Coatings, proper setting of the blade, and properly selecting a doctor blade for your application/press will go a long way toward prolonging the life of the blade.

By Chris Mc Loone

According to Jackson, the blade-life challenges of white ink led to the company creating tool-steel blades that extended blade lives by five to ten times and helped to maintain the integrity of the gravure or anilox cylinder.

Other considerations

Lichon states that the best of doctoring systems require blade material that meets the expectations of the user. To that end, do not just judge the blades, judge the supplier too. “The supplier should be judged for service, response time, and the ability to help find a blade that meets and exceeds expectations,” he says.