The Doctor Blade is a critical, flexible blade used in industrial printing processes like Gravure and Flexography to precisely control color density and print quality. Its primary function is the controlled removal of excess ink from the surface of the cylinder or Anilox roller. The blade ensures that ink remains only in the areas intended for printing (the cells of the gravure or anilox). In gravure printing, it wipes ink from the non-image areas of the cylinder to prevent smearing. In flexography, it meters excess ink on the Anilox roller to ensure a uniform and accurate amount of ink is transferred to the flexo plates.