Patent ID: 8428481

Claim:
An image forming machine comprising: a moving surface; a blade having a blade tip; a blade positioning mechanism comprising a supporting member having a rotational axis and being configured to hold the blade, the blade positioning mechanism being connected to the blade to move the blade into a position wherein the blade tip engages the moving surface creating a blade load on the moving surface, the blade load being at least one of a low blade load, an operating speed blade load, and a standby blade load; a sensor to detect an operating cycle for the image forming machine, wherein the operating cycle comprises at least a start-up procedure and a shut-down procedure; and a controller to cause the blade positioning mechanism to advance or retract the blade based on the detected operating cycle, wherein to retract the blade comprises moving the blade into a position in which the blade tip engages the moving surface creating a low blade load; wherein blade wear produced from blade and moving surface contact is reduced by selectively advancing or retracting the blade during the start-up procedure and the shut-down procedure.