The invention discloses an inking system for a rotary printing machine, like a flexographic or rotogravure press. The inking system uses the nip area between two cylinders of the machine as the sole source for inking the printing cylinder. This results in an inking system with very little ink, thereby gaining in reaction time and ink waste.

Provided is a gravure printing apparatus, a gravure printing method, and a printed matter manufacturing method in which the ink transfer characteristics in gravure printing are controlled to be improved. The gravure printing apparatus includes: a gravure plate cylinder; a doctor blade configured to scrape off a superfluous ink from a plate surface of the gravure plate cylinder; an impression cylinder configured to press a base material to be printed against the plate surface to transfer the ink remaining in a cell of the gravure plate cylinder; and a transfer characteristics control mechanism configured to control ink transfer characteristics by supplying a gas selected from the group consisting of air having predetermined humidity, dry air, and an inert gas to at least a part of an ink transfer characteristics control area between an ink scraping-off point of the doctor blade on the plate surface and a pressing point of the impression cylinder on the plate surface.

Provided is a gravure printing apparatus, a gravure printing method, and a printed matter manufacturing method in which the ink transfer characteristics in gravure printing are controlled to be improved. The gravure printing apparatus includes: a gravure plate cylinder; a doctor blade configured to scrape off a superfluous ink from a plate surface of the gravure plate cylinder; an impression cylinder configured to press a base material to be printed against the plate surface to transfer the ink remaining in a cell of the gravure plate cylinder; and a transfer characteristics control mechanism configured to control ink transfer characteristics by supplying a gas selected from the group consisting of air having predetermined humidity, dry air, and an inert gas to at least a part of an ink transfer characteristics control area between an ink scraping-off point of the doctor blade on the plate surface and a pressing point of the impression cylinder on the plate surface.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a squeegee blade holder has a first side member, a second side member, and a pivot portion between the first and second side members. The holder also includes a separator between the first and second side members for maintaining compression of the side members against the squeegee blade.

A gravure coater test apparatus includes a gravure roll and a backup roll which are circumscribed to each other, a motor which drives the gravure roll partially submerged in a water-based pressure-sensitive adhesive for coating, a controller which adjusts the rotational speed of the motor, a doctor blade which is selected from a plurality of types to scrape the water-based pressure-sensitive adhesive from the surface of the gravure roll being rotated, and an infrared analyzer which allows at least one of the type of the water-based pressure-sensitive adhesive corresponding to the selected doctor blade, the uniformity of the coating surface, and the amount of the coated water-based pressure-sensitive adhesive to be confirmed.

A blade assembly of a waste catchment system for a roller having a support plate for attachment to a tray of the waste catchment system and a blade holder. The blade holder configured to receive a blade having a longitudinal axis and a free edge extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis and adapted to engage with the roller to be cleaned. The blade holder configured to receive and retain the blade, the blade being removably attachable to the blade holder. One of the blade holder and blades includes a channel and the other of the blade holder and blade includes a protrusion configured to be seated in and retained within the channel. There is a clearance fit between the channel and the protrusion.

Provided is a method for automatically adjusting the contact pressure between an intaglio cylinder and a wiping roller that further limits the amount of defective prints generated. The method adjusts said contact pressure by changing the position of the wiping roller shaft center with respect to the intaglio cylinder shaft center using a contact pressure adjustment motor. At least the position of the wiping roller shaft center at low speed and the position of the wiping roller shaft center during printing operation for which the contact pressures have been optimized during a previous printing are stored. Before starting the current printing operation, the wiping roller is moved to the stored low speed position. Then when the current printing operation is started, the wiping roller is moved to the stored printing operation position.

A doctor blade (5, 7) for contact with an anilox roller (15) comprises a flat, elongate base element having a thickness of less than about 0.3 mm, which, along a longitudinal region of the doctor blade adapted for contact with said anilox roller, is provided with a coating (43). The coating comprises a metal matrix and at least about 65% by weight of one or more ceramic(s). The coating comprises 0 to 65% by weight of chromium carbide. An inking arrangement comprises an anilox roller and a doctor blade. A doctor blade is used in flexographic printing.

A doctor blade (5, 7) for contact with an anilox roller (15) comprises a flat, elongate base element having a thickness of less than about 0.3 mm, which, along a longitudinal region of the doctor blade adapted for contact with said anilox roller, is provided with a coating (43). The coating comprises a metal matrix and at least about 65% by weight of one or more ceramic(s). The coating comprises 0 to 65% by weight of chromium carbide. An inking arrangement comprises an anilox roller and a doctor blade. A doctor blade is used in flexographic printing.

Doctor blades (5, 7) for contact with an anilox roller (15) comprise a flat, elongate base element, which, along a longitudinal region of the doctor blade adapted for contact with said anilox roller, is provided with a coating (43). The coating comprises a metal matrix and at least about 65% by weight of a ceramic or at least about 65% by weight of chromium carbide. An inking arrangement comprises an anilox roller and a doctor blade. A doctor blade is used in flexographic printing.