Kolding, Denmark, – TRESU Group, a global supplier of printing products for the flexo and offset printing markets, has launched a light-weight, easily changeable chamber doctor blade system for a host of narrow- and mid-web flexo applications at LabelExpo Europe 2011 (Stand 11S100).
 
The FlexiPrint IMW E-Line Chamber Doctor Blade System ensures smooth, defect-free results with solvent-, water- or UV-inks on virtually all paper, folding carton and film substrates.
 
At under 10kg, its compact, light weight design requires no tooling and offers fast changeover, low maintenance as well as predictable, splash-free results. A patented fast seal-change system features flexible rubber seals that form a perfect barrier at the chamber sides, minimizing the possibility of leakage. The system also includes TRESU's E-Line doctor-blade changing system that allows firm, uniform clamping without screws, so that blades can be exchanged safely in less than one minute.
 
The system's adjustable flow and pressure controls prevent micro-foaming, a phenomenon that occurs when air in anilox cells mixes with ink. The system allows the operator to overcome this by raising the pressure of the ink inside the chamber and against the anilox roll, creating a wall of ink at the point where the rotating cells meet the blade.  
 
Furthermore, a quick-load system allows the chamber to slot into a position that can be adjusted in fine increments, to compensate for blade wear.
 
The unit has an ink volume of between 1.35l/m and 2.2l/m depending on chamber size, and is suitable for anilox diameters between 64mm and 200mm, web-widths up to 1500mm and printing speeds up to 500m/min. Bespoke designs of the FlexiPrint IMW E-Line system are available, to allow its seamless fit into the design of OEM (original equipment manufacture) presses; retrofitting is also possible for operators who wish to upgrade existing machines.
 
"The proliferation of and increased demand for speciality inks and coatings has made the uniform, smooth lay-down of flexographic inks a more challenging affair.  The launch of the IMW E-Line Chamber Doctor Blade System offers a universal solution that gives assurance of smooth results at high print speeds, safety and minimum make-ready time," says Henrik Kristensen, sales and technical manager, TRESU Group.