A plate sleeve-holder cylinder provided with a carbon-fibre central tube (T) comprising compressed air channels (6, 7, 8) arranged between one of the end flanges (Fb, Fm) of said plate sleeve-holder cylinder and a plurality of holes (H) formed in the outer surface of said central tube (T) made of carbon-fibre composite material. Said air channels (6, 7, 8) are partly embedded within said end flanges (Fb, Fm), partly within a thickness of a side wall (P) of said central tube (T) made of carbon-fibre composite material. Additionally, a process of manufacturing said central tube (t) is disclosed by inserting air pipes (6) into grooves (1) which are formed by mechanical milling of a surface of the supporting structure (P) of said central tube (T) obtained through a first lamination and polymerization, said grooves being coated with a surface finishing structure (S) obtained through a second lamination and polymerization.

A method for attaching a printing plate (12), especially a flexographic printing plate, to a printing cylinder (14) is described. In a first step, the printing plate (12) is provided in a substantially flat condition. Thereafter, an outer circumference of the printing cylinder (14) is arranged adjacent to an edge of the printing plate (12). Subsequently, the printing cylinder (14) is translatorily moved over the printing plate (12) while rotating such that the printing plate (12) is rolled-up on the printing cylinder (14). Additionally, an apparatus (10) for attaching a printing plate (12) to a printing cylinder (14) is presented. The apparatus (10) comprises a printing plate support unit (16) having a substantially flat support surface (18) for supporting the printing plate (12) to be mounted on the printing cylinder (14), and a printing cylinder support unit (36) for supporting and moving the printing cylinder (14). The printing cylinder support unit (36) comprises a translatory drive means (42) for translatorily moving the printing cylinder (14) in a direction parallel to the support surface (18).

A method for fixing and treating a flexible plate on a drum includes: providing a flexible plate comprising a support layer made of a first material and at least one additional layer made of a second material which is different from the first material, wherein one or more thin film side wings are connected to one or more sides of the flexible plate. The one or more thin film side wings have a thickness which is at least 5 times smaller than the thickness of the flexible plate. The method further includes positioning the flexible plate on the drum such that the lower face of each thin film side wing of the flexible plate covers at least one vacuum suction opening, and performing a treatment on at least one layer of the flexible plate while rotating the drum.

A mounting unit, or printing system including a mounting unit, for mounting printing plate segments on a carrier sheet. The mounting unit includes a base for receiving the carrier sheet, at least two cameras, a controller for positioning the cameras relative to the base, and a computer connected to the controller and cameras. The computer is configured to receive a mounting file including a printing plate segment identifier, information regarding alignment of registration marks relative to the carrier sheet; and image data corresponding to a characteristic pattern associated with each printing plate segment. The unit is configured to display a composite image depicting the image data corresponding to the characteristic patterns in a predetermined arrangement of printing plate segment locations and orientations overlaid on an image of the carrier sheet from one of the at least two cameras.

In order to allow a worker to accurately and repeatedly mark an original plan on a working surface, the present disclosure provides a nonrestrictive drive-type marking system comprising a nonrestrictive drive-type marking device, the nonrestrictive drive-type marking system including an input unit configured to receive data of content to be marked; a marking unit configured to mark the content corresponding to the data on a working surface; a driving unit configured to allow at least a part of the nonrestrictive drive-type marking device comprising the marking unit to nonrestrictively move on the working surface; a position detecting unit configured to sense position information of the nonrestrictive drive-type marking device; and a control unit electrically connected to the input unit, the marking unit, the driving unit, and the position detecting unit, and configured to calculate a current position of the at least the part of the nonrestrictive drive-type marking device comprising the marking unit by comparing the position information with the data, to compare the current position with the data, and if the current position does not match with the data and a degree of mismatch thereof is within a preset range, to move at least a part of the marking unit, and to control the nonrestrictive drive-type marking device to mark the content corresponding to the data on the working surface while the nonrestrictive drive-type marking device moves.

An automatic screen registration device for a registering a screen printing frame and method of use that includes generally (1) a print head or plurality of print heads; (2) frame or frames attached directly to the print head(s) and (3) a means for positioning a screen in the frame(s). The present invention uses a multi-point registration system that is attached to each print head of a screen printing system.

An applicator for transferring an indicia to a substrate includes an ink layer forming the indicia. A white layer is disposed on the ink layer. An adhesive layer is disposed on the white layer. The adhesive layer is configured to adhere the ink layer and the white layer to the substrate.

Printing machines are provided which include a plurality of printing units, each including a cliché-carrying cylinder rotatably mounted about a respective axis of rotation (x) and a cliché fixed to the cliché-carrying cylinder in a given angular position with respect to the latter. The cliché-carrying cylinder of each printing unit has at least one reference mark (N) intended to be aligned with a given reference direction (z) to ensure correct angular positioning of this cliché-carrying cylinder with respect to the cliché-carrying cylinders of the other printing units. Each printing unit comprises a laser source adapted to generate a light beam directed along the reference direction (z) of this printing unit and towards the cliché-carrying cylinder of this printing unit, so that it is easier to perform the operation of aligning the reference mark (N) on the cliché-carrying cylinder with the reference direction (z).

A method for mounting one or more printing plate segments on a carrier sheet. The method comprises importing a file into a computer associated with a mounting unit. For each printing plate segment, the file includes a printing plate segment identifier, information regarding alignment of registration marks relative to the carrier sheet; and image data corresponding to a characteristic pattern associated with each printing plate segment. A composite image depicting the image data corresponding to the characteristic patterns is then displayed on a display in the predetermined arrangement of one or more printing plate segment locations and orientations. A mounting unit and a printing system and computer readable media programmed with instructions for performing the method are also described.

A sheet-fed printing press includes a printing cylinder and a high-precision sensor system for monitoring a sheet run in the area of the printing cylinder. At least one gage, which is mounted on the printing cylinder, can be detected by the sensor system. It is particularly advantageous if the sensor system is configured to be self-calibrating. A method for calibrating a sensor system and a method for aligning a sensor system are also provided.