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Flexo Blade Analysis

The document discusses doctor blades used in flexographic printing. It defines doctor blade terminology like contact angle and wear and describes how measurements are analyzed under a microscope. Pictures show contact angle measurements and wear calculations for different samples. The importance of proper contact angle, wear, and force on the doctor blade are explained. Allison Systems helps customers get the right blade setup through analysis to improve print quality.

Uploaded by

Javier Martinez Cañal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
322 views

Flexo Blade Analysis

The document discusses doctor blades used in flexographic printing. It defines doctor blade terminology like contact angle and wear and describes how measurements are analyzed under a microscope. Pictures show contact angle measurements and wear calculations for different samples. The importance of proper contact angle, wear, and force on the doctor blade are explained. Allison Systems helps customers get the right blade setup through analysis to improve print quality.

Uploaded by

Javier Martinez Cañal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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II.

EXO

An"lax

Tanl}Etnt to End

of Doc

CONTACT, ANGLE, WEAR, AND RAT


MWUREMENT ANALYSIS

'LEXO BLADE ANALYSIS


DOCTOR BLADE TERMINOLOGY

ILEXO CONTACT ANGLE DEIINITION

lOR ILEXO INICERS


Web -travelsup side of
ce ntral
impression
flexo press

SHIMS

Shims are needed where the inker


clamp bar was designed for stee l
blades, but thicker plastic or composite
blades are being used.
Shims let you clamp the thicke r
blade without distortion or squeezing it
out of the holder.
Shim thickness sho uld at least eq ual
blade thickness.

FILLERS

Webdown
side
of C.I.
press

Fillers are needed when the clamp


bar, (or the inker itself), was made with
an undercut or slot to accept thick
plastic blades . When using a thin
co mposite or stee l blade, say .0 10"
thick, in an .0 90 " slot, a filler is
needed. The inker must be initially set
slightly closer to the anilox than it
wo uld with a thicker blade.
A filler on the underside of the
blade sho uld be used only when it is
necessary to use a thick containment
blade with a thin doc tor blade, or if
moving the inker a little closer to the
anilox (to use two thin blades) in not
practical.

T
i

The contact angle of the


doctor blade and the anilox
cylinder is described here. The
following microscope ph otos
show the contact angle of the
samples sent for anaylsis.

MICROSCOPE PICTURE LOCATIONS

BACKUP BLADES
In Ilexo, a stee l back-up blade
gives spring support to plastic doctor
blade.

"PES
I

Composite:
0.011" - 0.040"

Metal:
0.004" - 0.012"

Plastic: 0.050" - 0.125"

* Use wherever possible to reduceparticle trapping,


anilox scoring, andto save money. Make 1/8" longer
than doctorif inkerpermits.

Caution : Installation or removal of doctor, co ntainment,


fillers, shims or back-up blades represent a cut hazard since
hands ma y co me in co ntact with sharp edges. Use of cutresistant gloves is recommended. Follow all plant safety
rules for handling and disposal of blades.

SIGNIFICANCE OF FLEXO DOCTOR BlADE


CONTACT ANGLE

b d
\ I p h-I/ d\

P!' -lip <ide

0/

ce ntrsl

IIII PI P"; OIl /! P\ O p iP "

Less than 30 = Not OK*

Fluid dy nam ic effects un der a large, flat blade footp rint


can result in anilox surface ink . .. a "shiny" anilox .
*usually

CONTACT ANGLES ALONG A WORN BLADE PROVIDE IMPORTANT INIORMATION


ABOUT INKER ALIGNMENfI BLADE STABILI~ AND INKER SErrlNG.
CONTACT
ANGLE=X

=X

=Y

=Z

DOCTOR BLADE

.?

MICROSCOPE PIcrURE ANALYSIS - SAMPLE 1


Company Name ~
"@
T~Jt Qg6
SMnph!---=9_

Dare

oth ,.ldentifiIH 123 Bfa

Side Two

Contact Angle
is .26 D

Sample

Center

Contact Anyle
it JI.Or'
Sample

Side One
Contact Angl
is Jl,f2 0

5 mple

ALLISON SYSTEMS GETS THE EDGE,


MICROSCOPE PlcrURE ANALYSIS - SAMPLE t
Company Nam
Date

Test
Other

X97

2, J

Pi

Samp
12
entifier R'" Bt~3

LeftSide
Contact
1$

8.6e.

Contact Angle
is t5.()O

alf~

~/ffaf"

Right SIde
Contact Angle
0
. 9.0
,

fS

GETS THE QUALIfY, AND DOCUMENTS IT.

FORCE
Ex cessive \\ '(\11 on the cioctot IJ/,)(/c usu,Jlly tn c.in s th.it tnn mu ch
The It) II() \vin,~ picture. illustt.in : the \\'(\J( on ,1 ctoctot IJI,1c!c':

Sid

t!)ICC

is being dpplicc! to thc bl.ulc,

The contact angle of the doctor black: and the


anik:: cylinc!el is closcribocl bolow. The microscope
photos ale examples of sample blados that we have
analvLcc! tor contact an~/('s.
Tf1C' chert bclov contains sample wear calculations:
Wear Celculeiions

Origin I

Sample

Original Width

Leftside

Center Side

Right Side

2.7555

2.7480
0.0075

2.7500
0.0055

2.7500
0.0055

2.7610

2.7525
0.0085

2.7555
0.0055

2.7570
0.0040

Wear

Doctor Blld

2
Wear

All measurem ents are in inches

Rig

S ~d

Inal Bev

The tip of the


blade that actually
contacts the cylinder
is referred to as the
flat of the blade. The
picture at left
illustrates the flat.
Sample flat measurements are shown in the table
below:
Flat Measurements
Sample

Left Side

Center Side

Right Side

0.0021
0.0032

0.0025
0.0030

0.0022
0.0029

All measurem ents are in inches

Systems Corporation

LEADING THE WAY IN DOCTOR BLADE INNOVATION SINCE 1968.


220 Adams Street, Riverside, NJ 08075
Tel: 856-461-9111 Fax: 856-461-9373 Toll Free: 877-461-9111
Website: www.allisonblades.com

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