A knife coater (also known as a knife-over-roll coater or doctor blade coater) is a versatile coating machine that applies a precise, controlled layer of liquid or paste-like material onto a moving substrate. The coating thickness is determined by the gap between a doctor blade (knife) and a backing roller or the substrate itself.

This technology is ideal for high-viscosity coatings (500 - 100,000+ cP) that cannot be easily applied by roller or curtain coaters. Typical coating materials include:

• Adhesives (PSA, hot melt, solvent-based)
• PVC paste (plastisol)
• Rubber compounds (latex, SBR, natural rubber)
• Battery electrode slurries (anode/cathode)
• Ceramic slurries
• Flame retardant coatings for textiles
• PU (polyurethane) coatings
• Silicone release coatings

• Wide viscosity range (from low to extremely high)
• Heavy coating weight capability (up to several hundred microns wet)
• Simple, robust design - easy to clean and maintain
• Excellent coating uniformity across full width
• Low maintenance cost compared to slot-die or extrusion coaters

Our knife coater is fully customizable for coating width, viscosity range, coating thickness, drying method, and substrate type (paper, film, foil, textile, nonwoven, metal foil, or rubber sheet).

• Battery manufacturing: electrode coating (lithium-ion anode/cathode slurries)
• Adhesive tape & label: PSA (pressure-sensitive adhesive) coating on release liner
• Textile & nonwoven: flame retardant, PU coating, latex backing, waterproofing
• PVC flooring & artificial leather: PVC paste coating on fabric or release paper
• Rubber sheet & gasket: rubber compound coating on fabric or release film
• Ceramic & green tape: ceramic slurry coating for multilayer capacitors (MLCC)
• Paper & packaging: silicone release coating, hot melt adhesive coating
• Construction materials: asphalt / bitumen coating for roofing membranes

We offer complete customization for the knife coating machine:

• Working width: from 300 mm (lab/pilot) to 3000 mm (industrial)
• Knife type: knife-over-roll, air knife, floating knife, or knife-on-blanket (customizable per coating material)
• Backing roller material and hardness (chrome, rubber, stainless steel)
• Coating head positioning: manual micrometer or automatic servo-controlled gap adjustment
• Drying oven: length, number of zones, heating method (electric/gas IR + hot air)
• Web path: horizontal, vertical, or combination
• Cleanroom class (ISO 5/7/8) for battery or medical applications
• Explosion-proof design for solvent-based coatings
• Integration with upstream (mixing, degassing) and downstream (slitting, laminating) equipment
• Automatic viscosity control with inline viscometer
• Edge masking system for stripe coating

• Precision gap control - repeatable coating thickness to ±1-3 microns
• Heavy coating weight capability - up to 2000 µm wet (customizable)
• Wide viscosity range - from 500 cP to 200,000+ cP with heated knife/roller
• Quick knife change - for different coating materials or thickness ranges
• Easy cleaning - knife and backing roller accessible from both sides
• Automatic thickness feedback (optional) - closed-loop control via online gauge
• Heated backing roller (optional) - for hot melt or temperature-sensitive coatings
• Low coating waste - minimal startup and edge loss
• Sturdy construction - heavy-duty frame for vibration-free operation
• Recipe storage - recall coating parameters (gap, speed, temperature, tension) for different products

• Free coating trials - we test your material in our lab on a pilot knife coater
• Process optimization support - we recommend knife type, gap, speed, and drying parameters
• On-site installation and commissioning (optional)
• Operator and maintenance training (on-site or video)
• 12-month warranty + lifetime remote technical support
• Fast spare parts supply (knives, backing rollers, pumps, thermocouples)
• Annual service contract with preventive maintenance