In a previous article we broke down the different kinds of non-mechanical splices. These are where you connect a belt using only the materials that the belt is made of. In the next following articles, we are going to break down the three main kinds of mechanical belt splices or lacing. This first article is going to cover traditional lacing.

Traditional lacing (also called straight splicing or standard lacing ) is where a mechanical fastener is attached to each end of the belt and joined with a pin that goes through the center. The pin that joins the lacing can be removed at any time so that the belt can be removed from the machine for cleaning or other purposes. The lacing and pins can be made out of a variety of materials, such as stainless steel and polyurethane, to fit the certain applications. Out of all of the lacing methods this is generally the fastest, easiest, and most inexpensive. When it comes to installing the lacing, you need to square the belt. Check out the video below for a step by step demonstration on how to do so.

When it comes to traditional lacing, there are two main companies or schools of thought…..

Flexco

Flexco is a distributor of two main kinds of lacing systems with each having a plethora of subsystems. Alligator lacing is a staple in the belting world and there are various different kinds

Alligator Staple System (also known as staple lace) is a system that uses pre-inserted staples on a one piece strip design. This lacing is meant for belts that are 1/16 to ¼ inch thick which means that this lacing is intended for light to medium duty fastening applications. With that being said, this lacing is still stronger than clipper lacing. The alligator staple system is installed using a portable fastening tool. This is a video that does a deeper dive on this tool:

This lacing’s front edge is beveled which allows is to efficiently act with conveyor parts and makes it perfect for:

· Package and parts conveying

· Food and sanitary contact

· Agricultural harvesting and handling

· Recycling and scrap handling

· Wood products

Alligator Lacing System (or alligator lace) is meant for when you have few belts to lace ,system demands are low, and you have minimal tools to work with. This lacing has a one piece design that is installed by hammer. The lacing is embedded into the belt using teeth that run across the whole edge of the belt. Alligator lace is an economical and low profile system that is perfect for systems with belts that are 1/32” to ½” thick running on pulleys as small as 1” in diameter. Common applications are:

· Package and parts conveying

· Food and sanitary contact

· Agricultural harvesting and handling

· Recycling and scrap handling

· Wood products

Spiral Lacing System (or plastic spiral lace) is for small head pulleys that need a low profile fastener that is made of something other than metal. This lacing is FDA compliant, low profile, non-marking, and has a removable hinge pin. Spiral lacing can operate over pulleys as small as 10mm in diameter. Applications for this belt cause it to be color coated. Blue and white means that the lacing is FDA compliant, black means that the lacing is for general applications, and PEEK is for high temperature applications. Common applications, since it is non-metallic, are:

· Metal detectors

· Food or pharmaceutical processing

· X-ray equipment

· Non-marking or non-scratching requirements

The Rivet System is mostly used for bailing hay since the lacing can be installed without removing the belt from the bailer. This is crucial when it comes to reducing downtime in an industry where downtime can cost thousands of dollars. The installation tool produces the proper rivet curl where the pilot nail rivet assembly penetrates the belt without damaging the carcass.

The Plastic Rivet System is similar to the rivet system except it is used in applications where metal cannot be present. This one piece, light-duty system has beveled edges and rivets molded into the top plate. Having the rivets molded into the top plate allows for a flat and smooth cleaning surface. You can also remove the hinge pin for easy cleaning. The beveled edges and counter-sunk rivets allow for easy movement over conveyor components. A major downside to this lacing is that it requires the alligator spin set tool to spin set the rivets into place using friction and heat. The mechanical installation allows the belt to be; non-scratching, non-magnetic, and quiet which is a silver lining.

Clipper is the other lacing system that Flexco provides for lightweight conveyors. It’s subsystems are; clipper lacing, wire hook system, and The G-series lacing system.

Clipper lacing is very common among lightweight conveyor applications. This lacing can be applied one of three ways; by machine, by roller, or by hydraulics. This allows anyone to have the capability to attach it to a belt. The belt clinch is the most important aspect when it comes to installing this lacing. The clinch is correct when the belt does not move. A good clinch will have parallel legs, ½ of the wire diameter embedded, and points that penetrated opposite sides. An over clinch will be functional but not optimal for machine operations. An under clinch will result in the hook opening or cracking the knuckle area. So it is always important to embed further when there is an under clench.

The wire hook system has a double staggered grip pattern that does not damage the belt and provides exceptional holding power. This ensure that the lacing is quick, economical, quiet. There are two main kinds of the wire hook system; carded and unibar. The wire hook system is usually used in:

· Package and parts handling

· General manufacturing

· Commercial laundry

· Food processing

· Agriculture

· Filter media

The G-series lacing system is made from 316L stainless steel and has a staggered leg design with four alternating leg lengths. The varying points of belt penetration provide additional strength and durability. This lacing needs to be machine applied to ensure that there is even compression.

