An apparatus is disclosed for coating a surface that is movable relative to the apparatus with a layer of metallic particles or particles having a metal-like appearance and reflectivity, the particles adhering more strongly to the surface than to one another. The apparatus comprises at least one spray head for directly or indirectly applying to the surface a fluid stream within which the particles are suspended, a housing surrounding the spray head(s) and defining an interior plenum for confining the fluid stream, the housing having a rim adjacent the surface that is configured to prevent egress of particles from a sealing gap defined between the rim of the housing and the surface to be coated, and a suction source connected to the housing to extract from the plenum the sprayed fluid and particles suspended in the sprayed fluid. In operation, the suction source extracts substantially all particles that are not in direct contact with the surface, so as to leave only a substantially single particle layer adhering to the surface on exiting the apparatus.

A method for designing a printing plate for mounting on a printing cylinder. An optimal lateral seam path is defined between opposite lateral edges of the plate by applying an energy minimization function. Top and bottom edges of the plate are defined based upon the optimal lateral seam path, preferably with a variable gap therebetween, and the bottom edge is unwrapped from the top edge to define a closed cutting path. The area inside the closed cutting path is wrapped with artwork or portions thereof, and an updated digital graphics file stored. The energy minimization function may include a penalty function, overall seam path length, and seam path amplitude, with weighting factors. For artwork including staggered lanes of step and repeat one-up images, the optimal lateral seam path may extend across each lane through one-up images, steps between adjacent one-up images, or a combination thereof.

A method for designing a printing plate for mounting on a printing cylinder. An optimal lateral seam path is defined between opposite lateral edges of the plate by applying an energy minimization function. Top and bottom edges of the plate are defined based upon the optimal lateral seam path, preferably with a variable gap therebetween, and the bottom edge is unwrapped from the top edge to define a closed cutting path. The area inside the closed cutting path is wrapped with artwork or portions thereof, and an updated digital graphics file stored. The energy minimization function may include a penalty function, overall seam path length, and seam path amplitude, with weighting factors. For artwork including staggered lanes of step and repeat one-up images, the optimal lateral seam path may extend across each lane through one-up images, steps between adjacent one-up images, or a combination thereof.

There is disclosed a method of printing onto the surface of a substrate, which method comprises i) coating a donor surface with a monolayer of particles, ii) treating the substrate surface to render at least selected regions tacky, and iii) contacting the substrate surface with the donor surface to cause particles to transfer from the donor surface only to the tacky regions of the substrate surface. After printing on a substrate, the donor surface returns to the coating station where the continuity of the monolayer is restored by recovering with fresh particles the regions of the donor surface exposed by the transfer of particles to the substrate.

A pressure-sensitive adhesive comprising at least 60 wt % of a polymer blend, where the polymer blend consists of a first polymer component A, a second polymer component B, and optionally one or more further polymer components (C, D, . . . ), where the first polymer component A is present at not less than x wt % in the polymer blend, where 90≦x≦99, and where the second polymer component B and any further polymer components C, D, . . . present are present in total at y wt % in the polymer blend, where y=100−x, where each polymer component (A, B, C, . . . ) derives to an extent of at least 60 wt % from (meth)acrylic monomers, wherein none of the polymer components (A, B, C, . . . ) is homogeneously miscible at room temperature with any of the other polymer components (A, B, C, . . . ), and so a multi-phase system is present.

A pressure-sensitive adhesive comprising at least 60 wt % of a polymer blend, where the polymer blend consists of a first polymer component A, a second polymer component B, and optionally one or more further polymer components (C, D, . . . ), where the first polymer component A is present at not less than x wt % in the polymer blend, where 90≦x≦99, and where the second polymer component B and any further polymer components C, D, . . . present are present in total at y wt % in the polymer blend, where y=100−x, where each polymer component (A, B, C, . . . ) derives to an extent of at least 60 wt % from (meth)acrylic monomers, wherein none of the polymer components (A, B, C, . . . ) is homogeneously miscible at room temperature with any of the other polymer components (A, B, C, . . . ), and so a multi-phase system is present.

A cylindrical printing plate formed with high precision and used for printing on a metal can body, particularly an aluminum or aluminum alloy can body. The forming method of a printing plate forms the printing plate to be mounted on an outer periphery of a cylindrical plate cylinder, and includes a notch forming step of forming a positioning notch in a rectangular elastic material sheet in which a resin layer to be served as a plate section is formed on one surface. A cylindrical material forming step rolls the elastic material sheet in which the positioning notch is formed and overlaps both end portions of the elastic material sheet and joining them in a cylindrical shape. A plate section engraving step engraves a printing pattern on the plate section of the elastic material sheet formed into a cylinder shape.

Described herein are an apparatus and a method for direct engraving an elastomeric printing plate by multiple laser beams simultaneously. In one embodiment, an elastomeric printing plate or sleeve is positioned on an imaging drum for direct engraving. The imaging drum is rotatable around its longitudinal axis. Such rotation defines a circumferential direction, also called the transverse direction. The axis of rotation defines an axial direction, also called the longitudinal direction. The printing plate has an body and a surface made of an elastomer (made of polymer or rubber). A drive mechanism provides relative motion between a plurality of laser beams and the plate in both the transverse and longitudinal directions.

The invention relates to a printing sleeve (1) comprising a first, radially inner layer (11) that has an inner side (11a) for making direct contact with the outer side of a printing cylinder (10), and an outer side (11b) which lies radially opposite said inner side (11a); as well as a second, radially outer layer (12) that has an outer side (12b) for forming a printing surface, and an inner side (12a) which lies radially opposite said outer side (12b). Said printing sleeve (1) is characterised in that the outer side (11b) of the first, radially inner layer (11) and the inner side (12a) of the second, radially outer layer (12) lie directly one against the other, and in that said first, radially inner layer (11) is designed to be able to absorb both forces occurring in the circumferential direction (U) and/or longitudinal direction (L), and pressures that arise in the radial direction (R).

The present invention describes a method for manufacturing rotogravure cylinders with a cylinder base made of aluminum and a single metallic layer on the cylinder surface. The method comprises the construction of the cylinder base, the deposition of the metallic layer on the cylinder surface, the thinning of the cylinder to achieve the required dimensions, the polishing of the cylinder surface and finally the etching of the cylinder with the desired printing pattern. The metallic layer can be any copper alloy that will produce a surface with a Vickers hardness of about 400 HV. The metallic layer is deposited onto the cylinder base using any thermal spraying method. The cylinder surface is then thinned and polished by using any conventional method. Finally, the cylinder is etched to provide a superb cylinder for the printing industry.