An assembly for a printing machine includes: a printing plate cylinder, which has a cylinder body; a printing sleeve, which is arranged on an outer surface of the cylinder body; and a transmission device, which has a connecting point on the printing plate cylinder side and a connecting point on the printing sleeve side, which connecting points can be connected by means of a connecting element to form a transmission connection. The connecting element is displaceable between a retracted position, in which the transmission connection is interrupted, and an extended position, in which the transmission connection is formed for at least one of the following types of transmission: transmission of a fluid, transmission of signals and transmission of electrical energy. Furthermore, a method is provided for producing an arrangement for a printing machine.

A graphic arts support assembly is operable to be used with a graphic arts plate assembly in a press. The graphic arts support assembly and the plate assembly are configured for removable association with a lift mechanism including a shiftable lift element. The support assembly includes a graphic arts magnetic support structure operable to removably support the graphic arts plate assembly. The magnetic support structure includes a support plate, a magnet fixed relative to the plate, and an alignment element projecting from the support plate. The support assembly is operable to be mounted on the lift mechanism so that the lift element is aligned with a lift opening of the support plate, with the lift element shiftable through the lift opening to locate at least part of the graphic arts plate assembly away from the support plate.

A method of controlling the clamping of a plate in a printing press includes clamping a plate in a first clamping device provided on a carriage, transporting the plate to a plate cylinder in a first direction by way of the carriage, and clamping the plate in a second clamping device provided on the plate cylinder. Then the carriage is driven backward in a second direction while the plate remains clamped in the first clamping device. If the plate is properly clamped in the plate cylinder clamps, the carriage is estopped from moving in the second direction. A control unit determines, based on the reaction of the carriage, whether or not the plate is securely clamped in the second clamping device.

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.

A method of screen printing a design on a substrate, the method comprises the steps of controlling a computer-controlled plotter to cut an outline of the design into stencil material the stencil including a perimeter. Then, registering the perimeter of the cut stencil with marks on a printing screen and securing the cut stencil to the printing screen. Then, positioning the printing screen and cut stencil on the substrate and applying ink through the printing screen and stencil onto the substrate, wherein the design is reproduced on the substrate.

A method for checking the maintenance of register of printing images to be printed on two opposite sides of a printing material, in which the first side of the printing material is printed in a rotary printing press by a first printing unit cylinder, and in which the second side of the printing material, which lies opposite to first cite, is printed in the printing press by a second printing unit cylinder which interacts with the first printing unit cylinder. A printed image is printed by the first printing unit cylinder under the second printing unit cylinder. Afterwards, the printing material is printed in contact with the two interacting printing unit cylinders with the printing image, which is printed under the second printing unit cylinder, being printed onto the same side of the printing material together with an identical or a different printing image which is to be printed by the second printing unit cylinder during continuous printing of the rotary printing press. The printed images, which are printed together onto the same side of the printing material, are subsequently checked, with regard to their maintenance of register.

In order to allow a worker to accurately and repeatedly mark an original plan on a working surface, the present disclosure provides a nonrestrictive drive-type marking system comprising 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.

An alignment system for a workpiece printing machine comprises a stencil support and a workpiece support, and a planarity control mechanism having at least two actuators arranged to effect relative rotation of the stencil support and workpiece support about both the horizontal axes.

A method for checking the maintenance of register of printing images to be printed on two opposite sides of a printing material, in which the first side of the printing material is printed in a rotary printing press by a first printing unit cylinder, and in which the second side of the printing material, which lies opposite to first cite, is printed in the printing press by a second printing unit cylinder which interacts with the first printing unit cylinder. A printed image is printed by the first printing unit cylinder under the second printing unit cylinder. Afterwards, the printing material is printed in contact with the two interacting printing unit cylinders with the printing image, which is printed under the second printing unit cylinder, being printed onto the same side of the printing material together with an identical or a different printing image which is to be printed by the second printing unit cylinder during continuous printing of the rotary printing press. The printed images, which are printed together onto the same side of the printing material, are subsequently checked, with regard to their maintenance of register.

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.