A method is provided for automatically exchanging a sleeve (18a) of a printing tool (14, 16, 18, 22, 24) mounted in a printing machine (12), in particular a flexographic printing machine, by means of a printing tool handling unit (28) comprising a coupling interface (36). In one step of the method the printing tool handling unit (28) is temporarily coupled to a coupling interface (46) located at the end of a shaft (54, 56, 58, 60) of the printing tool (14, 16, 18, 22, 24) with its coupling interface (36). In a further step, the printing tool handling unit (28) transports the printing tool (14, 16, 18, 22, 24) to a separation unit (78) comprising at least one clamping device (80, 82, 84) and places the printing tool (14, 16, 18, 22, 24) in the clamping device (80) of the separation unit (78). The printing tool (14, 16, 18, 22, 24), in particular a sleeve (18a) of the printing tool (14, 16, 18, 22, 24), is clamped by the clamping device (80), and the printing tool handling unit (28) separates the shaft (54, 56, 58, 60) from the sleeve (18a) by pulling the shaft (54, 56, 58, 60) out of the sleeve (18a) while the sleeve (18a) is clamped in the clamping device (80).

In order to allow a worker to accurately and repeatedly mark an original plan on a working surface, provided is a nonrestrictive drive-type marking system including a nonrestrictive drive-type marking device, the nonrestrictive drive-type marking system including an input unit configured to receive data of content to be marked; a marking unit configured to mark the content corresponding to the data on a working surface; a driving unit configured to allow at least a part of the nonrestrictive drive-type marking device comprising the marking unit to nonrestrictively move on the working surface; a position detecting unit configured to sense position information of the nonrestrictive drive-type marking device; and a control unit electrically connected to the input unit, the marking unit, the driving unit, and the position detecting unit.

A method for mounting one or more printing plate segments on a carrier sheet. The method comprises importing a file into a computer associated with a mounting unit. For each printing plate segment, the file includes a printing plate segment identifier, information regarding alignment of registration marks relative to the carrier sheet; and image data corresponding to a characteristic pattern associated with each printing plate segment. A composite image depicting the image data corresponding to the characteristic patterns is then displayed on a display in the predetermined arrangement of one or more printing plate segment locations and orientations. A mounting unit and a printing system and computer readable media programmed with instructions for performing the method are also described.

Devices are provided for aligning magnetic or magnetizable particles, which particles are contained in a coating that is applied on one side of a substrate, which substrate is in the form of a web or sheet. The device has a magnet cylinder, which is arranged in a transport path of the substrate to be conveyed and, in a region of the outer circumference of the magnet cylinder, the device has a plurality of devices for effecting a magnetic field, or magnet devices for short. Some or all of the magnet devices comprise a magnet which is rotatable by an associated motor. The magnet cylinder is rotatably arranged in frame walls of a frame. At least one transducer for contactless transfer of electrical energy or control signals from the outside is provided in or on the rotating magnet cylinder, which comprises a first transducer part fixed to the frame and a second transducer part fixed to the cylinder during operation.

An apparatus (1) for preparing a flexographic printing sleeve (3) comprises a support structure (21), comprising first support mechanism (2) which defines a workstation for rotatably supporting a first flexographic printing sleeve (3) such that it can rotate about a preset axis (K-K), a roll (11) of double-sided adhesive tape rotatably supported by a second support mechanism (10), and a first feeding and guiding mechanism (13) for unwinding the double-sided adhesive tape (12) from the roll (11) and directing the double-sided adhesive tape (12) to the surface of the first sleeve (3).

The present invention provide a full-servo label inspection machine and a control method thereof; the machine includes a frame, the frame is provided with an unrolling mechanism, a rolling mechanism, a visual inspection mechanism, a label removal mechanism, and a label replacement mechanism. In the label removal mechanism, when the paper pressing roller is at the label removal position, it presses the material to be inspected downwards to form an angle of less than 180 with the rear end of a label removal plate. After a defective label on the material to be inspected passes the label removal plate, a front end of the defective label curls up and eventually sticks onto the label removal paper. The present invention allows fully automation of the removal and replacement of labels, achieving high inspection efficiency and accuracy.

In order to allow a worker to accurately and repeatedly mark an original plan on a working surface, provided is a nonrestrictive drive-type marking system including a nonrestrictive drive-type marking device, the nonrestrictive drive-type marking system including an input unit configured to receive data of content to be marked; a marking unit configured to mark the content corresponding to the data on a working surface; a driving unit configured to allow at least a part of the nonrestrictive drive-type marking device comprising the marking unit to nonrestrictively move on the working surface; a position detecting unit configured to sense position information of the nonrestrictive drive-type marking device; and a control unit electrically connected to the input unit, the marking unit, the driving unit, and the position detecting unit.

A method for fixing and treating a flexible plate on a drum includes: providing a flexible plate comprising a support layer made of a first material and at least one additional layer made of a second material which is different from the first material, wherein one or more thin film side wings are connected to one or more sides of the flexible plate. The one or more thin film side wings have a thickness which is at least 5 times smaller than the thickness of the flexible plate. The method further includes positioning the flexible plate on the drum such that the lower face of each thin film side wing of the flexible plate covers at least one vacuum suction opening, and performing a treatment on at least one layer of the flexible plate while rotating the drum.

In order to allow a worker to accurately and repeatedly mark an original plan on a working surface, provided is a nonrestrictive drive-type marking system including a nonrestrictive drive-type marking device, the nonrestrictive drive-type marking system including an input unit configured to receive data of content to be marked; a marking unit configured to mark the content corresponding to the data on a working surface; a driving unit configured to allow at least a part of the nonrestrictive drive-type marking device comprising the marking unit to nonrestrictively move on the working surface; a position detecting unit configured to sense position information of the nonrestrictive drive-type marking device; and a control unit electrically connected to the input unit, the marking unit, the driving unit, and the position detecting unit, and configured to calculate a current position of the at least the part of the nonrestrictive drive-type marking device comprising the marking unit by comparing the position information with the data, to compare the current position with the data, and if the current position does not match with the data and a degree of mismatch thereof is within a preset range, to move at least a part of the marking unit, and to control the nonrestrictive drive-type marking device to mark the content corresponding to the data on the working surface while the nonrestrictive drive-type marking device moves.

According to the invention there is an apparatus for printing onto cylindrical structures comprising: a plurality of inker devices each comprising a print cylinder and one or more servomotors for adjustably controlling the position or orientation of a print cylinder; a blanket device comprising a plurality of print blankets, in which the blanket device is configured to bring each print blanket into contact with the print cylinders to transfer ink from the print cylinders to the print blanket, and to bring each print blanket into contact with a cylindrical structure to achieve printing thereon; a transporter for transporting the cylindrical structures into and out of contact with the print blankets; and an automatic print correction system comprising a print inspection device for detecting a misregistration of ink transferred from one or more of the print cylinders onto a print blanket, and a controller for controlling the servomotors of the print cylinders to correct the misregistration in response to data received from the print inspection device.