FLXON Inc. has partnered with Brookfield Engineering Laboratories to help market its entire line of viscosity control systems to the Flexographic and Rotogravure Printing Industries. Mark Johnson, FLXON's marketing manager, adds that Brookfield’s commitment to process control and improvement mirrors FLXON's and both companies strive to help printers drive waste from their process and to improve their sustainability footprint.
Anything in excess is never a good thing. Just like overdoing it by stuffing down that last bite of pie or filling your home with unnecessary material indulgences, printers can also overdo it with an excess amount of ink. Fortunately, this is where doctoring systems come in to save the day, and the printed material. But, like any piece of printing equipment, these systems are not problem-free. That is why converters need to be armed with the knowledge and skills necessary to make sure doctoring systems run properly and efficiently. Happy medium A doctoring blade can only do its job of wiping away excess
Several factors contribute to long doctor blade life. Coatings, proper setting of the blade, and properly selecting a blade for your application/press will go a long way toward prolonging the life of the blade, as well as other press components such as anilox rolls. Considering the plethora of coatings and materials available to printers, blade selection today goes far beyond simply considering price. According to Perry Lichon, president of Retroflex, “While blade materials should be judged by their ability to doctor, they should also be judged for ease of handling, blade life, impact on roll wear, and overall cost.” According to Anthony Foley, vice
Much research and development has gone into the design of modern doctor blades and systems, and knowing what is needed is the most important factor in choosing the correct blade. AUTOMATION. SIMPLICITY. PARTNERSHIP. These three elements are important to the converter involved in any aspect of the printing process, and doctor blades are no exception. "Fundamentally, the job of the printing doctor blade has not changed over the years. A doctor blade must remove excess ink from the ink transfer process without causing other problems," said Paul Sharkey, president, FLXON Inc. "What has changed is that more and more printers realize the doctor blade
