry; "cond." means conditioned to absorb moisture in an environment such as 23 °C and 50% relative humidity. The APF resin sheet lists yield stress as 85 / 55 MPa and elongation at break as 12 / over 100%: with moisture it is less stiff but stretches far more. The same sheet gives equilibrium moisture absorption of 2.7%. That is why humidity matters when storing nylon cable ties.
Reading the key properties
- Tensile strength (MPa) Strength per unit area of a standard specimen, used to compare resins. The force one cable tie can hold is the tensile strength (N) in the product specification table. The two numbers differ in unit and meaning.
- Melting point (°C) The temperature at which the resin melts: 260 °C on the standard tie resin document and 263 °C on the APF sheet (ISO 11357, 10 °C/min). Melting point is not a service temperature; ALLPUM cable ties are rated -40 °C to 85 °C in the product specifications.
- Heat deflection temperature, HDT (°C) The temperature at which a loaded specimen bends by a set amount. Always read it with the load: the APF resin shows 237 °C at HDT B (0.45 MPa) and 85 °C at HDT A (1.80 MPa) — over 150 °C apart for the same resin.
- Relative thermal index, RTI (°C) Under UL 746B, the reference temperature at which properties hold up after long-term heat exposure. The APH resin UL card lists 140 °C electrical, 105–110 °C impact and 120–125 °C strength, by thickness.
- Flame rating (UL94) The burning rating of the resin, listed by specimen thickness. The APF resin is V-0 from 0.4 to 3.2 mm and the APH resin is V-2 from 0.40 to 3.0 mm. Always check which thickness a rating applies to.
A resin rating is not a product certification
The UL94 rating, oxygen index and glow-wire values on a resin sheet all come from tests on resin specimens. They do not mean the finished cable tie has been certified to the same performance. The UL card itself notes that UL94 small-scale test data is for judging the flammability of plastic materials. Finished-product UL certification for ALLPUM APF and APH ties is in preparation, and the "UL94 V-0 / V-2" in our product specifications refers to the resin rating.
Values on a manufacturer's data sheet are mostly "typical values". The APF resin sheet also states that they are an indication only and that suitability for a given use must be confirmed by testing. Use a data sheet as the starting point for choosing and comparing resins, and confirm real service conditions with the product specifications and test documents.
A checklist for reading a data sheet
- Identify the document: manufacturer TDS, UL listing card or SDS
- Check the resin name, grade and issue date
- Check whether a value is dry or conditioned
- Check the test method and conditions (load, thickness, temperature), and compare like with like
- Do not read melting point or HDT as a service temperature
- Keep resin ratings and product certification apart
