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).

A system for supporting a reel of stamping foil (2) that is mounted rotatably, includes: two flanges (9, 9) connected to the shaft of the reel (2, 2) that is positioned between the flanges, each flange having a rotary shaft extending outward of the reel; two end walls (7, 7) mounted spaced apart on a guide surface (3), each wall end having at least one upwardly oriented notch (10, 10) arranged to receive the shaft of each flange (9, 9); and a brake (13) which cooperates with and slows the rotation of the reel (2).

A system for supporting a reel of stamping foil (2) that is mounted rotatably, includes: two flanges (9, 9) connected to the shaft of the reel (2, 2) that is positioned between the flanges, each flange having a rotary shaft extending outward of the reel; two end walls (7, 7) mounted spaced apart on a guide surface (3), each wall end having at least one upwardly oriented notch (10, 10) arranged to receive the shaft of each flange (9, 9); and a brake (13) which cooperates with and slows the rotation of the reel (2).

The present invention relates to an adhesive printing form attachment layer comprising a support, and a permanently sticky layer suitable for receiving a printing form and fixing a printing form during a printing operation provided on the support, wherein the permanently sticky layer comprises a crosslinked structure obtained by crosslinking a crosslinkable composition comprising at least one polyurethane-based polymeric compound that has two or more crosslinkable groups, which are preferably ethylenically unsaturated groups, and two or more NHC(O)O linkages. A method of preparing the adhesive printing form attachment layer and of operating a printing machine using the adhesive printing form attachment layer are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to an adhesive printing form attachment layer comprising a support, and a permanently sticky layer suitable for receiving a printing form and fixing a printing form during a printing operation provided on the support, wherein the permanently sticky layer comprises a crosslinked structure obtained by crosslinking a crosslinkable composition comprising at least one polyurethane-based polymeric compound that has two or more crosslinkable groups, which are preferably ethylenically unsaturated groups, and two or more NHC(O)O linkages. A method of preparing the adhesive printing form attachment layer and of operating a printing machine using the adhesive printing form attachment layer are also disclosed.

The present disclosure relates to an adhesive printing form attachment layer comprising a support, and a permanently sticky layer suitable for receiving a printing form and fixing a printing form during a printing operation provided on the support, wherein the permanently sticky layer comprises a crosslinked silicone-based material. The present disclosure further relates to a method for preparing an adhesive printing form attachment layer, as well as a printing cylinder comprising it, the use of the an adhesive printing form attachment layer for fixing a flexographic printing plate during a printing operation on a printing cylinder, and a method of operating a printing machine wherein the adhesive printing form attachment layer is used.

The present disclosure relates to an adhesive printing form attachment layer comprising a support, and a permanently sticky layer suitable for receiving a printing form and fixing a printing form during a printing operation provided on the support, wherein the permanently sticky layer comprises a crosslinked silicone-based material. The present disclosure further relates to a method for preparing an adhesive printing form attachment layer, as well as a printing cylinder comprising it, the use of the an adhesive printing form attachment layer for fixing a flexographic printing plate during a printing operation on a printing cylinder, and a method of operating a printing machine wherein the adhesive printing form attachment layer is used.

A device is provided for aligning magnetic or magnetizable particles, which are contained in a coating that is applied to a first side of a web-type or a sheet-type substrate. An application device is arranged in the transport path of the substrate, by the use of which, the coating is applied or is applicable to the first side of the substrate, in at least one application site. A first cylinder, which is embodied as a magnetic cylinder, is arranged in the transport path of the substrate to be transported downstream of the application device and comprises a plurality of elements creating a magnetic field in the region of the outer periphery of the first cylinder. Another cylinder, which is embodied as a magnetic cylinder, is arranged in the transport path of the substrate to be transported and comprises a plurality of elements creating a magnetic field in the region of the outer periphery of that cylinder. A drying device or an hardening device is arranged on the transport path between a site of a winding-on of the substrate on the first cylinder and a site of a winding-on of the other cylinder. The first cylinder, which is embodied as the magnetic cylinder, is arranged in the transport path of the substrate to be transported on the second side thereof. The drying or the hardening device is oriented in the transport path of the substrate to be transported on the first side thereof.

A cylinder is usable, in particular, for aligning magnetic of magnetizable particles, which are contained in a coating medium that is applied to a first side of a web-like or a sheet-like substrate, which cylinder, in the region of its outer circumference, has a plurality of elements effecting a magnetic field, magnetic elements for short. The magnetic elements are arranged in or on a plurality of ring elements that are spaced axially apart from one another and that are positionable in the axial direction on a shaft, in or on which ring elements, in turn, a plurality of magnetic elements are respectively arranged one after the other in the circumferential direction. At least two adjacent ring elements, each have a covering element, forming a part of the cylindrical lateral surface of the cylinder and extending in the circumferential direction, at least over the circumferential region populated with magnetic elements. The covering elements of two ring elements adjacent to each other have, on their sides facing each other in the axial direction, a plurality of projections alternating in the circumferential direction with recesses and offset in a circumferential direction in such a way that, during a relative movement of the two ring elements towards each other, the projections on the covering element of one ring element engage, in the manner of teeth, in corresponding recesses of the other ring element, and, as seen in the circumferential direction, can overlap. A security paper printing machine, having such a cylinder, is also disclosed.

A method of manufacturing a printing cylinder. The method comprises providing a moulding apparatus comprising a cylindrical moulding vessel defining a moulding cavity (101). The vessel comprises at least one inlet for the ingress of moulding material. The method comprises performing an injection moulding operation comprising: injecting moulding material through the at least one inlet to substantially fill the moulding cavity with moulding material; and effecting hardening of the moulding material within the vessel (102). The method comprises removing the printing cylinder (103). At least part of the injection moulding operation is performed in the presence of an active pressure being applied to the moulding cavity.