Blade Trade-offs

Plastic and composite doctor blades come up sharp in safety and wear, but steel's metering edge may be tough to beat.

By Susan Friedman

"Plastics make it possible," a recent American Plastics Council ad campaign trumpets. In the doctor blade arena, plastic and composite blades have offered an alternative to steel for over 20 years. Here's a review of what these materials make possible on-press, most notably, safety perks and wear resistance.