Printing facility for the manipulation of a plurality of sleeve assemblies (52) each composed by a printing sleeve (50) having a cylindrical internal surface (61) with a diameter larger than the diameter of a printing shaft (12) and an independent tubular cylindrical intermediate sleeve (51) inserted into the cylindrical printing sleeve (50), said printing sleeve comprising a printing machine (10) comprising cylindrical printing shafts (12), and a robotic unit (20) comprising a sleeves handling device (21), the facility further comprising a first storage (30) for store a plurality of printing sleeves (50), which include retaining elements (31) for the immobilization of the stored printing sleeves (50) in geometrical interference with the printing cylindrical external surface (60) and/or with at least one of the annular faces (62) of the printing sleeves (50).

An application unit comprises an application mechanism with an impression cylinder, a forme cylinder, and a supply roller, along with a positioning device and a magazine for supply rollers, which magazine is located below the application mechanism. The magazine has magazine receptacles for supply rollers and a movable repositioning device, by the use of which, the magazine receptacles can be placed in different magazine positions. One of the magazine positions is a change position, and when a magazine receptacle is located in that change position, a supply roller can be transferred, with respect to a positioning direction, between the magazine receptacle and a remote region of a roller positioning path that connects the magazine to the application mechanism. The positioning direction deviates no more than 45 degrees from a vertical direction. One of the magazine positions is a loading position, and when a magazine receptacle is located in the loading position, a supply roller can be transferred along a loading path with respect to a loading direction, between the magazine receptacle and a loading area. The loading direction deviates no more than 30 degrees from at least one horizontal direction.

An application unit comprises an application mechanism with an impression cylinder, a forme cylinder, and a supply roller, along with a positioning device and a magazine for supply rollers, which magazine is located below the application mechanism. The magazine has magazine receptacles for supply rollers and a movable repositioning device, by the use of which, the magazine receptacles can be placed in different magazine positions. One of the magazine positions is a change position, and when a magazine receptacle is located in that change position, a supply roller can be transferred, with respect to a positioning direction, between the magazine receptacle and a remote region of a roller positioning path that connects the magazine to the application mechanism. The positioning direction deviates no more than 45 degrees from a vertical direction. One of the magazine positions is a loading position, and when a magazine receptacle is located in the loading position, a supply roller can be transferred along a loading path with respect to a loading direction, between the magazine receptacle and a loading area. The loading direction deviates no more than 30 degrees from at least one horizontal direction.

An application unit includes an application mechanism having an application cylinder, a forme cylinder, and a supply roller, along with a positioning device. The positioning device has a linear guide and the application unit has a magazine for supply rollers, preferably located below the application mechanism, the magazine having magazine receptacles each for receiving one supply roller. The magazine has a repositioning device, by the use of which the magazine receptacles can be placed in different magazines positions. By the use of the positioning device, a supply roller can be moved along a linear roller positioning path, one end of which is identical to a supply position and the other end of which is identical to a magazine position of the magazine that is configured as a change position. The positioning device preferably has at least one transfer supporting member, which is arranged to be movable in and counter to a positioning direction relative to the frame of the flexographic application mechanism, guided along the at least one linear guide, and on which at least one component of a bearing seat can be arranged, which is configured to receive a rolling bearing arranged on the at least one supply roller.

An application unit includes an application mechanism having an application cylinder, a forme cylinder, and a supply roller, along with a positioning device. The positioning device has a linear guide and the application unit has a magazine for supply rollers, preferably located below the application mechanism, the magazine having magazine receptacles each for receiving one supply roller. The magazine has a repositioning device, by the use of which the magazine receptacles can be placed in different magazines positions. By the use of the positioning device, a supply roller can be moved along a linear roller positioning path, one end of which is identical to a supply position and the other end of which is identical to a magazine position of the magazine that is configured as a change position. The positioning device preferably has at least one transfer supporting member, which is arranged to be movable in and counter to a positioning direction relative to the frame of the flexographic application mechanism, guided along the at least one linear guide, and on which at least one component of a bearing seat can be arranged, which is configured to receive a rolling bearing arranged on the at least one supply roller.