Can you slit a standard timing belt to a custom width?

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Direct answer: Yes. Timing belts are moulded in sleeves of a standard width and can be slit down to a narrower width while keeping the original pitch, tooth count and length. A non-standard width therefore often needs no new mould and no tooling cost. Slitting only removes material, so a belt can never be made wider than the sleeve it was cut from.A wide sleeve such as this 5M-1210-220 can be slit into several narrower belts with the same pitch and length.Slitting against a new mouldRequirementRouteWhat it means for youNarrower than a stock widthSlit from a wider sleeveSame pitch and length, no tooling, shortest routeWider than any sleeve we holdNew mould or another constructionTooling cost and a longer lead timeNon-standard length as well as widthMould plus slitBoth dimensions must be confirmed before quotingWidth plus added featuresSlit first, then machineCleat, hole and coating positions must be agreed on the drawingVery narrow, roughly under 10 mmSlit with a stability checkNarrow belts are more sensitive to tracking and edge wearA 155 mm wide 390XL shows how much material one sleeve provides; the same sleeve yields several narrow belts.What to put on the drawingFinished width and the tolerance you accept, for example 20 mm plus or minus 0.5 mm.Whether the cut edge must be square and burr free. A ragged edge wears quickly and can damage the pulley flange.For PU belts, whether exposed cord at the cut edge is acceptable in your application, or whether the edge has to be sealed or covered.Whether one edge stays moulded. A slit edge on both sides is normal, but it is worth stating rather than assuming.Any feature measured from an edge, because slitting changes the datum you measure from.Slitting keeps the moulded tooth form intact: only the width changes, not the pitch. Slitting is a cutting operation, not a repair. A belt that has already run cannot be re-cut reliably, so specify the width when the order is placed.Send the width you needEmail sales@goodlybelts.com with your belt marking or drawing, the finished width and tolerance, and the quantity, or use the enquiry form. We will confirm whether the width can be slit from stock or needs a mould, and quote both routes.Check my belt width

Can you slit a standard timing belt to a custom width?

Slitting against a new mould

What to put on the drawing

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Requirement	Route	What it means for you
Narrower than a stock width	Slit from a wider sleeve	Same pitch and length, no tooling, shortest route
Wider than any sleeve we hold	New mould or another construction	Tooling cost and a longer lead time
Non-standard length as well as width	Mould plus slit	Both dimensions must be confirmed before quoting
Width plus added features	Slit first, then machine	Cleat, hole and coating positions must be agreed on the drawing
Very narrow, roughly under 10 mm	Slit with a stability check	Narrow belts are more sensitive to tracking and edge wear