Full definition
Catastrophic failure where the belt tears transversely or longitudinally during operation. Most frequent causes: defective splice (85% of cases), sharp objects in the material, over-tension from blockage, and load cycle fatigue. Longitudinal rips are especially destructive, propagating rapidly along the entire belt run. Prevention: rip detectors, periodic splice inspection. Repair or replacement cost: USD 5,000-200,000 depending on belt size and production downtime.