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22. Remove all tools and equipment from inside the conveyor, and reinstall any carrying rollers that
were removed for the splicing procedure.
5.4.3.1
Cutting Finger Joints
1. Before beginning, verify the total belt length. Cutting a finger joint removes a minimum of 8 1/4" of
belt material, plus the heat-affected zone of the existing splice if there is one. If the belt will be too
short after the joint is cut, an extra section of belting will need to be spliced in to make up the
difference.
a. Best practice in this circumstance is to make the new section of belting at least 3 feet
long, so additional future splices can be made if necessary without needing to replace the
entire spliced-in section. Each splice is an opportunity to introduce defects (weak spots or
curvature in the belt run) so the total number of splices should be minimized.
2. If the belt is already spliced, locate the existing splice and cut across the belt on one edge of the
splice with a sharp knife. Ensure the belt is not under tension before cutting.
a. Belts with a total length longer than approximately 300 feet may have a second, factory
splice. In general, the field splice should be removed when re-splicing because it will be
of less consistent quality than the factory splice. If both splices are of high quality then
either may be removed.
3. Insert one end of the belt into the die cutter.
4. Position the cut area so the entire heat-affected zone from any existing splices will be cut off.
5. Make sure the belt is aligned square with the carriage of the die cutter, then tighten the belt
clamps.
These instructions assume the use of the die cutter specified in Table 2: Belt Hot
Splicing Tools. Reference the user manual for your die cutter, since the operation of the
finger cutting and indexing mechanisms may vary.
6. Ensure the die cutter carriage is locked into the first cut location, then pull the punch lever rapidly
to cut one finger.
7. Advance the carriage to the next cut location and repeat until all fingers have been cut. Make
sure that all fingers are cut fully through the belt.
8. Remove the belt end from the die cutter.
9. Insert the other end of the belt from the opposite side of the die cutter so that the finger location is
referencing the same side of the belt.
10. Repeat steps 4 through 8 to cut the fingers into the other end of the belt.
11. If an extra section of belting is being spliced in, repeat steps 3 through 9 with the two ends of the
short section of belting. Ensure that orientation is maintained so the fingers line up with the finger
joints in the main section of belt.
12. To complete the hot splice, continue with the splicing instructions starting from step 7 of section
5.4.3.
Published November 2021
Installation and Maintenance Manual: RZPAC
Rev. B
28
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