There is described a printing press (100***; 100****) adapted to carry out printing on a sheet-like or web-like substrate (S), in particular for the production of security documents such as banknotes, comprising a printing unit (2*; 2**; 2***; 2****) designed to print a first side (I) and/or a second side (II) of the substrate (S). The printing press (100***; 100****) further comprises an in-line casting device (80; 80*; 80**; 80***) adapted to apply a layer of material acting as an optical medium on a portion of a first side (I, II) of the substrate (S) and to replicate and form a micro-optical structure (L) in the layer of material acting as optical medium. The printing unit (2*; 2**; 2***; 2****) is furthermore adapted to print at least one printed pattern on the first or second side (I, II) of the substrate (S) in register with the micro-optical structure (L), wherein the printing unit (2*; 2**; 2***; 2****) comprises at least a first printing group (93) being adapted to print at least one printed pattern on the second side (II) of the substrate (S) in register with the micro-optical structure (L) and wherein the in-line casting device (80; 80*; 80**; 80***) comprises at least one embossing cylinder (85), which embossing cylinder (85) also is acting as counter-pressure cylinder and cooperates with a printing cylinder (8) of the at least first printing group (93) and/or whereas the in-line casting device (80; 80*; 80**; 80***) and the at least a first printing group (93) being arranged at the Substrate transport path such way, that in-line casting of the micro-optical structure, on one side of the sheets S, and printing of the associated pattern, on the other side of the sheets S, are performed in a same step, without this involving any sheet transfer operation.

In some examples, a sheet-fed printing unit is configured as a screen printing unit and includes at least one screen printing forme cylinder and at least one impression cylinder cooperating therewith. A cylinder barrel of the impression cylinder includes a supporting surface for sheets, and which includes at least one impression portion having a constant barrel radius that extends over an angle of at least 170 degrees about the axis of rotation of the impression cylinder. The screen printing forme cylinder has an effective screen radius that is smaller than a barrel radius of the impression cylinder, and the effective screen radius is larger than half the barrel radius.

In some examples, a screen printing unit includes a screen printing forme cylinder, an impression cylinder, and a frame including two frame side walls. The screen printing unit further includes first and second base modules, each comprising two stationary base side walls that each have a one-piece design. Each base module includes four installation areas for rotational transport bodies whose positions coincide in the base modules, and the respective first and second installation areas of each base module form a respective selection group of the base module. An impression cylinder cooperating with the screen printing forme cylinder is in one of the installation areas of the selection group of the first base module, and a respective rotational transport body is arranged in each of the four installation areas of the base modules. A functionally different rotational transport body is arranged in an installation area of the first base module.

A device is provided for aligning magnetic or magnetizable particles, which are contained in a coating that is applied to a first side of a web-type or a sheet-type substrate. An application device is arranged in the transport path of the substrate, by the use of which, the coating is applied or is applicable to the first side of the substrate, in at least one application site. A first cylinder, which is embodied as a magnetic cylinder, is arranged in the transport path of the substrate to be transported downstream of the application device and comprises a plurality of elements creating a magnetic field in the region of the outer periphery of the first cylinder. Another cylinder, which is embodied as a magnetic cylinder, is arranged in the transport path of the substrate to be transported and comprises a plurality of elements creating a magnetic field in the region of the outer periphery of that cylinder. A drying device or an hardening device is arranged on the transport path between a site of a winding-on of the substrate on the first cylinder and a site of a winding-on of the other cylinder. The first cylinder, which is embodied as the magnetic cylinder, is arranged in the transport path of the substrate to be transported on the second side thereof. The drying or the hardening device is oriented in the transport path of the substrate to be transported on the first side thereof.

A sheet-fed simultaneous printing machine has two directly interacting collecting cylinders with respective axes of rotation. An axial plane contains these axes of rotation. A reference plane contains such an axis of rotation of this type and has a horizontal surface normal. The intersection angle between the axial plane and the reference plane is max 0.5°. The sheet-fed simultaneous sheet printing unit has exactly four plate cylinders, of which two are arranged such that they directly interact with the first and two are arranged to such that they directly interact with the second collector cylinder. An inking unit with a respective ink supply is arranged in each plate cylinder and a supply sectional plane is determined for each ink supply, which intersects this ink supply and which also contains the axis of rotation of the corresponding plate cylinder. An intersection angle between the reference plane and a supply sectional plane of the respective ink supply is max 35°. A sheet-fed machine comprises at least one sheet-fed printing unit of this type, as well as a sheet-fed printing unit having two directly interacting impression cylinders. An intersection angle between the axial plane on one side and the reference plane on the other side is max 45°.

