The present invention discloses a printing unit with an automated sleeve change process. A sleeve can be prepared for the next printing job while the current job is running, thereby reducing the changeover time. Also, the printing unit can handle printing sleeves of very different sizes without any special additional adjustments to be made. The printing unit translates the printing roller and the inking roller on a horizontal line to engage and dis-engage the printing roller. The invention is convenient for large printing sleeves because the sleeve can be slipped over a shaft that remains in the unit. The setup results in a very rigid system, which guarantees an excellent printing quality.

The present invention discloses a printing unit with an automated sleeve change process. A sleeve can be prepared for the next printing job while the current job is running, thereby reducing the changeover time. Also, the printing unit can handle printing sleeves of very different sizes without any special additional adjustments to be made. The printing unit translates the printing roller and the inking roller on a horizontal line to engage and dis-engage the printing roller. The invention is convenient for large printing sleeves because the sleeve can be slipped over a shaft that remains in the unit. The setup results in a very rigid system, which guarantees an excellent printing quality.

A bearing assembly (26) is described. It is suitable for supporting a printing cylinder or an anilox roll in a printing machine and comprises at least one roller bearing (28, 30) being configured for receiving a shaft (12b, 14b, 16b) associated with the printing cylinder or the anilox roll. Additionally, it has a first support part (32) carrying the roller bearing (28, 30) and a second support part (34) being a carrier element of the printing machine or being configured for being mounted to a carrier element of the printing machine. Furthermore, a fluid chamber (36) is provided acting between the roller bearing (28, 30) and the second support part (34). Moreover, a printing machine is presented wherein a shaft (12b, 14b, 16b) associated with a printing cylinder or an anilox roll thereof is supported by such a bearing assembly (26).

A device and a method is disclosed to maintain plate and anilox mandrel position stability in print decks of a flexographic printing press. In one aspect, the mandrel bearings associated with at least one of the plate roll and the anilox roll are preloaded for the purpose of eliminating backlash and increasing the positional stiffness of the bearings, and thus the mandrel. In another aspect, the roll drive motor control system is enabled to provide a torque additive command the torque profile to maintain rotational consistency and otherwise overcome torque transients experienced by the motor during print bounce. Accordingly, the problem commonly referred to as print bounce and or print banding is alleviated.

A method is provided for automatically exchanging a sleeve (18a) of a printing tool (14, 16, 18, 22, 24) mounted in a printing machine (12), in particular a flexographic printing machine, by means of a printing tool handling unit (28) comprising a coupling interface (36). In one step of the method the printing tool handling unit (28) is temporarily coupled to a coupling interface (46) located at the end of a shaft (54, 56, 58, 60) of the printing tool (14, 16, 18, 22, 24) with its coupling interface (36). In a further step, the printing tool handling unit (28) transports the printing tool (14, 16, 18, 22, 24) to a separation unit (78) comprising at least one clamping device (80, 82, 84) and places the printing tool (14, 16, 18, 22, 24) in the clamping device (80) of the separation unit (78). The printing tool (14, 16, 18, 22, 24), in particular a sleeve (18a) of the printing tool (14, 16, 18, 22, 24), is clamped by the clamping device (80), and the printing tool handling unit (28) separates the shaft (54, 56, 58, 60) from the sleeve (18a) by pulling the shaft (54, 56, 58, 60) out of the sleeve (18a) while the sleeve (18a) is clamped in the clamping device (80).

The present invention discloses a printing unit with an automated sleeve change process. A sleeve can be prepared for the next printing job while the current job is running, thereby reducing the changeover time. Also, the printing unit can handle printing sleeves of very different sizes without any special additional adjustments to be made. The printing unit translates the printing roller and the inking roller on a horizontal line to engage and dis-engage the printing roller. The invention is convenient for large printing sleeves because the sleeve can be slipped over a shaft that remains in the unit. The setup results in a very rigid system, which guarantees an excellent printing quality.

The present invention discloses a printing unit with an automated sleeve change process. A sleeve can be prepared for the next printing job while the current job is running, thereby reducing the changeover time. Also, the printing unit can handle printing sleeves of very different sizes without any special additional adjustments to be made. The printing unit translates the printing roller and the inking roller on a horizontal line to engage and dis-engage the printing roller. The invention is convenient for large printing sleeves because the sleeve can be slipped over a shaft that remains in the unit. The setup results in a very rigid system, which guarantees an excellent printing quality.

The invention is about a valve system to grip a sleeve over a mandrel in a press, in particular on how the gripper is brought toward and away from the mandrel and sleeve assembly. The gripper is disengaged from the sleeve, following first a straight path and then a helicoidal path, thanks to an ad-hoc slot machined on an axle. This allows to disengage the gripper and set it out of the way for handling the sleeve, with a single motor and a single instruction.

The invention is about a valve system to grip a sleeve over a mandrel in a press, in particular on how the gripper is brought toward and away from the mandrel and sleeve assembly. The gripper is disengaged from the sleeve, following first a straight path and then a helicoidal path, thanks to an ad-hoc slot machined on an axle. This allows to disengage the gripper and set it out of the way for handling the sleeve, with a single motor and a single instruction.

An adapting sleeve for flexographic printing machines defines an exterior surface appropriate for the mounting of a printing sleeve. The adapting sleeve has an outer cylindrical member made of a rigid material and surrounding an inner cylindrical member that defines a cylindrical passage for mounting of the adapting sleeve on a rotary core of a flexographic printing machine. The adapting sleeve has some ring separators that are mounted between the outer cylindrical member and the inner cylindrical member and spaced longitudinally from each other. The adapting sleeve has a hydraulic device that includes hydraulic pads arranged between the inner surface of the inner cylindrical member and the ring separators and connected by a hydraulic circuit to a pressurization element that is actionable manually from the exterior of the adapting sleeve.