An employee was doing maintenance on an automated label laminator. After replacing a roll, the employee had to place stripping bands back into the grooves/ridges of the glue applicator roll. He began to guide the stripping band into place on the groove with his left hand to keep the bands from sliding out. At the same time, he was straightening the stripping band with his right hand to keep it from twisting. His left hand then got close to a nip point. As he was attempting to pull his hand out, the rolls smashed his left hand, amputating his middle fingertip (no bone loss) and avulsing the fingernails of his third, fourth, and fifth digits.