Conveyor Belt Splicing
Do you require Belt Splicing services for re-joining or repairing your conveyor belt?
We are able to provide an endless belt utilising either hot or cold vulcanised belt splicing or mechanical fastener systems.
All State Conveyors (ASC) are able to provide your endless belt requirements via hot or cold vulcanised belt splicing or mechanical fastener systems combined with our experienced belt splicing techniques and equipment. These services can be supplied on-site or through our in-house cold, hot vulcanising process or mechanical fastener methods based on your requirements.
What is a Conveyor Belt Splice?
Conveyor Belt Splicing is the process of joining a conveyor belt together via chemical vulcanisation or mechanical means to achieve an endless conveyor belt. Usually, this is needed to either accommodate the belt length or to repair a torn or damaged belt. In order to correctly splice a belt several things need to be taken into consideration:
- The type of belt
- Accommodate any belt cleaning hardware
- The materials travelling on the belt
- The conveyor belt environment
- Adequate room to perform the task
There are typically 2 splicing methods: Mechanical Belt Splicing and Vulcanising with hot or cold options. Belt Splicing processes should always be completed properly by skilled personal with the right equipment, materials and the correct type of belt splicing technique. All of these factors must be combined and used to avoid belt breakages and cause system shut downs.
To better understand about Mechanical and Vulcanising Splicing, please read on:
Hot verses Cold Vulcanising
All State Conveyors offer hot or cold chemical styles which are the most common types of vulcanised splice techniques. Vulcanising is an ideal method for the endless joining of conveyor belts and to assist with repairs, using either hot or cold methods and to extend conveyor belt life.
At All State Conveyors (ASC), we offer hot vulcanisation by utilising the pressure and heat from a Shaw Almex vulcanising press to bond splices together. We also utilise Cold Vulcanising ContiTech adhesives to create a splice with the use of chemicals to join the two pieces of belt. The choice of vulcanising method will depend on your requirements in terms of durability and size of belt configuration or belt damage.
ASC Offering A Bias Step Splice
This technique is normally used with conventional plied carcass construction and it should always be performed by well trained and highly skilled personnel using a hot or cold vulcanising technique.
Why Choose a Bias Step Splice?
The spliced join is the weakest point in the conveyor belt. Fabric step splicing has the advantage of strength in the join (as well as the method and quality of splicing determine the strength of the whole conveyor belt) through shearing stress forces in the stepped over lapped fabric and cushion rubber layers as these shear forces are spread out over the splice angle and the total step length or surface area of the splice.
These shear factors also depend on several conditions such as the quality of belt, technology of joining, as well as on the materials used to make the vulcanised join. The strength and fatigue life of splice strongly depend on selecting the best adhesive material whether hot or cold for the given type of conveyor belt.
Suited conditions: Hot or cold chemical vulcanisation can be used where belt cleaning systems may catch or interfere with mechanical type fasteners. Other factors such as heat or adverse chemicals may affect the belt or belt splice integrity.
Suitable belts: Most of your typical multi plied fabric belting is suitable for a step splice
Cold Vulcanising
All State Conveyors only suggests using a cold vulcanising process when reinforcing a small damaged area on your belt system which have been scored or gouged or have been damaged in a more minor way to minimise cost or where hot vulcanising is impracticable. We perform cold vulcanising with ContiTech two part “ContiSecur” adhesive for most rubber compounds to ensure superior adhesion.
Most conveyor belt repairs are completed with specifically manufactured reinforced and non-reinforced fabric strips or diamond shaped patches, which are bonded in place with CN bonding layer and a specific two-part adhesive.
Hot Vulcanising
When there is extreme damage to a belt cover, steel cord or fabric carcass due to either holes, cuts or tears, we highly recommend utilising our hot method utilising our Shaw Almex platen system whenever practicable. If it is necessary to either remove and or trim the damaged section, vulcanisation using both heat and pressure combined with uncured rubber compounds to repair the damaged sections of the conveyor belt is highly recommended.
Did you know? When your conveyor system is properly engineered and well maintained, a vulcanised splice will last for many years and in many cases will last the life of the belt.
Email us or call us directly on 03 97066339 and speak to our belt specialists for your Vulcanised Belt Splicing needs.
Or you can continue reading for information about our Mechanical Belt Splicing below.
Mechanical Belt Splicing
How is a Mechanical Belt Splice Created?
A mechanical splice is created by using metal hinges or solid plate fasteners. This method requires a mechanical belt fastener system utilising rivets or special nut and bolt hardware to install the fastener. Hinged belt fasteners are applied as individual segments to each belt end and then connected with a hinge pin. Solid plate fasteners span the opposing belt ends, which are then butted together, forming a tight sift-free splice.
Mechanical Splicing Reduces Downtime
Mechanical splicing is a versatile solution because it is quickly and easily installed on many types of belts in dirty, damp or cramped environments. It is typically used in applications where belts obtain lots of wear and tear or need to be continuously lengthened, shortened or changed out. These applications generally occur in the mining (especially below ground situations), quarrying and other heavy-duty industries. In order to prolong the life of your newly repaired belt fastening system, ASC suggests including a repair band over most mechanical hinged fastening types.
Choosing the Right Mechanical Fastener to Avoid Belt Breakages
It is critical to choose the proper mechanical belt fastener system for belt splicing to reduce conveyor system failures caused by belt fatigue at or behind fasteners, or for fasteners that pull from the belt surface. Our experienced belt technicians will assist you in selecting the ideal fastener or belt clip for your belt and application, dependent on whether the belt repair type is for a light or heavy duty application.
Light and Heavy-duty Options
Light-duty conveyor belts generally have a tension rating of 160 PIW or less, while heavy-duty conveyor belts have tension ratings exceeding 160 PIW. Light duty conveyor belt fasteners include wire hooks, common bar lacing, stapled plate fasteners, plastic hinged plate fasteners and plastic spiral loop fasteners. All these are tailor made for your requirements.
Heavy-duty conveyor belt fasteners include bolted and riveted plate fasteners and stapled, bolted and riveted hinge fasteners which are available for operating tensions up to 1500 PIW.
Supply of Repair Band & Patches: Protect the Joining of your Mechanical Belt Fasteners
ASC fabric reinforced or non-reinforced natural rubber strips and patches are designed not only for belt repairs but also to give extra protection to the mechanical joining of belts from adverse conveyed materials and to minimise seepage from small debris sifting through the fastener join, which will eventually cause wear and abrasion. The Bands and Patches can be supplied with either a plain structure for low impact environments or with reinforced nylon fabric for heavy working conditions.
These bands tend to be flexible in order to move with the belt and are designed to adhere to the surface of the cover with a typical cold vulcanised adhesive such as ContiSecur. These can be supplied in 10mtr rolls with a standard thickness of 3mm and at 50mm~400mm wide and also in varying diamond patch sizes .
Reliable Splice Quality and Maintenance
All State Conveyors sales team and belt technicians are well trained and experienced splicers which ensure belt joining is performed to a correct standard. We have the ability to hot vulcanise conveyor belts of any cover grade description and from 50mm – 2000mm in width (wherever safely practicable). ASC also offer maintenance programs to monitor the functionality and quality of your conveyor belt system. You can read more about our maintenance program for conveyor systems here.
Do You Need Belt Splicing for Belt Repairs or a Belt Re-join?
Email us or call us directly on 03 97066339 and speak to our belt specialists regarding your requirements and belt conditions.
Or, you can read, ‘Things to Consider whether Choosing Vulcanisation or Mechanical Splicing’, click here.