Overview

Cable tie mounts have a rectangular footprint and unique clinching feature that is shared only with the right-angle fasteners. The short sides have both a flange head and an undercut, allowing the piece to clinch into a rectangular, punched hole. This rectangular base hosts a horizontal through-hole that accepts a zip tie perpendicular to the length of the part.

Compared to a rotationally symmetric part, the cable tie mount has two-fold symmetry (180°). The orientation of the rectangular holes will determine the direction of the installed parts, so the application requirements must be considered early in the manufacturing process. Given the square shapes in this part, they are commonly metal injection molded or sintered from metal powder, typically stainless steel.

Application

Roadside construction message boards house the large LED screens and their electronics inside a thin metal enclosure, which can be opened to allow an operator to repair or replace faulty components. With many wires involved in this assembly, cable management becomes a concern. Cable tie mounts installed in the sheet metal housing provide clear attachment points to organize the cables with zip ties in a configuration intended by the manufacturer, with the orientation of these attachment points determining the path of cables.

Cross-section schematic of a self-clinching cable-tie mount in a metal panel
Adhesive cable-tie mounts are cheap and fast to install but suffer many potential defects when running cables across the back of a digital road sign
Comparison of secondary, adhesive cable tie mounts and preinstalled self-clinching cable tie mounts.

Alternative Solutions

Cheaper, faster solutions like plastic mounts with adhesive backing are a common alternative to self-clinching mounts, as they allow for more adaptable cable management across applications. This greatly simplifies the manufacturing process but places more responsibility on whoever is organizing the cables since they can put those mounts wherever they want, increasing the risk of problems due to misconfiguration. Additionally, the adhesives may not survive intense thermal cycling, like that which happens on roadways in hot climates where construction equipment bakes in the sun. Another alternative is to punch parallel holes to fasten zip ties directly to the panel of the housing, which helps to indicate proper cable configuration with hole orientation. However, this leaves the enclosure more exposed to the environment, making it a less desirable solution in inclement weather conditions.

Relevant products from PEM:

See size and application options in our Product Finder:

To learn more about PEM cable tie mounts, visit the TD Datasheet.

Need something?
Try our new Product Finder tool.

Have a project?

Let’s get started.

Talk to us about creating a custom part, tool or process. We are equipped to help you to take on and solve your biggest engineering challenges.

Talk to us about creating a custom part, tool or process. We are equipped to help you to take on and solve your biggest engineering challenges.

View Our Engineering Guides

lady-1

Have a question?

Talk to an Engineer.

See what’s possible.

Connect with a PEM® engineering expert today and discover a reliable, cost-effective fastening solution for your challenging applications.

Or Call Us: 1-800-342-5736

Site Search

What are you looking for?

You can search our website in different ways. You can search for inventory or product specifications using the full part number or partial part number. You don’t even need to type the words “inventory” or "product spec"!
Examples of what to type:
Full or partial part number: “S-632-1ZI”, “CLS 632” Type: “CLS”, “FH”, “SO” Website content: “Self-clinching Nuts” or “PEM studs”