Thirumala Makers & Marketers

Nungambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Doctor Blade is a generic term for any steel, rubber, plastic, or other type of blade used to apply or remove a liquid substance from another surface, such as those blades used in coating paper. The term "doctor blade" is believed to be derived from the name of a blade used in conjunction with ductor rolls on letterpress presses. The term "ductor blade" eventually mutated into the term "doctor blade." Doctoring is an important element in paper machine functionality, sheet quality and productivity. Doctors are basically scraping equipment required in many positions on a paper machine and coater to remove contaminants or water from the rolls and for special functions like creping and coating. In gravure printing, thedoctor bladeis a steel strip used to remove ink from the outside surface of thegravure cylinder. Although steel is preferred in most gravure applications, plastics are occasionally used, usually in conjunction with a worn cylinder as a means of prolonging its life. Steel doctor blades vary in thickness from 0.15 mm to 0.30 mm, and are manufactured with strict tolerances. (Plastic blades can be as thick as 0.05 mm.) The most important consideration in the manufacture of a doctor blade is straightness, so as to ensure consistent scraping pressure across the width of the cylinder. More..