A printing machine for printing on a printing substrate web includes a plurality of inline flexographic printing units which are disposed in a plane accessible to an operator of the machine. Each one of the two flexographic printing units of a respective duplex printing station includes a respective impression cylinder and a dryer disposed between the two impression cylinders along a path of web travel of the web of printing substrate. A method of operating the printing machine is also provided.

A printing press is provided which includes a printing unit for printing on a web. The printing unit includes a plate cylinder, a blanket cylinder, and an impression cylinder. The press further includes a web displacement bar movable between a first position in which the web displacement bar is spaced apart from a web passing between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder, and a second position in which the web displacement bar holds the web in contact with the impression cylinder and spaced apart from the blanket cylinder. A method of operating the press is also provided.

A printing press is provided which includes a printing unit for printing on a web. The printing unit includes a plate cylinder, a blanket cylinder, and an impression cylinder. The press further includes a web displacement bar movable between a first position in which the web displacement bar is spaced apart from a web passing between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder, and a second position in which the web displacement bar holds the web in contact with the impression cylinder and spaced apart from the blanket cylinder. A method of operating the press is also provided.

A rotary screen printing press is provided with a screen-cylinder throw-on/off motor encoder (231) that detects the position of a screen cylinder (201), a squeegee throw-on/off motor encoder (232) that detects the position of a squeegee (221), and a control unit (300) that controls screen cylinder throw-on/off motors (209) and squeegee throw-on/off motors (224) based on the position of the screen cylinder (201) detected by the screen-cylinder throw-on/off motor encoder (231) and the position of the squeegee (221) detected by the squeegee throw-on/off motor encoder (232) so that the squeegee (221) may not contact a screen plate (201A) except when the screen plate (201A) is in contact with an impression cylinder (100).

A printing press is provided which includes a printing unit for printing on a web. The printing unit includes a plate cylinder, a blanket cylinder, and an impression cylinder. The press further includes a web displacement bar movable between a first position in which the web displacement bar is spaced apart from a web passing between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder, and a second position in which the web displacement bar holds the web in contact with the impression cylinder and spaced apart from the blanket cylinder. A method of operating the press is also provided.

In order to provide a numbering and imprinting machine capable of minimizing the amount of wasted paper produced, the numbering and imprinting machine is provided with: a first-number inspection camera (124B) that is arranged downstream of the position of contact between an impression cylinder (112) and a first-number cylinder (113) of a first-number printing unit (111) in the direction of rotation of the impression cylinder (112), and images a first number printed on paper (W) held on the impression cylinder (112); a second number inspection camera (124C) that is arranged downstream of the position of contact between an impression cylinder (117) and a second-number cylinder (118) of a second-number printing unit (116) in the direction of rotation of the impression cylinder (117), and images a second number printed on paper (W) held on the impression cylinder (117); and a printing-press control device (10) that controls first- and second-number-cylinder throw-on and throw-off devices (38, 39) based on signals from the first- and second-number inspection cameras (124B, 124C) to cause the first-number cylinder (113) and the second-number cylinder (118) to make separating movements.

A coating unit is located after a sheet-fed digital printer on a manufacturing line. As a response to a workpiece entering the coating unit from the printer, coating substance is dosed onto a plate cylinder, and said plate cylinder is rotated to transfer said coating substance onto the workpiece, which is then transferred further on the manufacturing line. As a response to a first time limit expiring after transferring the workpiece further without a subsequent workpiece entering the coating unit, the rotation of the plate cylinder is stopped.

A coating unit is located after a sheet-fed digital printer on a manufacturing line. As a response to a workpiece entering the coating unit from the printer, coating substance is dosed onto a plate cylinder, and said plate cylinder is rotated to transfer said coating substance onto the workpiece, which is then transferred further on the manufacturing line. As a response to a first time limit expiring after transferring the workpiece further without a subsequent workpiece entering the coating unit, the rotation of the plate cylinder is stopped.

A method for determining blanket performance in a printing press is provided. The printing press includes a plate cylinder having a printing plate transferring an image to a blanket on a blanket cylinder for printing on a substrate. The method includes determining an acceptable range of nip force (Fp) between a plate cylinder and a blanket cylinder in a printing unit, calculating the nip force (Fp) between the plate cylinder and blanket cylinder and determining blanket performance based on the nip force with respect to the acceptable range of nip force. A printing press is also provided.

A method for determining blanket performance in a printing press is provided. The printing press includes a plate cylinder having a printing plate transferring an image to a blanket on a blanket cylinder for printing on a substrate. The method includes determining an acceptable range of nip force (Fp) between a plate cylinder and a blanket cylinder in a printing unit, calculating the nip force (Fp) between the plate cylinder and blanket cylinder and determining blanket performance based on the nip force with respect to the acceptable range of nip force. A printing press is also provided.