Where printing plate is to be secured to a plate cylinder by means of double-sided adhesive tape, the surface of the printing plate to be secured to the plate cylinder is, prior to bonding, partially pre-treated by means of a low-temperature plasma pencil after cleaning with isopropanol.

An adapting sleeve for flexographic printing machines defines an exterior surface appropriate for the mounting of a printing sleeve. The adapting sleeve has an outer cylindrical member made of a rigid material and surrounding an inner cylindrical member that defines a cylindrical passage for mounting of the adapting sleeve on a rotary core of a flexographic printing machine. The adapting sleeve has some ring separators that are mounted between the outer cylindrical member and the inner cylindrical member and spaced longitudinally from each other. The adapting sleeve has a hydraulic device that includes hydraulic pads arranged between the inner surface of the inner cylindrical member and the ring separators and connected by a hydraulic circuit to a pressurization element that is actionable manually from the exterior of the adapting sleeve.

A cylinder sleeve, comprising a cylinder base sleeve consisting of cylindrical base layers arranged on top of each other, wherein said cylindrical base layers comprise one or more cylindrical polyurethane layers, wherein, independently of each other, at least 50 weight-% of each of said cylindrical polyurethane layers consist of polyurethane, and wherein the outermost cylindrical base layer is a cylindrical polyurethane layer; and one or more cylindrical layers, arranged on top of each other, wherein the innermost cylindrical layer is applied on the lateral surface of the cylinder base sleeve according to (a) and wherein the outermost layer of said one or more cylindrical layers is an adhesive layer for attaching a printing plate thereto, wherein the cylinder base sleeve according to (a) exhibits a carbon dioxide release coefficient R.sub.CO2 in the range of from 0 to 9.5 ppmv cm.sup.3 d.sup.1.

A cylinder sleeve, comprising a cylinder base sleeve consisting of cylindrical base layers arranged on top of each other, wherein said cylindrical base layers comprise one or more cylindrical polyurethane layers, wherein, independently of each other, at least 50 weight-% of each of said cylindrical polyurethane layers consist of polyurethane, and wherein the outermost cylindrical base layer is a cylindrical polyurethane layer; and one or more cylindrical layers, arranged on top of each other, wherein the innermost cylindrical layer is applied on the lateral surface of the cylinder base sleeve according to (a) and wherein the outermost layer of said one or more cylindrical layers is an adhesive layer for attaching a printing plate thereto, wherein the cylinder base sleeve according to (a) exhibits a carbon dioxide release coefficient R.sub.CO2 in the range of from 0 to 9.5 ppmv cm.sup.3 d.sup.1.

Techniques are disclosed for connecting a printing plate to a print cylinder or surface. The techniques may be implemented, for instance, with respect to a printing plate, a print cylinder, a print sleeve, or some combination thereof. In an embodiment, a field of mechanical fasteners is provisioned on a printing plate, and a complementary field of mechanical fasteners is provisioned on a print sleeve or cylinder. The mechanical fasteners collectively operate to provide a mechanical bond or interface that inhibits lateral and rotational movement of the plate during printing operations, and can also be configured to manage backlash between engaging surfaces of the interface. In some cases, backlash management includes use of cushion effect integral with the mechanical bond itself and/or unidirectional and possibly angled fastener elements to provide a snugging effect. The mechanical bond may be implemented with hook-and-loop, hook-and-hook, hook-to-channel, male/female-type fittings, vacuum, suction, and/or magnetics.

Techniques are disclosed for connecting a printing plate to a print cylinder or surface. The techniques may be implemented, for instance, with respect to a printing plate, a print cylinder, a print sleeve, or some combination thereof. In an embodiment, a field of mechanical fasteners is provisioned on a printing plate, and a complementary field of mechanical fasteners is provisioned on a print sleeve or cylinder. The mechanical fasteners collectively operate to provide a mechanical bond or interface that inhibits lateral and rotational movement of the plate during printing operations, and can also be configured to manage backlash between engaging surfaces of the interface. In some cases, backlash management includes use of cushion effect integral with the mechanical bond itself and/or unidirectional and possibly angled fastener elements to provide a snugging effect. The mechanical bond may be implemented with hook-and-loop, hook-and-hook, hook-to-channel, male/female-type fittings, vacuum, suction, and/or magnetics.

An automatic applicator of a sticky back material to a printing sleeve is disclosed. The applicator includes a controller that is programmable with data relating to the size and desired positioning of the sticky back material to the sleeve. The sticky back material is secured to a transport system and cut to the desired size by a cutter, creating a sheet. The sheet is then transported between a pressure roller and the sleeve. The pressure roller applies pressure to the sticky back sheet, applying the sheet to the sleeve. A mandrel grips and rotates the sleeve to apply the sticky back sheet around an exterior surface of the sleeve.

An automatic applicator of a sticky back material to a printing sleeve is disclosed. The applicator includes a controller that is programmable with data relating to the size and desired positioning of the sticky back material to the sleeve. The sticky back material is secured to a transport system and cut to the desired size by a cutter, creating a sheet. The sheet is then transported between a pressure roller and the sleeve. The pressure roller applies pressure to the sticky back sheet, applying the sheet to the sleeve. A mandrel grips and rotates the sleeve to apply the sticky back sheet around an exterior surface of the sleeve.

This invention discloses digitally printed plate, the manufacturing method and applications thereof, is characterized in that the digitally printed plate is of respectively from top to bottom surface lacquer layer, texture layer, second wear layer, first wear layer, pattern layer, bottom lacquer layer, base layer. The digitally printed plated has various patterns, with sufficient materials, printing unrepeatable stereoscopic pattern is possible, so it can satisfy customers' personalized customization requirements, without wasting abundant time or cost, and with process reduced, production efficiency is improved, enabling order manufacturing order insert and sample making at any time.

This invention discloses digitally printed plate, the manufacturing method and applications thereof, is characterized in that the digitally printed plate is of respectively from top to bottom surface lacquer layer, texture layer, second wear layer, first wear layer, pattern layer, bottom lacquer layer, base layer. The digitally printed plated has various patterns, with sufficient materials, printing unrepeatable stereoscopic pattern is possible, so it can satisfy customers' personalized customization requirements, without wasting abundant time or cost, and with process reduced, production efficiency is improved, enabling order manufacturing order insert and sample making at any time.