A sheet-fed printing machine comprises at least two sheet-fed printing units. A first sheet-fed printing unit has a first impression cylinder and a second impression cylinder, which cylinders are arranged such that they directly interact with one another and each have an axis of rotation. An axial plane contains these two axes of rotation. A reference plane contains an axis of rotation of this type and has a horizontal surface normal. These two cylinders are arranged such that an intersection angle between the axial plane and the reference plane has a maximum angle of 30°. The first sheet-fed printing unit has at least one plate cylinder, which is in direct contact with or which directly interacts with one of the impression cylinders and which is configured as a numbering plate cylinder or as a flexo cylinder or as a screen printing plate cylinder. A second sheet-fed printing unit has at least one cylinder which is configured as an impression cylinder. The impression cylinder of the first printing unit and the impression cylinder of the second printing unit each have the same circumference.

A sheet-fed printing machine comprises at least two sheet-fed printing units. A first sheet-fed printing unit has a first impression cylinder and a second impression cylinder, which cylinders are arranged such that they directly interact with one another and each have an axis of rotation. An axial plane contains these two axes of rotation. A reference plane contains an axis of rotation of this type and has a horizontal surface normal. These two cylinders are arranged such that an intersection angle between the axial plane and the reference plane has a maximum angle of 30°. The first sheet-fed printing unit has at least one plate cylinder, which is in direct contact with or which directly interacts with one of the impression cylinders and which is configured as a numbering plate cylinder or as a flexo cylinder or as a screen printing plate cylinder. A second sheet-fed printing unit has at least one cylinder which is configured as an impression cylinder. The impression cylinder of the first printing unit and the impression cylinder of the second printing unit each have the same circumference.

A printing system for rotary screen printing includes a screen-printing cylinder having flexible surface elements. The flexible surface elements give way upon contact with sheet grippers projecting from an impression cylinder, so that it is not necessary to move the screen-printing cylinder out to avoid contact with the sheet grippers. A screen-printing cylinder, a method for producing a screen-printing cylinder, a printing machine and a method for using a screen-printing cylinder, are also provided.

A cylinder is usable, in particular, for aligning magnetic of magnetizable particles, which are contained in a coating medium that is applied to a first side of a web-like or a sheet-like substrate, which cylinder, in the region of its outer circumference, has a plurality of elements effecting a magnetic field, magnetic elements for short. The magnetic elements are arranged in or on a plurality of ring elements that are spaced axially apart from one another and that are positionable in the axial direction on a shaft, in or on which ring elements, in turn, a plurality of magnetic elements are respectively arranged one after the other in the circumferential direction. At least two adjacent ring elements, each have a covering element, forming a part of the cylindrical lateral surface of the cylinder and extending in the circumferential direction, at least over the circumferential region populated with magnetic elements. The covering elements of two ring elements adjacent to each other have, on their sides facing each other in the axial direction, a plurality of projections alternating in the circumferential direction with recesses and offset in a circumferential direction in such a way that, during a relative movement of the two ring elements towards each other, the projections on the covering element of one ring element engage, in the manner of teeth, in corresponding recesses of the other ring element, and, as seen in the circumferential direction, can overlap. A security paper printing machine, having such a cylinder, is also disclosed.

A horizontal rotary screen transfer printing device includes a frame, two or more sets of rotary screen transfer printing assemblies which are horizontally disposed on the frame, and a back-pressure roller. Each rotary screen transfer printing assembly includes a rotary screen plate roller and a transfer roller arranged parallel to each other. The rotary screen plate roller transfers a pattern onto the transfer roller serving as a temporary transfer carrier. The transfer roller transfers the pattern onto a fabric passing between the back-pressure roller and the transfer roller in a horizontal direction.