The Science of Doctor Blades

Solution: Knowing what kind of doctor blade to use for each print job significantly decreases the chances for hazing. However, the key to getting rid of hazing is maintaining the blade angle between 55 and 65°. Allison explained that a recent Six-Sigma™ waste analysis study conducted at a gravure plant reported that print waste due to inking and doctoring related problems was found to vary from 3 percent to 65 percent for the same product on the same press depending on which operator was running the job. "By eye, it's not hard to make an angular error." Software, like Allison Tech Doctor Blade Set-Up, takes the guess work out of the operator's hands, displaying the angle of the blade and if it's correct for the cylinder configuration.