Alternative Methods for Dressing Mechanical Splices: Grinding and Encapsulation
If, due to constraints such as limited belt thickness, belt damage, or insufficient time to complete a repair, skiving to properly recess a mechanical splice is not feasible, the splice can be dressed. This can be achieved either by grinding down its projecting surfaces or by encapsulating the raised surfaces.
In the first approach, grinding away the high spots ensures that the leading edge, bolts, and rivets do not protrude above the splice. Care must be taken during grinding to avoid digging into the belt or removing too much of the splice material.
The second method involves encapsulating the splice in a material to protect it and the cleaner from impact damage. Typically, this is done using an adhesive or elastomer applied like putty onto the belt and splice. While the cleaning system will still need to traverse over the mechanical clips, the splice surface becomes smoother without obstacles like fastener heads in the cleaner's path. However, a drawback of this approach is that because the mechanical splice is covered, it becomes more challenging to inspect and repair the joint.
