Tag: In Safe Hands with Polymer Doctor Blades Series

  • Safety First: Discover Why Plastic Doctor Blades Are Preferred over Steel

    Safety First: Discover Why Plastic Doctor Blades Are Preferred over Steel

    Everyone agrees that plastic doctor blades are safer than steel. But why exactly is this true? The answer lies in the fundamental differences between the two materials: steel blades are harder and sharper than plastic blades. While this is commonly understood, the reason becomes clear when we examine the molecular structures of these materials.

    What Does It Mean to Be Sharp?

    Steel and plastic materials (and all matter) are comprised of small particles. As a doctor blade wears, the material is removed in clusters of particulate which can be no smaller than the basic particle size of the material. So, the finest tip on a blade can only be as wide as one particle. And since plastic particles are larger than steel particles, a plastic blade worn to its finest point will be wider than steel. This combined with the fact that plastic is inherently softer than steel, results in a plastic blade edge that is less “sharp” than steel and safer to handle.

    Ink Metering with Plastic Bladesblank

    Given this information, one might wonder if plastic blades can wipe as effectively as a steel blade. The answer is some can, and some can’t. UHMW plastic for example is perfect for applying ink or coating in applications where graphic difficulty is limited.  But it is too soft for applications involving high screen anilox rolls or precise metering requirements where a fine contact area is required.

    Thanks to next-generation polymers like Delrin, Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK), or glass/Kevlar reinforced materials, there are compositions that are rigid enough to support a fine contact area similar to that of steel. The bonus is these blades are plastic, so they are inherently softer and do not develop a dangerous cutting edge risking injury to press operators.

    Making the Switch

    Next-generation polymer doctor blades offer the performance of steel blades while providing the safety of plastic blades. The combination of advanced materials and innovative profile (MicroTip, bevel, etc.) design enables these safe doctor blades to perform in demanding applications previously dominated by steel. Substituting a next-generation polymer doctor blade for steel is a great way to produce a high-quality product while maintaining a safe work environment.

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  • In Safe Hands with Polymer Doctor Blades Blog Series Part 2 “Steel Doctor Blade Risk Management”

    In Safe Hands with Polymer Doctor Blades Blog Series Part 2 “Steel Doctor Blade Risk Management”

    blankWorkplace hazards are present in almost every industry, and the printing industry is no exception. A press operator faces many dangers at work every day. One of the greatest is the risk of serious lacerations to his hands if he’s using steel doctor blades. He is exposed to being cut anytime he’s handling them – installing or removing them from the press, cleaning them, disposing them and when changing end seals. The blades are especially dangerous when being replaced – their edges become honed through contact with the anilox roll as they wear, leaving razor-sharp tips that can cause serious cuts.

    Fortunately, printers have a variety of options to reduce or eliminate the risk of injuries from steel doctor blades without sacrificing print quality.

    Wear personal protective equipment

    blankWhen worn correctly, cut-resistant gloves can prevent injuries to operators when using steel blades. However, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2012 figures show that about 70% of lost-time hand injuries occur on workers who aren’t wearing gloves. The remaining 30% are wearing gloves at the time of the accident, but the gloves are inadequate, damaged or the wrong type for the job. It goes to show, the steel doctor blade risk of serious lacerations to a press operator’s hands doesn’t just go away with wearing protective gloves.

    Establish occupational health and safety programs

    Companies with safety and health management programs reduce their injury and illness costs by an estimated 20-40% according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In fact, an ASSE white paper by OSHA’s Office of Regulatory Analysis suggests that companies that implement effective safety and health programs can expect a return of $4 to $6 for every $1 invested. These programs lead to improved productivity and employee well-being in addition to reducing injury-related direct and indirect costs. Training employees and documenting handling procedures can also be beneficial in reducing the doctor blade risk of lacerations. In the pressroom, operators should be taught how to minimize their exposure to the risks from steel doctor blades by following standard protocols – for example by keeping blades in their protective packaging until they are ready to be installed and not changing blades on a machine while it’s running.

    Switch to plastic doctor blades

    The above options will certainly lower the risk of getting cut by steel blades but switching to plastic doctor blades will completely eliminate this doctor blade risk. Plastic materials are inherently softer and less sharp than steel. Even when plastic blades are worn, their edges are not sharp enough to cut a press operator.

