A printing machine comprising advancement elements for advancing material in sheet form to be printed which are provided at least with a traction drum which is designed to receive, at an entry region, the material in sheet form to be printed and to convey it toward an exit region spaced circumferentially apart, along the direction of rotation of the traction drum about its own axis, from the entry region; analog print stations are arranged around the traction drum, between the entry region and the exit region and, between at least two analog print stations, conveyance means are provided for conveying the material in sheet form to be printed which arrives from the traction drum along an advancement path that has at least one advancement portion for advancing the material in sheet form to be printed which extends substantially straight, along which at least one digital print station is arranged.

There is described a color control pattern (CP) for the optical measurement of colors printed on a sheet or web substrate (S) by means of a multicolor printing press, especially by means of a multicolor security printing press, which substrate (S) exhibits an effective printed region (EF) having a multicolor printed image comprising a plurality of juxtaposed colored areas (A-H) printed with a corresponding plurality of printing inks of different colors, wherein the color control pattern (CP) is located in a margin portion (Im) of the substrate (S) next to the effective printed region (EF). The color control pattern (CP) comprises one or more color control strips (a-d) extending transversely to a direction of transport (T) of the substrate (S), each color control strip (a-d) comprising a plurality of distinct color control fields (CF, CF.sub.A to CF.sub.H) consisting of printed fields of each relevant printing ink that is printed in the effective printed region (EF). The color control fields (CF, CF.sub.A to CF.sub.H) are coordinated to actual application of the relevant printing inks in the effective printed region (EF) and are positioned transversely to the direction of transport (T) of the substrate (S) at locations corresponding to actual positions where the relevant printing inks are applied in the effective printed region (EF).

There is described a color control pattern (CP) for the optical measurement of colors printed on a sheet or web substrate (S) by means of a multicolor printing press, especially by means of a multicolor security printing press, which substrate (S) exhibits an effective printed region (EF) having a multicolor printed image comprising a plurality of juxtaposed colored areas (A-H) printed with a corresponding plurality of printing inks of different colors, wherein the color control pattern (CP) is located in a margin portion (Im) of the substrate (S) next to the effective printed region (EF). The color control pattern (CP) comprises one or more color control strips (a-d) extending transversely to a direction of transport (T) of the substrate (S), each color control strip (a-d) comprising a plurality of distinct color control fields (CF, CF.sub.A to CF.sub.H) consisting of printed fields of each relevant printing ink that is printed in the effective printed region (EF). The color control fields (CE, CF.sub.A to CF.sub.H) are coordinated to actual application of the relevant printing inks in the effective printed region (EF) and are positioned transversely to the direction of transport (T) of the substrate (S) at locations corresponding to actual positions where the relevant printing inks are applied in the effective printed region (EF).

A gravure printing system comprising a gravure cylinder having a first plurality of discrete cells disposed upon an outer surface thereof is disclosed. Each cell of said first plurality of discrete cells has a nominal diameter and is capable of receiving a fluid that is a first combination of at least two primary fluids. The fluid is fluidically displaceable through a discrete channel having a single entry point at said first position and a single exit point into a first cell of said first plurality of discrete cells. The outer surface has a metal plating disposed thereon. The metal plating reduces the nominal diameter of each cell of the first plurality of discrete cells.

Provided are a center drum type gravure printing apparatus comprising a plurality of gravure plate cylinders, which generates no volatile organic compound, eliminates printing misregistration, requires only a small installation space, and is suitable for performing multi-color printing, and a gravure printing method and a method of manufacturing a printed matter, which use the center drum type gravure printing apparatus. The center drum type gravure printing apparatus, comprises: a center drum; a guiding means for guiding a material to be printed, the guiding means being configured to introduce the material to be printed to a drum surface of the center drum, and being configured to deliver the material to be printed from the drum surface; a plurality of gravure plate cylinders arranged, each of the plurality of gravure plate cylinders having a plate surface with gravure cells; an ink chamber arranged to the plate surface of the each of the plurality of gravure plate cylinders so as to supply an electron beam curable ink to the gravure cells of the each of the plurality of gravure plate cylinders; and an electron beam irradiation means for curing the ink transferred from the gravure cells supplied with the ink to the material to be printed, the electron beam irradiation means being positioned on a downstream side of the material to be printed, which is being guided.