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 lightweight interchangeable magnetic sleeve and method of manufacture thereof are disclosed. The sleeve assembly comprises an annular tube in the exterior surface having recesses filled with comparatively rigid magnetic means which are firmly adhered therein. The sleeve assembly includes a tubular radially compressible liner component, relatively slightly shorter than the tube, and bonded inside and substantially axially centrally within the tube thus leaving interior cylindrical end regions of the tube exposed beyond the annular end surfaces of said liner. The remaining exposed interior cylindrical surfaces of the tube are rebated back from the liner exposing annular shoulders within the tube. The rebates are tapped so that correspondingly sized threaded end rings of a more structurally robust, rigid and resilient material than the tube material, can be fitted into the tube ends and tightened against the annular shoulders created by the rebating, placing the entire sleeve assembly under slight compression.

A method for assembling a hollow cylinder on, or removing a hollow cylinder from, a further cylinder. The hollow cylinder includes a body with openings for creating an air cushion within a first portion of a shell and a second portion of the shell is gas-impervious or has openings for creating an air cushion of a reduced quantity and/or size compared to the first portion. The openings are connected to a gas feed and a gas inlet inside the body. The further cylinder has openings on a shell and gas is fed though the openings via an internal gas supply. An assembly method includes providing the hollow cylinder, applying a seal to the first portion to prevent escape of gas from the first portion, providing the further cylinder, applying gas to the further cylinder so that gas escapes from the openings, and pushing the hollow cylinder onto the further cylinder.

A mandrel for use in a printing apparatus includes a substantially cylindrical mandrel shaft and plastic expansion rings that are slidably and coaxially mounted on the mandrel shaft. The mandrel also includes a locking assembly including a fixed stop ring and a single locking ring that is axially movably mounted on the mandrel shaft. The expansion rings are positioned between the stop ring and the locking ring. In the unlocked position of the locking ring the expansion rings are in a released state in which the axial compression and the radial expansion of the expansion rings are smaller than in a locked position of the locking ring. A printing cylinder sleeve can be fixedly connected to the mandrel by bringing the expansion rings in the radially expanded state. When the printing cylinder sleeve has to be exchanged, this is feasible when the expansion rings are in the released state.

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).

A mandrel for use in a printing apparatus includes a substantially cylindrical mandrel shaft and a locking assembly including a stop ring, a locking ring, and a plurality of deformable rings which are slidably and coaxially mounted on the mandrel shaft. Each deformable ring has a cross-sectional profile in a cross-sectional plane in which the mandrel shaft axis extends, which profile includes a first arm and a second arm which are integrally connected to each other at a first connection point. The first arm and the second arms include an angle which is sharper in the unlocked position than in the locked position of the locking assembly. The first arm has a first-arm-end remote from the first connection point, which defines the outer diameter of the deformable ring. The second arm has a second-arm-end remote from the first connection point, which second-arm-end defines the inner diameter of the deformable ring.

In a first aspect, the invention relates to a roller core (2) with a tubular supporting wall (4) which extends conically widening (19). The roller core is adapted to receive an interchangeable roller sleeve (3) that can be stretched around it under air pressure. In particular, the roller core comprises an internal air distribution chamber (17) which is limited annularly by an internal surface of the supporting wall, and which is limited via an internal wall portion (27, 27′) to a smaller partial volume of the internal roller volume. In further aspects, the invention relates to an applicator roller (1), a method for mounting and dismounting roller sleeves, and a method for manufacturing roller cores.

A clamping shaft (12) for a rotationally driven part (14) is described. It comprises at least one fluid chamber (28a, 28b) being located inside a shaft body (16) and being delimited by a piston (30a, 30b) and a cylinder part (32a. 32b). Additionally, the fluid chamber (28a, 28b) is delimited by an elastic clamping region (24a, 24b) having a first diameter if the piston (30a, 30b) and the cylinder part (32a, 32b) are in a first relative position, and a second diameter if the piston (30a, 30b) and the cylinder part (32a, 32b) are in a second relative position. Furthermore, a preloading unit (38) is provided, biasing the piston (30a, 30b) and the cylinder part (32a, 32b) towards the second relative position. Moreover, a printing cylinder unit (10) of a printing machine is presented comprising such a clamping shaft (12). Also, a method for operating a clamping shaft (12) is explained.

A lightweight interchangeable magnetic sleeve and method of manufacture thereof are disclosed. The sleeve assembly comprises an annular tube in the exterior surface having recesses filled with comparatively rigid magnetic means which are firmly adhered therein. The sleeve assembly includes a tubular radially compressible liner component, relatively slightly shorter than the tube, and bonded inside and substantially axially centrally within the tube thus leaving interior cylindrical end regions of the tube exposed beyond the annular end surfaces of said liner. The remaining exposed interior cylindrical surfaces of the tube are rebated back from the liner exposing annular shoulders within the tube. The rebates are tapped so that correspondingly sized threaded end rings of a more structurally robust, rigid and resilient material than the tube material, can be fitted into the tube ends and tightened against the annular shoulders created by the rebating, placing the entire sleeve assembly under slight compression.

A method operates a flexographic printing press. The flexographic printing press includes a printing cylinder carrying a sleeve with at least one flexographic printing forme or a flexographic printing cylinder and an impression cylinder. At least one parameter of the flexographic printing press is set. The sleeve is marked with an ID, the ID is detected in a flexographic printing unit of the flexographic printing press or in the flexographic printing press. Data saved in association with the ID are transmitted to the flexographic printing unit or to the flexographic printing press, and the data are used when the parameter is set. In this manner, a cost-efficient way of producing high-quality prints in an industrial flexographic printing process is obtained. In addition, the method provides further automation of the printing process.