Minet

SuperScrew

Minet’s main product line is the Superscrew. The superscrew is a very robust splice that can be installed regardless of; conveyor configuration, conditions while accessing the machine, weather conditions, or temperatures ( can operate between -80 and 200 degrees Celsius). The screws on this splice are self-drilling/tapping and separate the belt fibers without cutting them. The Superscrew has many sublines but they all have some very similar traits. First off they are easy to install only requiring 1-2 people. These splices are meant to be leakproof, flexible, and compatible with small pulley diameters and scrapers. All of these splices are also abrasion resistant ranging from 150mm cubed to 15mm cubed. All of these splices also have the ability to be used within the same industries such as; cement plants, quarries and surface mines, and heavy industry. With that being said, lets break down all of the different products in this line….

The Primary is a temporary solution that consists of French made flexible screw joints that has a price range that is accessible to anyone. The installation on this splice is so easy that it can be done in under two hours. Thicknesses on this splice range from 4mm on the top and 3.7mm on the bottom up to 6mm on the top and 5mm on the bottom. The abrasion resistance on the primary is the lowest at 150 mm cubed (when it comes to mm cubed, keep in mind that a higher number means more loss in surface area and less abrasion resistance). Due to this, it is best to use this as a temporary splice and not to use it on heavy industry.

The Original has a higher abrasion resistance of 50mm cubed, heat resistance, fire resistance, and oil resistance. This makes the original a better permanent option for your operation. The original is also thicker with splices ranging from 7.5mm on the top and 4.5mm on the bottom to 10.5mm on the top and 8mm on the bottom. The original is the first of the splices that can be applied to heavy industry.

The Evolution has all of the properties of the original, however, it can withstand extremely low temperatures and comes in a food white option that is FDA approved. It should also be noted that the evolution is more flexible and resistant to outside forces than the previous two options. Thickness ranges from 3.5mm on the top and 3mm on the bottom to 6mm on the top and 4.7mm on the bottom. This lower range of thickness lends to the splice’s flexibility.

The evolution also comes with less screws and spacers for equal skiving on both sides. This makes the splice easier to properly install than the original. Lastly, the evolution can be used in all of the applications that the original can and can also be used in underground mines.

The Security is very similar to the evolution. It has all of the same resistances and is used in the same industries. With that being said, there are some key differences. First, and most importantly, it comes with a safety indicator which allows you to tell when it is time to change the splice. A red border is visible when the junction must be replaced. Secondly, due to the safety indicator, it doesn’t come in food white. Lastly, the thickness is different. Thicknesses can range from 6mm on the top and 3mm on the bottom to 10mm on the top and 4.7mm on the bottom.

The Premium splice is made of polyurethane which makes it extremely abrasion and oil resistant. The abrasion resistance is the highest at 15mm cubed. Outside of this, the splice has very similar properties to the original.

Outside of the Superscrew, Minet has some other temporary and permanent fixes….

The Fix N’ Go is used for fixing longitudinal rips, belt edge snags, impacts, holes. This product can also be used for splicing two belts longitudinally. The fix n’ go comes in either galvanized or stainless steel and is covered in a fire resistant covering that meets ISO 340 and 284 specs. The covering allows the fix n’ go to resist he flashes up to 170-200 degrees C. This product can be applied to single or multi-ply belts that are less than 1250N/mm. All you need for installation is a power driver and a belt skiver. Like the Superscrew, it is compatible with small pulley diameters and is used in a lot of the same industries.

The MS fastener is used to join two different belts by screwing them together without the need to pre-drill or use a template. Like the Fix N’ Go, all you need is a power driver. This process can be done on belts that are; 3.5-18mm thick, up to 800 PIW or 1250 N/m, and on pulleys with diameters that range from 3”-18”. If you haven’t noticed the trend yet, this product is also used in mines, heavy duty industries, cement plants, agriculture, etc.

The Self- lock is used in the lightweight belting industry and is an alternative to the Alligator Lacing system. Like the Alligator Lacing System, this is a one step installation using claws that close back on themselves creating a loop within the belt. This process is also done with a hammer. The light-weight belt applications include the food industry, packaging, and agriculture.

Lastly, the Clip N’ Lock is a monobloc metal fastener with meander design and a double row of teeth. The meander design ensures that you don’t loose claws while the double row gives you 33% more grip points than other fasteners. This is fills the same niche as Flexco’s wire hook system and G-Series. The major benefit of this lacing is that it can be installed with any tool on the market, not just Minet’s. This fastener is commonly used in agribusiness, paper converting, and laundry.

Conclusion

When it comes to mechanical lacing, no certain product is the “best. There is just what it best for you. To determine this you always need to consider several things. First, can you use mechanical splicing on your equipment or is a non-laced splice better for your operation. Then you need to consider your industry, machines, belts, budget, and installation equipment. If you ever need help making a decision, that is what we are for.