A transfer member includes: an inner layer; an outer layer provided on an outer periphery of the inner layer; and a surface layer provided on an outer periphery of the outer layer, both end portions of the surface layer in circumferential directions extending in the circumferential directions from both end portions of the outer layer in the circumferential directions.

A mandrel for use in a printing apparatus includes a substantially cylindrical mandrel shaft and plastic expansion rings that are slidably and coaxially mounted on the mandrel shaft. The mandrel also includes a locking assembly including a fixed stop ring and a single locking ring that is axially movably mounted on the mandrel shaft. The expansion rings are positioned between the stop ring and the locking ring. In the unlocked position of the locking ring the expansion rings are in a released state in which the axial compression and the radial expansion of the expansion rings are smaller than in a locked position of the locking ring. A printing cylinder sleeve can be fixedly connected to the mandrel by bringing the expansion rings in the radially expanded state. When the printing cylinder sleeve has to be exchanged, this is feasible when the expansion rings are in the released state.

A blanket or slab for overprint varnishing at least including a varnishing layer and a single-layer or multilayer support of uniform thickness. The varnishing layer can be made of a non-cross-linked elastomeric thermoplastic polymer, and have non-image areas where no transfer of varnish takes place. The non-image areas can be areas of the varnishing layer that lack material and extend from the outer surface of the varnishing layer to a depth which is no less than half the thickness of the varnishing layer. At least one non-image area can delineate a geometric shape having an area of less than 5 mm.sup.2. The varnishing layer having non-image areas can be a physical reproduction of a digital model obtained with additive technology.

A transfer member includes: an inner layer; an outer layer provided on an outer periphery of the inner layer; and a surface layer provided on an outer periphery of the outer layer, both end portions of the surface layer in circumferential directions extending in the circumferential directions from both end portions of the outer layer in the circumferential directions.

A roller assembly for a heat transfer printing system or hot foil transfer system is provided. The roller assembly includes a cylindrical roller core that extends around a center axis. The roller core includes an exterior surface and an opposite interior surface. The exterior surface is positioned to face a target object being printed upon. The roller assembly also includes a pliable tube in contact with the exterior surface and positioned to contact a thermal print ribbon disposed between the tube and the target object while the roller core is rotated to apply pressure on the ribbon and print onto the target object from the ribbon. The tube is not bonded to the roller core.

A roller assembly for a heat transfer printing system or hot foil transfer system is provided. The roller assembly includes a cylindrical roller core that extends around a center axis. The roller core includes an exterior surface and an opposite interior surface. The exterior surface is positioned to face a target object being printed upon. The roller assembly also includes a pliable tube in contact with the exterior surface and positioned to contact a thermal print ribbon disposed between the tube and the target object while the roller core is rotated to apply pressure on the ribbon and print onto the target object from the ribbon. The tube is not bonded to the roller core.

A method of manufacturing a printing blanket without wrinkles in a sheet is provided, the printing blanket including an elastic body and a sheet bonded to a surface thereof, the method being configured to press a surface of the sheet against a surface to be printed, to perform printing, and including: fixing the sheet at a periphery of a region of the sheet to be bonded to the elastic body; mounting the elastic body to oppose a bonding surface of the elastic body to a bonding surface of the fixed sheet; applying an adhesive to at least one of the bonding surface of the sheet or the bonding surface of the elastic body; and pressing the bonding surface of the sheet and the bonding surface of the elastic body against each other to bring the sheet into close contact with the elastic body through intermediation of the adhesive while stretching the sheet along the surface of the elastic body.

A method of manufacturing a printing blanket without wrinkles in a sheet is provided, the printing blanket including an elastic body and a sheet bonded to a surface thereof, the method being configured to press a surface of the sheet against a surface to be printed, to perform printing, and including: fixing the sheet at a periphery of a region of the sheet to be bonded to the elastic body; mounting the elastic body to oppose a bonding surface of the elastic body to a bonding surface of the fixed sheet; applying an adhesive to at least one of the bonding surface of the sheet or the bonding surface of the elastic body; and pressing the bonding surface of the sheet and the bonding surface of the elastic body against each other to bring the sheet into close contact with the elastic body through intermediation of the adhesive while stretching the sheet along the surface of the elastic body.

A mandrel for use in a printing apparatus includes a substantially cylindrical mandrel shaft and plastic expansion rings that are slidably and coaxially mounted on the mandrel shaft. The mandrel also includes a locking assembly including a fixed stop ring and a single locking ring that is axially movably mounted on the mandrel shaft. The expansion rings are positioned between the stop ring and the locking ring. In the unlocked position of the locking ring the expansion rings are in a released state in which the axial compression and the radial expansion of the expansion rings are smaller than in a locked position of the locking ring. A printing cylinder sleeve can be fixedly connected to the mandrel by bringing the expansion rings in the radially expanded state. When the printing cylinder sleeve has to be exchanged, this is feasible when the expansion rings are in the released state.

A mandrel for use in a printing apparatus includes a substantially cylindrical mandrel shaft and plastic expansion rings that are slidably and coaxially mounted on the mandrel shaft. The mandrel also includes a locking assembly including a fixed stop ring and a single locking ring that is axially movably mounted on the mandrel shaft. The expansion rings are positioned between the stop ring and the locking ring. In the unlocked position of the locking ring the expansion rings are in a released state in which the axial compression and the radial expansion of the expansion rings are smaller than in a locked position of the locking ring. A printing cylinder sleeve can be fixedly connected to the mandrel by bringing the expansion rings in the radially expanded state. When the printing cylinder sleeve has to be exchanged, this is feasible when the expansion rings are in the released state.