A plate handling system (500, 600) for transporting printing plates between workstations in a process workflow. A plurality of vacuum gripper end effectors (512) configured to grip the printing plates are mounted to a computer-controlled transporter (514) configured to translate in at least three orthogonal directions and to rotate about at least one rotational axis. At least one sensor (560) detects orientation of the plate relative to a staging location and a controller (630) causes the transporter to move based upon programmed instructions in accordance with information provided by the sensor. A mobile preparation table (1000) may be provided in the staging location. A thickness measurement system (1090) may be included in some embodiments.

A roller for a printing unit of a printing press, has a roller outer body, which is mounted on a roller inner body, so as to be movable axially in a reciprocating manner. For the axial movement of the roller outer body, in at least a first direction, a pneumatic drive is provided. The pneumatic drive has at least one first chamber, which is mounted in the interior of the roller in the manner of a cylinder/piston system between one or more structural elements, that are fixed to the roller outer body, and one or more structural elements that are fixed to the roller inner body. The chamber can be pressurized with compressed air. The parts of the structural elements adjoining the chamber, and that are movable axially relative to one another, form a non-contact seal between themselves on their mutually facing sides.

A method correctly mounts printing plates in a printing press. The method uses prepress software, a transport device, an identification device disposed on the transport device or on a printing plate, and a scanning device. The prepress software defines a sequence of print jobs to be processed by the printing press and sends data for making the printing plates for the print jobs defined in the processing sequence to a platesetter. The platesetter produces the corresponding printing plates. The produced printing plates are deposited on the transport device, the transport device is conveyed to the printing press, and the identification device of the transport device or of a printing plate is scanned by a scanning device at the printing press and the print jobs that have been identified in this way are compared to the print jobs which the prepress software has assigned to the printing press.

Systems and methods of removing and cleaning a stencil in a stencil printer include removing a used stencil from a stencil printer with the assistance of a movable cart, transporting the used stencil by the movable cart to a cleaning station, removing the used stencil from the movable cart, delivering the used stencil to the cleaning station, cleaning the stencil, removing a cleaned stencil from the cleaning station, and delivering the cleaned stencil to the movable cart for future use.

The multiple printing plate mounting system of the present disclosure may be used to mount multiple flexible printing plates simultaneously onto a printing sleeve. The system has a back rotary vacuum plate with a plurality of distinct vacuum zones and may be controlled via valve by a computer control system. A filler plate may also be controlled with the same vacuum patterns. The filler plate will move minutely side-to-side. A front plate with match-controlled vacuum patterns may also have a servo to control front-to-back-movement. The distinct vacuum zones are used together with the movable front, back, and filler vacuum plates to selectively, individually, and independently align the flexible printing plates prior to mounting.

A method correctly mounts printing plates in a printing press. The method uses prepress software, a transport device, an identification device disposed on the transport device or on a printing plate, and a scanning device. The prepress software defines a sequence of print jobs to be processed by the printing press and sends data for making the printing plates for the print jobs defined in the processing sequence to a platesetter. The platesetter produces the corresponding printing plates. The produced printing plates are deposited on the transport device, the transport device is conveyed to the printing press, and the identification device of the transport device or of a printing plate is scanned by a scanning device at the printing press and the print jobs that have been identified in this way are compared to the print jobs which the prepress software has assigned to the printing press.

A plate handling system (500, 600) for transporting printing plates between workstations in a process workflow. A plurality of vacuum gripper end effectors (512) configured to grip the printing plates are mounted to a computer-controlled transporter (514) configured to translate in at least three orthogonal directions and to rotate about at least one rotational axis. At least one sensor (560) detects orientation of the plate relative to a staging location and a controller (630) causes the transporter to move based upon programmed instructions in accordance with information provided by the sensor. A mobile preparation table (1000) may be provided in the staging location. A thickness measurement system (1090) may be included in some embodiments.

A system for moving a flexible plate, in particular a printing plate or a printing plate precursor, over a support surface in the direction of a treatment station, such as a washer station. The system includes a support configured for supporting the plate on a support surface thereof, and intended to be located upstream of the treatment station. A movement means includes a plate engagement means configured to contact the plate in such a way that the plate is engaged by adhesion or by friction or a combination thereof, in a movement mode, and that the plate can be slid over the support surface by controlling the movement means in the movement mode. A control means is configured to control the movement means such that the plate is slid over the support in the direction of the treatment station.

A roller for a printing unit of a printing press, has a roller outer body, which is mounted on a roller inner body, so as to be movable axially in a reciprocating manner. For the axial movement of the roller outer body, in at least a first direction, a pneumatic drive is provided. The pneumatic drive has at least one first chamber, which is mounted in the interior of the roller in the manner of a cylinder/piston system between one or more structural elements, that are fixed to the roller outer body, and one or more structural elements that are fixed to the roller inner body. The chamber can be pressurized with compressed air. The parts of the structural elements adjoining the chamber, and that are movable axially relative to one another, form a non-contact seal between themselves on their mutually facing sides.

For a flexographic printing apparatus, an apparatus (1) and method for mounting a printing plate (2) on a printing cylinder (4) or a printing sleeve including a system for pre-alignment (5, 8) of a printing plate (2) and real-time alignment (5, 8) of the printing plate (2) during mounting.