Many of the largest OEMs in the digital print space suggest their customers use plastic doctor blades when metering primers or coatings. While bringing brilliance to the printed product, these primer and coating formulations can beat up on the doctor blade. That’s because they contain relatively large particulates embedded into the liquid. These cause abrasions to traditional steel doctor blades and make for frequent blade changes. But advanced, thicker plastics can deflect these particulates more effectively and offer significantly improved blade life. 

Because priming and coating applications typically call for higher volume aniloxes, specifying the right doctor blade is especially important. When using traditional steel, the wider cell openings can create metal shavings that contaminate the primer or coating. It also causes premature wear or damage to the anilox itself. But specially designed, broader tip plastics eliminate both issues. You get a smoother laydown, less friction, and higher performance out of your primer or coating.