Tresu introduces new flexo chambered doctor blades

The carbon fiber composition gives the chamber high-strength qualities, enabling a relatively low weight of between 2.4kg and 4.1kg per linear meter (around 1.6-2.74lbs per linear foot), and so easing chamber exchange.

Inside the chamber, a top-coated ink-repellent surface offers extra protection against ink and detergents with high and low pH values, and ensures efficient, thorough cleaning after job completion.

Further, curved inner surfaces maximize the volume available and facilitate controlled discharge. The chamber’s design enables ink and coating circulation in relatively low volumes.

The units offer pressure-controlled ink and coating circulation with manual or closed-loop control systems, like the Tresu F10 iCon. They also feature Tresu’s patented seal system, preventing leakage, and stainless steel blades whose clamping system enables changeover within two minutes.

Tresu said that the enclosed environment, resulting from the seal and precise blade positioning, ensures pressure and flow rate are maintained at desired levels without manual intervention. This stops air contaminating the chamber and results in foam free transfer of inks and coatings directly to the anilox cells. This in turn ensures a clean, blister-free printed image, Tresu said, with fast drying characteristics, better reflection and higher gloss values, whether on paper or film.

The enclosed chamber also prevents solvents from escaping and protects the ink from degradation due to exposure to the atmosphere.

The new carbon fiber chambered doctor blade range includes variants with pneumatic (P-Line) or eccentric (E-Line) clamping systems that allow changeover of stainless steel or plastic blades within two minutes.

The CFC P-Line, for water-based corrugated, tissue, flexible packaging and specialist applications up to 6,000mm (236.2in) wide is, at 2.4kg per linear meters (1.6lbs per linear foot), the lightest of the three chambered doctor blades. The CFC E-Line is suited for water, UV and solvent digital primer coating, napkin, tissue and flexible packaging applications up to 2,000mm (78.7in) wide. The Ceraflex E-Line, P-Line or S-Line feature a plasma electrolytic oxidation and ceramic topcoat for optimum corrosion-resistance and are suited for all flexo applications up to 3,500mm (137.8in) wide.

All units are retrofittable with all of Tresu’s currently available chamber doctor blade systems.

Henrik Kristensen, vice president of Tresu Ancillary, said: ‘Thanks to its time-saving advantages, optimized fluid control and resilience, the Tresu carbon fiber chamber offers a long-term solution for high productivity, low ownership costs and uniform quality.’