Method of finishing a belt seam, an intermediate transfer belt finished in accordance with the same method, and a printing machine with an intermediate transfer belt finished in accordance with the same method

摘要

An intermediate transfer belt includes a seam that is finished using a finishing machine. The intermediate transfer belt comprises a belt outer surface and a belt inner surface. The seam comprises a seam outer surface of a seam width with adhesive material disposed thereon. The finishing process includes a finishing media with a finishing surface and a backer bar. The backer bar comprises a backer bar radius and a backer bar surface with a backer surface curvature based on the backer bar radius. The backer bar surface is positioned against the belt inner surface so that the belt outer surface contacts the finishing surface to define a finishing contact arc with respect to the backer bar radius. A tension, feed rate and pressure are applied to the finishing media. The backer bar radius is then adjusted so that the finishing contact arc covers the seam width. Using the finishing machine, the seam is then finished to remove the adhesive material. The backer bar radius is adjusted by any convenient means such as, for example, by grinding the backer bar. The finishing process results in a seam that is imageable.