Sandvik Materials Technology is using its steel melting and strip producing expertise to optimise the material properties for doctor blades for gravure and flexographic printing processes. Sandvik’s has totally integrated production from steel melting to the finished strip steel product. Combined with extensive in-house R & D, a range of stainless and carbon strip steels has been designed and developed to give optimum performance and long life. Control and balancing of the steel’s metallurgy results in strip steel with consistent properties. Specially developed hardening and slitting processes result in almost stress free material. Process control in the cold rolling mills ensures a high degree of straightness and flatness, high strength and wear resistance. Excellent surface finish contributes to both corrosion resistance and fatigue strength. Sandvik can tailor the properties of strip steel for doctor blades to suit customer requirements. For example, strip can be supplied with excellent straightness and flatness. This ensures perfect contact between blade and cylinder in a printing press or paper producing machine. It means that blade pressure can be reduced, resulting in less blade and cylinder wear, extended service life and fewer blade changes. Sandvik claims that it will meet any straightness requirements specified by customers.
Sandvik has issued a technical brochure on its strip steel for the printing and paper industries. It includes strip for doctor blades and also coater and creping blades. Details include chemical analysis, physical properties, strip steel sizes available and supply tolerances on thickness, surface and straightness. Copies of the new brochure can be obtained from Sandvik Materials Technology, tel. +46 26 26 30 00, fax +46 26 26 38 50 or www.smt.sandvik.com
