Besides other hardware to attach to lanyards, you also have what you call “inline” lanyard hardware. This not only adds additional functionality but other safety features as well to the lanyard. There is also a buckle that is much like you would see on a backpack that is center push and side squeeze. Their main purpose at the bottom of the lanyard is to allow the release of a segment of the lower lanyard that contains the lanyard hardware as well as the attached small object. This release or quick-release feature allows for a more convenient use of the object and not have to remove the lanyard from around the neck such as ID cards, cell phones etc.
There has been a need for the increase of personal safety so that has dictated the use lanyards with breakaway connectors when they are used in hospitals, schools and other places where a lanyard can easily get pulled, snagged or pulled. These “safety” or breakaway connectors are composed of a pair of male and female parts that are installed in line and calls for them being installed behind or in front of the neck with the lanyard material so that when enough force is applied, the lanyard material will easily come apart. They can easily be reconnected so that the lanyard can be used over again. Breakaway connectors are readily available for flat as well as for cord lanyard material in all kinds of widths.
When a lanyard is being made, much depends on what kind of material is being used. For example, for soft ribbon-like and cord materials like cotton and light weight polyester, the formation of the two lanyard loops are made by squeezing a metal crimp right onto the material that is to be used for the lanyard and the two ends meet inside the crimp. If a nylon webbing material is to be used that is between 3/8″ to 1.0″, the loops for this particular lanyard are made by stitching the two ends together, making sure they overlap; a special sewing machine is used or a job like this. In trying to keep up with modern times, molded plastic connectors have been made for this distinctive lanyard loop that does not need any unique machinery. This plastic connector is what secures the cut ends of the material that is being used and it likewise allows for the incorporation of numerous types of object attaching hardware all the way from bulldog clips and snaphooks to water bottle holders and o-rings.
Let’s look at the types of different machinery that is used to make custom lanyards. These machines can range all the way from light to heavy-duty as well as from manual to automatic. If someone is going to mass produce lanyard material that is lightweight as well as “soft”, a foot press is usually used in conjunction with metal stamping dyes in order to hold as well as form a metal crimp. Lanyards which are composed of heavier material like nylon webbing will use either an appropriate industrial bar tack machine or a more modern computer controlled machine may be used which has the capability of stitching numerous different patterns which can be selected fro0m a control panel that is operated by the user of the machine. Both of these kinds of machines are able to vary the length of the stitch of the lanyard material, which makes this of vital importance for materials that have different widths.