Has your flexo printing equipment been acting up lately? It is time to take a closer look at what could be causing the issue. In fact, we highly recommend that you check your equipment before things get even worse. If you find anything wrong beyond the basic need for adjustments, it will be time to contact the professionals. In this article, we will look at three specific issues, along with potential solutions. 

Causes of Anilox Wear Issues  

Which of the following is causing your issue? A professional technician will find the underlying cause of it quickly. The three following issues are among the most common. 

  • Excessive blade pressure/leaking chamber issues – When you use too much pressure you can create unwanted results such as premature anilox and blade wear. As a result, ink particles and other foreign material become stuck between the anilox roll and the blade. This can cause serious problems, so be sure to have it resolved immediately.  
  • Contaminated ink system – It is important to use a doctor blade which wears down into micro powder instead of metal slivers. Regardless it is important to remove those particles from your inking system. Clean and replace your ink filter on a regular basis and use our TKM Magnets to remove any metal particles not removed by the filter. 
  • Wrong doctor blade material/tip – Avoiding premature doctor blade wear means choosing the correct doctor blade material/tip. It also means ensuring your end seals and chamber run at the lowest possible point of pressure.  

Solutions to Anilox Wear Issues  

Proper preventative maintenance, best-practice operation and consistent measurement are critical to avoiding idle press time. Staying on top of any problems can mean less downtime, especially when you call TKM.  

  • Lower blade pressure – This provides a simple fix to issues such as a leaking chamber and should be the first thing you check. If lowering your blade pressure solves the rest of your problems, that is great! If not, continue making your way down the list of potential solutions. 
  • Use higher chrome content blade – You can resolve your issues by choosing to install a blade with a higher level of chrome.  
  • DuroBlade for whites – Want to get better performance from your printing process? Decrease how often you need to change your blades by choosing our plasma coated DuroBlade. It is well known how abrasive titanium dioxide can be in your inking system but can be overcome with excellent results by running the World’s Longest-Lasting Doctor blade! But longer lasting does not have to be abrasive. TKM’s state-of-the-art doctor blades are more gentle than conventional steel blades, helping to reduce friction and eliminate metal slivers in the ink. 
  • Allow professionals to analyze the blade – The best way to make sure that there is not a significant issue is to call TKM, and we will reveal any chamber issues. This is the best way to avoid the blame game that many print suppliers partake in. Instead of getting passed along from department to department, have a professional technician analyze your blade to let you know what is wrong.