The Reason behind Doctor Chamber Leaks

The doctor chamber of the flexographic printing process is where all the magic happens.  When the material to be printed on, the substrate, is run through the doctor chamber inks and dyes are applied to the substrate which is pressed over a plate with an image cut into it.  This allows the inks and dyes to form the shapes and shades of the plate image to create a beautifully printed product.  This is currently the most efficient and most accurate printing process on the market, giving a variety of great results to so many production companies and printers around the world.

When a leak in the doctor chamber occurs it can cause a great deal of waste and even ruined material for the printer.  Here are some reasons leaks occur:

•    Wrong end seal – If the wrong material is in place as the end seal the chamber will leak and cause waste.

•    End seal not installed properly – Seems kind of obvious, a tight fit is needed to keep this process tight and working right.

•    Worn end seals – When the end seals get worn from multiple uses and need to be replaced its important to do so, continued use can cause a leakage.

•    Wrong end seal size and shape – This is critical, fitting the end seal correctly for different substrates is part of ensuring the right fit.

A leakage can cost a printer a lot of money in ink and dye costs.  It’s important to test and make sure all parts of the doctor chamber are properly aligned, fitted, of the correct material and ready to do the job.  When unsure about what the right fit is or material to use printers should consult their flexographic accessories vendor to learn what the correct settings are to make sure they will have a great fit and fantastic printing experience with little to no leakage during the entire process.

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Types of Chamber Seals

Chamber seals are used to ensure the ink used during the flexographic printing process does not leak out the ends of the seals.  A secondary purpose of these seals is to keep the blades in place to ensure the job can be done correctly.  Although it seems these seals could be universal it takes the right seal for the application to ensure the job is done correctly.  When all items in the doctor chamber are made of the correct material the results are gorgeous and attractive for the most attractive printing possible.

There are several different types of chambers seals that can be used, here are a few:

•    Foam seals – The most common and least expensive but often not the right choice for long press runs, higher press speed and particular chemical compounds.

•    Neoprene or rubber seals – Made for durability and are compatible with a variety of inks to be able to be used on multiple jobs without the need to be changed out.

•    Pre-soaked felt seals – Compatible with all types of inks and the perfect solution to resolve any leakage issues.  These seals are soaked in petroleum to help reduce friction and prevent the ink from building up on them.

Without the right chamber seal a printer will experience a massive amount of wasted inks in the printing process.  In order to make the flexographic printing process the most efficient it can be the right seals are needed to get the job done.  There are even some environmental chamber seals which are made from recycled material or biodegradable materials to ensure they break down after use and help to reduce waste.  As the most disposable part of the flexographic printing process these environmental chamber seals can be the perfect solution for a printing company that is attempting to be as environmentally friendly as possible.  With the right equipment the printing will be beautiful and highly accurate.

To know more information about chamber seals please visit the website.