    Unlike in the past, a printer producing high-quality graphics now has the option of choosing a plastic blade for its safety benefits. Next generation polymer blades with MicroTip® technology can compete with the metering performance of steel in even the most demanding graphics applications while retaining the safety benefits of traditional plastic.

    Next generation polymers with MicroTip®

    blankToday’s advanced polymer material is stiffer than traditional plastic and can support a precisely engineered MicroTip edge. This tip design allows the blade to achieve and maintain a fine contact area with the anilox roll comparable to a steel blade. Next generation polymer blades are able to effectively meter line screens up to 2000 LPI or 785 L/cm and produce graphics of the highest quality. The MicroTip has a long and steady wear period which reduces the frequency of blade changes and delivers consistent ink film thickness for the duration of the print job.

    Today’s printers have more options than ever to improve workplace safety. Protective gear and safety programs will no doubt reduce the risk of injuries from steel doctor blades. But if you want to completely eliminate these injuries, then completely eliminate steel blades from your pressroom. Switch to next generation polymer blades and get the best of both worlds – high performance metering and safety.

    Look for part three of our In Safe Hands with Polymer Doctor Blades Blog Series – “Not the Sharpest Blade in the Pressroom.”

    Part 1: “Numbers That Add Insults to Doctor Blade Injuries“ – Read about the frequency of hand injuries in the workplace and their impact on a company’s bottom line

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  • In Safe Hands with Polymer Doctor Blades Blog Series Part 1 “Numbers That Add Insults to Doctor Blade Injuries”

    In Safe Hands with Polymer Doctor Blades Blog Series Part 1 “Numbers That Add Insults to Doctor Blade Injuries”

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    OSHA reports, “Businesses spend $170 billion a year on costs associated with occupational injuries and illnesses.” Also, “Employers pay almost $1 billion per week for direct workers’ compensation costs alone.” These statements by themselves are alarming. But even more concerning is the fact that these costs are “expenditures that come straight out of company profits.”

    It’s not hard to imagine how traumatic it can be to experience (or even witness) an accident at work. But what not many people think about is the frequency that these injuries occur and the impact they can have on a company’s bottom line.

    It’s true that government regulations have helped keep workers safer. But on-the-job accidents continue to be a big problem for many businesses – and the printing industry is no exception. In the pressroom, some of the most common accidents are cuts and lacerations that occur when operators are handling steel doctor blades. Their edges are incredibly sharp, and machinists need to be extremely careful when installing and removing them from the press to avoid seriously injuring their hands.

    Hand injuries in numbers

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    According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, hand injuries account for 1,080,000 emergency department visits by workers every year in the U.S. (Industrial Safety & Hygiene News, May 1, 2015). In fact, hand injuries ranked second in number after back strains, sprains and other work injuries to the torso in 2015, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (U.S. BLS), and close to 20% of all workplace injuries involved cuts and lacerations to the hand and fingers.

    Some other statistics assign dollars to these injuries. The U.S. BLS informs us that hand and wrist accidents, the most expensive of all emergency department injuries, cost $740 million every year; the average hand injury claim now exceeds $6,000, with each lost-time workers’ compensation claim totaling just under $7,500.

    Hidden costs of hand injuries

    Equally significant are the indirect costs associated with work-related injuries. A study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery indicates that productivity costs due to absenteeism contributed more to the total costs of hand and wrist injuries (56%) than did directly related health-care costs. The U.S. BLS recorded 124,540 on-the-job hand injuries in 2015 that resulted in recordable missed work time of 5 days each. These and other secondary costs – machine downtime, equipment repairs, training of replacement employees, accident investigation, implementation of preventive measures, not to mention bad publicity – contribute to the already steep costs of workplace injuries.

    Like many companies, printers pay a high price for on-the-job injuries. Some of these costs directly affect profits while others have an impact on operations and employee well-being that’s harder to quantify. One thing is certain though – as OSHA cautions, “In today’s business environment, these costs can be the difference between operating in the black and running in the red.”

    Look for part two of our In Safe Hands with Polymer Doctor Blades Blog Series – “Steel Doctor Blade Risk Management” to learn about ways to reduce or eliminate these risks.