It's the Little Things That Count

Doctor blade holders

Doctor blades themselves are not the only components to look at. Sometimes it’s not the blade itself that is the problem, but the apparatus holding it.

The Fres-co System USA, Inc. ­Telford, Penn., plant had presses using heavy 61 3/4˝ long manual screw-clamp doctor blade holders that required lots of time, caution, and difficult lifting and handling. They also required 3˝ wide doctor blades plus backer blades. There were some print problems associated with flat contact angles related to the excess flexibility of the blade/backer combination relative to the requirements of the cylinder (size), ink parameters, and line speed. The Allison Systems wedge-lock™ holder replaced the “heavyweights” and after a significant time in service, revealed the following: