An applicator for transferring an indicia to a substrate includes an ink layer forming the indicia. A white layer is disposed on the ink layer. An adhesive layer is disposed on the white layer. The adhesive layer is configured to adhere the ink layer and the white layer to the substrate.

An alignment method for screen printing process includes: attaching a transparent film on a to-be-printed substrate in such a manner that the transparent film covers at least a to-be-printed region of the to-be-printed substrate, forming a printed pattern including an alignment mark on the transparent film by using a screen printing plate to imprint printed material onto the transparent film, and comparing whether the alignment mark on the transparent film is aligned with an alignment mark on the to-be-printed substrate. When the alignment mark on the transparent film is aligned with the alignment mark on the to-be-printed substrate, it is determined that current positions of the screen printing plate and the to-be-printed substrate are final alignment positions. When the alignment mark on the transparent film is not aligned with the alignment mark on the to-be-printed substrate, the current position of the screen printing plate or the to-be-printed substrate is adjusted.

A printing device including a conveyance rod which discharges and introduces a screen mask and a board support member; and a control section. The control section performs a mask exchange process including a mask discharge process of discharging the screen mask to be discharged and a mask introduction process of introducing the screen mask to be introduced by controlling a conveyance rod. In addition, the control section performs a support member exchange process including a support member discharge process of discharging the board support member to be discharged and a support member introduction process of introducing the support member to be introduced by controlling the conveyance rod.

The invention relates to a correction device for correcting the consequences of a deviation in the position of a movable camera which is placed in a positioning device for flexible printing plates, wherein the camera is configured to detect at least the carrier and the device comprises display means for displaying the image detected by the camera, wherein the correction device is provided with a position reference member detectable by the camera, with position signal generating means for generating a signal representing the actual position of the camera from the signal detected by the camera, with comparing means for comparing the signal representing the actual position of the camera to the signal representing the target position of the camera and generating a correction signal, and with image correction means for correcting the image displayed by the display means using the correction signal. Positioning errors in the display of the image recorded by the camera are hereby avoided.

For a flexographic printing apparatus, an apparatus (1) and method for mounting a printing plate (2) on a printing cylinder (4) or a printing sleeve including a system for pre-alignment (5, 8) of a printing plate (2) and real-time alignment (5, 8) of the printing plate (2) during mounting.

A system and method for aligning a generally flat, planar object and for facilitating the mounting of the generally flat planar object, such as a printing plate, in near perfect alignment in a cylindrical manner. A printing plate cylinder is covered with stickyback having a release liner. A narrow axial strip of release liner is removed and replaced with a piece of release liner that may be pulled or tugged from beyond the end of the printing cylinder. The printing plate is next rolled into a cylindrical form and held in place on a device which allows registration marks on the printing plate to align the two ends of the printing plate prior to the printing plate ends being temporarily adhered to one another using a piece of tape or similar product. The aligned printing plate is next slid over the printing cylinder which is covered with sticky back. The piece of release liner covering the section of previously removed stickyback is removed and a portion of the aligned printing plate is adhered to the stickyback at that point. The piece of tape holding the two ends of the printing plate in alignment is now removed along with the remainder of the release liner on the stickyback of the printing cylinder and the remainder of the printing plate is attached to the printing cylinder, providing an aligned printing plate on a printing plate cylinder. A machine vision system is used to record and certify the alignment and can also be used to aid in the alignment process based on prior aligned plates or a reference target alignment position.

An apparatus is comprised of a plurality of printing units for printing hollow elements. A conveying device conveys the hollow elements to be printed into a printing zone of at least one of the printing units. At least one of the printing units includes a plate cylinder to which a plate replacing mechanism is assigned.

A printing unit has a printing form cylinder. A plate changer is arranged in a manner which is allocated to the printing form cylinder. The plate changer has a bearing surface on which a printing form, which is arranged or is to be arranged on the printing form cylinder, can be laid. That bearing surface is arranged such that it can be moved to and fro between at least two defined positions longitudinally with respect to the rotational axis of the printing form cylinder. The printing form is arranged and registered on the bearing surface of the plate changer. At least two edges of a carrier for the relevant printing form, which are arranged at a right angle with respect to each other, are brought into physical contact with register pins which are arranged on the bearing surface of the plate changer. A first edge of the carrier of the relevant printing form is arranged to bear against a first register pin and a second edge, orthogonal with respect to the first edge, of the carrier of the relevant printing form, is arranged to bear against a second register pin. The printing unit is preferably arranged as a device for printing hollow bodies.

A plate cylinder enables a printing plate to be attached thereto and is improved in strength. A plate cylinder is attached to a rotationally driven plate driving shaft, and is configured to mount a cylindrical printing plate attached thereon from a tip end side thereof. The plate cylinder is provided with a plate cylinder main body having a plate mounting surface to which the printing plate is attached. A flat portion is formed on a flat surface positioned further toward a radially inner side than the plate mounting surface. A plurality of hole portions is formed side by side in an axially separated state in the flat portion. A plurality of plate fixing members tightly fixes the printing plate to the plate mounting surface. The plate fixing members are fitted into the hole portions, and are provided to be movable in radially inward and outward directions of the plate cylinder.

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.