Predicting the causes of operational anomalies in blade coating

P. Alam*, S. Stoor, M. Toivakka

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract / Description of output

Blade coating is a high speed (~ 20ms -1) coating operation that involves the squeezing of shear thinning coating slurry between a base paper substrate and a steel metering blade. The gap between the blade and the paper can be as small as 1μm and mineral pigments in the slurry can become trapped, giving rise to streaks and scratches on the coating surface. The objective of the research presented herein is to develop a model for simulating the process of blade metering and to use the model to investigate operational anomalies connected to the process. The effects of specific variables were studied notably; blade shape and backing roll stiffness. Virtual experimentation was undertaken to study the deformation of the paper surface, the coating colour thickness and the position of the stagnation point (where pigments may gather). The choice of blade type was found to have a highly localised influence on the area close to the nip. The backing roll stiffness was shown to be one of the most important parameters in blade metering. Lowering the stiffness decreases the coating thickness and pushes the stagnation point further away from the heel region.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSurface Effects and Contact Mechanics X
Pages205-216
Number of pages12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2011
Event10th International Conference on Surface Effects and Contact Mechanics: Computational Methods and Experiments, SECM11 - , Malta
Duration: 21 Sept 201123 Sept 2011

Publication series

NameWIT Transactions on Engineering Sciences
Volume71
ISSN (Print)1743-3533

Conference

Conference10th International Conference on Surface Effects and Contact Mechanics: Computational Methods and Experiments, SECM11
Country/TerritoryMalta
Period21/09/1123/09/11

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • Coating
  • Fluid dynamics
  • Metering
  • Modelling simulation
  • Multiphysics
  • Solid mechanics
  • Time dependent non-newtonian hyperelastic process engineering

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