Flexographic We have a full range of Flexographic blades.

Gravure Lamella - tipped Doctor Blades without grinding

Ultimeter ® New alloy developed by Benton Graphics

Pad Printing High quality doctor blades for Pad Printing

Foam Seal Blades The Foam Seal can be applied to all blades.

ARS Blade Scope

Angle Refracting System (ARS) Doctor Blade Scope

Many common print problems are attributed to improper doctor blade contact or running angles. Angles that are too high often cause chatter, while angles that are too low often cause streaking, hazing, and premature blade wear. These problems are found in both Flexographic and Gravure printing. In addition, scanning different sections of the blade can tell you if the blade was mounted parallel to the roll or cylinder.
Benton Graphics manufactures a desktop tool for accurately measuring the contact angles of used doctor blades. This device takes into account the deflection of the blade for a more precise measurement. Each ARS comes equipped with a 50x scope, which is capable of identifying burr, corrosion, breakout, and other blade problems.
Improper contact angles can waste thousands of dollars in press time, ink, and substrate. Low contact angles often lead to excessive blade wear. Operators tend to increase blade pressure to compensate for the many problems caused by low angles. This can potentially damage rolls and cylinders. Benchmark your process when things are running well, or if you currently have blade issues use this tool to help solve them.

 

Recommended Running Angles
Flexographic: 25 to 35 degrees (metering)
Packaging Gravure: 45 to 55 degrees
Publication Gravure: 55 to 70 degrees

Includes: microscopic system, LED light source, instructions on how to examine a used blade, and tips on what you should expect to see along with the recommended contact angles for the various processes.

Note: A custom carrying case is available as an extra cost item.
Click here for operational and usage instructions.