New doctor blade for stable line printing

TKM Meyer GmbH is one of the world’s leading suppliers of doctor blades. In co-operation with the University of Wuppertal, the TKM NEO doctor blade was developed with the potential to significantly improve efficiency and quality in gravure printing. The research project, led by Prof Peter Gust from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, focused on optimising the shape of the blade design to overcome problems with traditional doctor blade geometries. In particular, it focussed on the problem of doctor blade deflection, which often leads to uncontrolled changes in the print image.

With more than five decades of experience in doctor blade manufacturing, TKM Meyer has a deep understanding of the needs of the printing industry. With this in mind, the company cooperated with the University of Wuppertal to develop a solution based on an efficient, user-friendly and sustainable blade design.

“The printing industry has come a long way in recent years. With our ground-breaking TKM NEO doctor blade technology, we are now setting a new benchmark based on a specially developed doctor blade design. This patented solution will have a significant impact on the gravure printing process by increasing productivity and reducing costs”, says Thomas Störte, Managing Director of TKM Meyer.

Problem: stable line printing

The conventional geometry of lamella tip doctor blade blades in gravure printing often has the disadvantage of blade deflection. This may lead to unstable conditions concerning line pressure and work angle in the contact zone, which can have a negative effect on print quality. As a result, press operators often gradually increase the blade pressure during the print job to prevent tonal change or to correct tonal values that are already too high during the print process. However, this manual adjustment leads to a lack of consistency and therefore reduced efficiency and reproducibility in printing. This results in inconsistent print quality, often out of tolerance, leading to more waste and customer complaints.

The solution: cubic lamella geometry

The successful collaboration with the experts at the University of Wuppertal, led by Prof Dr Peter Gust, resulted in the development of a special lamella design.

Through extensive calculations and analysis, the research team developed a new blade geometry with a cubic shape. This innovative shape allows maximum homogeneous stress distribution over the entire length of the blade. This has a positive effect on the blade deflection and therefore the line pressure, and significantly reduces the material stress on the blade. The cubic shape is not only found in technical applications, but also in nature, for example in tree roots and branches, where it ensures even load distribution. The even distribution of stress reduces wear and contributes to extended blade life.

Results and benefits

The result of this extensive research and development is the new TKM MEO doctor blade. It provides constant line pressure throughout the job, which means that there is little need for manual adjustment of the blade pressure. This not only reduces costs, but also significantly improves print quality and reproducibility.

The new lamella tip doctor blade has undergone extensive testing both in the laboratory and in the field. The results show that a uniform line pressure is achieved right from the start of doctoring, and that the contact pressure of the doctor blade is reduced by up to 40%. This in turn reduces wear on the gravure cylinder and doctor blade by up to 20% compared to conventional doctor blades.

A sustainable solution for the future

The benefits of this new doctor blade technology are many and significant. Reduced wear and consistent print quality decrease downtime and material costs, resulting in greater efficiency. In addition, the lamella tip doctor blade features improved steel quality, which significantly reduces the physical stress on the chrome surface of the gravure cylinder.

“TKM Meyer is proud to have developed such an innovative doctor blade technology together with the experts at the University of Wuppertal. The result of this collaboration is a solution that not only meets the current needs of the printing industry, but also the challenges of the future. With the introduction of this ground-breaking technology, TKM NEO is setting a new standard in the gravure printing industry, offering its customers a sustainable, cost-effective and high-performance solution”, states Thomas Störte.

Outlook and presentation at Drupa

TKM Meyer received a European patent for TKM NEO in April. The patent number will be published at Drupa, where further details will also be announced. After the show, the doctor blade manufacturer will make samples of TKM NEO available to interested customers so that they can experience the benefits of the new blade geometry in their own applications.

“We are very excited to present this innovative product at Drupa 2024. TKM NEO will be a game-changer for the gravure industry, paving the way for more efficient and higher quality printing processes. Drupa is the ideal platform to present this groundbreaking development to a broad audience,” concludes Thoma Störte.

Advantages of the TKM NEO doctor blade technology

• Specific line pressure setting remains constant over the entire length of the blade, resulting in consistent print results
• Innovative design eliminates the need for manual blade adjustment, saving time, effort and waste
• Consistent print quality throughout the whole production run ensures reproducible results and significantly reduced customer complaints
• The contact zone between the doctor blade and the gravure cylinder remains stable, contributing to longer lifetime of machine components
• Doctoring is fast and clean, making the printing process more efficient
• The doctor blade has a longer service life, which reduces wear and lowers costs.
• The improved steel quality contributes to the robustness of the doctor blade and increases its service life.
• Gravure cylinder wear is significantly reduced thanks to the new blade design
• Machine downtime and waste are minimised as the doctor blades last longer and require less manual adjustment by the operator during the printing process.

Visit TKM Meyer at Drupa 2024: Hall 3, Booth 3-1