Why Regular Maintenance of Endless Splicing Equipment Matters

Efficient conveyor systems are the backbone of material handling operations across industries. Most facilities stay on top of belt and conveyor maintenance, but the splicing equipment itself often gets forgotten. That oversight can lead to expensive problems down the road.

For distributors who work with endless splicing equipment, particularly those handling plied thermoplastic belting and PVC/PU conveyor belts in food manufacturing facilities, regular maintenance is not optional; it's a requirement. When your press stops working correctly, you risk poor splice quality, weak finger splices, contamination issues, safety problems, and downtime that costs you AND your customers money.

If you have not inspected your splicing equipment recently, this is your wake-up call.

What Happens When Splicing Equipment Is Not Maintained? 
Poor Splice Quality Affects Belt Performance

A clean, strong splice keeps belts running longer and performing better. This is especially critical in food processing, where sanitation standards are strict. When a press is not calibrated or maintained properly, it creates weak splices that can fail, cause belts to mistrack, or lead to product contamination.

Weak splices also trap more material at the seam. Cleaning systems struggle to remove this buildup, which can lead to compliance violations, product recalls, or health hazards in food production settings. Regular press maintenance helps to stop these problems before they start.

Safety Risks Increase for Your Operators

Neglected equipment puts your technicians in danger. Splicing presses that have not been serviced or inspected on a regular schedule can overheat or fail without warning, forcing operators to work with hot or damaged parts.

For example, the electric pins and Harting connectors of the Novitool® Aero® Splice Press need frequent assessments to catch wear before it causes failure. Skipping these checks does more than just create safety hazards; it can also take your most important splicing tool offline right when you need it.

Unexpected Breakdowns Cost You Money and Trust

The true cost of poor maintenance hits hardest when a press fails while on the job. Imagine your crew arrives at a customer site, unpacks their equipment, and discovers that their splice press is inoperable. Now you are looking at hours or days of unplanned downtime while
you track down a working replacement. 

Your customer's production stops, deadlines get missed, and your reputation takes a hit. Preventive maintenance helps to keep these nightmare scenarios from ever happening.

How Regular Maintenance Protects Your Bottom Line
Your Equipment Lasts Longer

Simple routine care of your splicing equipment dramatically extends how long your press will last. By keeping critical components in good condition, you avoid early failures and maintain consistent, high-quality splicing performance day after day, and year after year.

Advanced splice presses like the Novitool® Aero® Splice Press track  cycle logs for thermoplastic belt splicing operations. This data helps belt fabrication shops and distributors optimize their heat welding parameters for different PVC and PU belt compositions. Additionally, it shows early warning signs of wear before parts fail, and if you check these logs regularly, you can proactively schedule maintenance on your terms instead of dealing with the headache of emergency repairs.

Unlike water-cooled vulcanizing presses that risk bacterial contamination in food processing environments, modern air-cooled splice presses effectively eliminate this hazard while producing finger splices in 8-12 minutes. This rapid cycle time is essential for belt distributors serving food manufacturing facilities where downtime costs can exceed $100,000 per hour.

Less Downtime Keeps Customers Happy

Distributors with solid preventive maintenance programs deliver better customer service. When your splicing equipment is always ready to jump into action, you avoid delays and service interruptions. In turn, your customers trust that they can consistently count on you to take on and actually finish jobs.

For belt fabrication shops and distributors serving multiple food processing clients, having calibrated equipment means faster turnaround times and the ability to handle more service calls per week.

Your preventive maintenance schedule should include:

• Daily visual inspections
• Weekly belt tension checks
• Monthly comprehensive system audits

For thermoplastic belt splice presses handling PVC and PU materials, maintaining proper temperature calibration between 180-220°C is critical for optimal finger splice quality. 

By having a reliable, well-maintained splicing system in place, that can be the difference between a smooth production and a costly shutdown that damages both revenue and the relationships that you’ve worked so hard to build.

Is having "cheaper" equipment cost upfront worth the upkeep and the potential loss of work orders?

The Flexco Proactive Maintenance Plan

Whether you're splicing plied thermoplastic belts, creating finger splices for food-grade PU belting, or maintaining step splices on PVC conveyors, proper splice press calibration is essential for achieving the high tensile strength retention that modern thermoplastic belts require.
So, if your press has not been inspected in a while, now is the time to do something.

The Flexco Proactive Maintenance Plan lets distributors send equipment in for comprehensive inspection and system optimization by trained specialists.

Our team takes a deep look at your equipment, reviews performance logs, tests key components, and determines the best maintenance approach for you. If repairs or replacements are needed, we provide clear recommendations and an action plan that will keep your customers' belts running and your invoices paid.Our team also offers a loaner press during the inspection period, meaning you can keep serving customers and completing critical jobs while your unit gets serviced.

Take Control of Your Splicing Equipment Performance

Get Your Splice Press Maintenance Quote

Get Ahead of Problems Before They Start

Taking a proactive approach to endless splicing equipment maintenance does more than protect your machinery. It protects your business, your customers, and your profits.

Stop waiting for your equipment to break down. A properly maintained system delivers quality splices, prevents unexpected downtime, and builds your reputation as a distributor customers can trust.

Make proactive maintenance part of how you do business, not something you think about later.

Schedule Your Proactive Maintenance Inspection

About the Author: Michelle Graves, Product Manager
Graves manages the overall global business, market plans, technical support, and activities associated with the light-duty belting market for the Novitool product line, including new product development, market analysis, and global strategy. Graves holds a bachelor’s degree from Albion College as well as a master’s degree from Grand Valley State University.