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Chambered Doctor Blade Systems 101

Sheetfed offset tower coating units use a chambered doctor blade system (also called an enclosed doctor blade system) to apply coating to the anilox roll.  The anilox roll then delivers a precise volume of coating to the printing cylinder, and finally to the sheet.

HOW IT WORKS:
In a chambered doctor blade system, coating is pumped into the chamber and disbursed to the anilox roll with the help of a pair of doctor blades: the metering blade and the containment blade.  The metering blade wipes the excess coating from the roll while the containment blade keeps the coating from leaking out of the chamber.  End seals keep the coating from seeping out of the ends of the chamber.  The anilox roll carries a precise volume of coating to the printing cylinder via tiny cups or "cells" which are engraved into its surface. 

Both the anilox engraving and the metering doctor blade have an impact on the volume of coating delivered to the sheet.  The value of the containment blade and end seals lies in their ability to prevent coating leaks from the chamber which can cause waste, result in downtime for cleaning, and interfere with coating quality.

Learn about our doctor blades and anilox cleaning products