An apparatus for aligning an edge, such as a leading edge of a plate, in particular a printing plate or a printing plate precursor. The apparatus includes a support configured for supporting the plate on a support surface, and to be located upstream of a treatment station. At least two movable elements are arranged to be moved by an edge, such as a leading edge, of the plate. The at least two movable elements include a first and a second movable element; a detection means configured to detect a first and second measure representative for a first and second position of the first and second movable element, respectively, at least one controllable component configured to perform an action on the plate, and a control means configured to control the at least one controllable component based on the first and second measure.

A device for mounting a roller cover on a roller with a pair of tensioning rails has a plurality of identical tensioning units, which are arranged on a common pivoting beam and the partial rails of which jointly form the second tensioning rail of the tensioning rail pair, wherein said tensioning units respectively comprise a first lock assigned to the first tensioning rail and a second lock assigned to the respective partial rail, and wherein the locks selectively hold or release the roller cover.

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.

The multiple printing plate mounting system of the present disclosure may be used to mount multiple flexible printing plates simultaneously onto a printing sleeve. The system has a back rotary vacuum plate with a plurality of distinct vacuum zones and may be controlled via valve by a computer control system. A filler plate may also be controlled with the same vacuum patterns. The filler plate will move minutely side-to-side. A front plate with match-controlled vacuum patterns may also have a servo to control front-to-back-movement. The distinct vacuum zones are used together with the movable front, back, and filler vacuum plates to selectively, individually, and independently align the flexible printing plates prior to mounting.

The multiple printing plate mounting system of the present disclosure may be used to mount multiple flexible printing plates simultaneously onto a printing sleeve. The system has a back rotary vacuum plate with a plurality of distinct vacuum zones and may be controlled via valve by a computer control system. A filler plate may also be controlled with the same vacuum patterns. The filler plate will move minutely side-to-side. A front plate with match-controlled vacuum patterns may also have a servo to control front-to-back-movement. The distinct vacuum zones are used together with the movable front, back, and filler vacuum plates to selectively, individually, and independently align the flexible printing plates prior to mounting.

An Adhesive Printing Form Attachment Layer comprises a permanently sticky layer, characterized in that the Adhesive Printing Form Attachment Layer is in the shape of a tube, preferably a seamless tube, and the permanently sticky layer forms at least the outer surface of the tube. The Adhesive Printing Form Attachment Layer can be used to adhesively fix a printing plate, preferably a flexographic printing plate, to a printing cylinder during the printing operation. The Adhesive Printing Form Attachment layer provides for easy replacement and easy installation on a printing sleeve or printing cylinder. Also provided are an assembly, comprising an adhesive printing form attachment layer according to the invention mounted on a printing sleeve, and a method of operating a printing machine, the method comprising forming the assembly by pulling the adhesive printing form attachment layer over the printing sleeve.

A method and device change printing plates on a cylinder. The method includes opening a first clamping device and releasing a leading edge of a first printing plate and opening a second clamping device and releasing a trailing edge of the first printing plate. The first and second clamping devices are both opened before a first rotation process of a cylinder. The cylinder is rotated during the first rotation process in a first direction to dismount the first printing plate from a circumferential surface of the cylinder. The cylinder is rotated in a second rotation process in an opposite second direction to mount a second printing plate replacing the first printing plate to the circumferential surface of the cylinder. Because the first clamping device and the second clamping device are both opened before the first rotation of the cylinder, the set-up period required for a printing plate change is reduced.

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.

A printing press includes a printing cylinder, inkjet heads, and an ink drying lamp. A non-metal sheet is attached to an outer surface of the printing cylinder. The non-metal sheet includes a main body made of a non-metal material in a sheet-like shape, and a plurality of ventilation portions through which air passes in a thickness direction of the main body. This makes it possible to efficiently dissipate heat of the printing cylinder while preventing the printing cylinder from being overheated when an amount of heat generated at the time of printing is transferred to the surface of the printing cylinder.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a sleeve printing plate capable of forming an image pattern which applies printing on an object to be printed by laser engraving without generating cracks and chippings in a printing plate made of a photosensitive resin. The method for manufacturing a sleeve printing plate by making a printing plate made of a photosensitive resin surround an outer peripheral surface of a circular cylindrical sleeve body and forming an image pattern on the printing plate by laser engraving includes the steps of: washing and cooling the printing plate with water; applying heating treatment to the printing plate at a predetermined temperature; and applying heat radiation treatment to the printing plate after the heating treatment.