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The Kadant Blog

Nanotechnology Enhanced Doctor Blades Meet the Challenge

nano picNanotechnology, as it applies to doctor blades, is a microscopic filler material that is used to enhance the doctor blade performance. It’s added to resin to make the blade denser with higher peel strength and improved chip resistance. This stands out from a typical composite blade and allows for better wear resistance and roll cleaning.

Often a primary goal of a mill using doctor blades is to increase the longevity of the blade while maintaining the blade’s leading edge. While doctor blades are used generally for dewatering and roll surface cleaning, there are applications that require removal of extra tough debris such as stickies or the sheet. The following case study is an example of just this.

Challenge
A mill was failing to reach the desired 14-day run time on a center press roll position.

Solution
The critical roll position incorporated a dual-beam doctor system. After close inspection, it was recommended to use a combination of an nPak C+™ nanotechnology doctor blade in the first position and a SynTek 5 Plus™ doctor blade in the second position.

Result
The longer blade life contributed to a 30% reduction in operating costs, providing a platform for the user to complete an internal cost-saving initiative. In addition, the increased uptime helped the mill to meet challenging targets of improved production efficiencies and increased output.

Click here for an interview with Kadant’s Mike Six, Regional Applications Manager – Doctoring, about nanotechnology-enhanced doctor blades.

  • Written by:
    Jerry Vandoros

    Jerry Vandoros

    Technical Director, Kadant Solutions Division

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