Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining color registration in a multi-color printing press having a plurality of printing stations. A process black registration mark is formed in an identified area by positioning a plurality of color registration marks on top of each other. The process black registration mark is position in a portion of the image that is intended to be printed black, and preferably adjacent to a black ink image. The identified area is examined to determine whether the process black registration mark is properly positioned.

Abstract: A flexographic rotary printing machine has a supporting structure provided with two lateral shoulders, an impression roller over which a material in sheet form to be printed passes, at least one printing element or assembly arranged adjacent to the impression roller and having an inking unit, a printing plate cylinder and an anilox roller, which are sleeve cylinders, and a drive for transmitting motion between the impression roller and each printing assembly. At each shoulder there is at least one lateral support device for the advancement-retraction of the sleeve cylinders, adapted to move them between a retracted or resting position, in which a respective sleeve can be inserted or removed, and an advanced or active position, in which the cylinders are kept in contact with, and operatively connected to, the impression roller.

Abstract: A rotary press can vary the order of piling of printed traveling webs freely without requiring the bay window device to the construction and thus contributes for reducing size and weight of the rotary press. Also, the rotary press may facilitate repairing and maintenance operation so that repairing of each unit, maintenance, cleaning or so forth can be done certainly and quickly. The rotary press includes printing units and a folding unit arranged in parallel and further comprises moving means for re-arranging at least two of the units among set units and/or orientation means for turning at least one of the unit over 180.degree..

Abstract: An apparatus and method allowing the changing of image plates or cassettes in an offset printing apparatus without the need to stop the press. Each blanket cylinder is associated with two image cylinders, where each image cylinder carries an associated image plate or cassette. When one of the image cylinders is engaged with the blanket cylinder, thereby transferring an image for printing on the web, the other image cylinder is disengaged from the blanket cylinder. As a result, the other image cylinder is stopped, allowing the image plate or cassette to be changed without the need to stop the entire press operation. After the image plate or cassette is changed on the stopped image cylinder, that image cylinder may be subsequently engaged with the blanket cylinder, while the other image cylinder is disengaged, thereafter allowing that image cylinder to have its image plate or cassette changed.

Abstract: A method for regulating inking of a printing press. The method includes a first step of providing a picture taking device, a closed-loop control device, and a printed product having a surface with a printed image. A second step of printing a print control strip on the surface next to the printed image. A third step of deriving first picture signals from the print control strip and deriving second picture signals from the printed image with the picture taking device. A fourth step of using the closed-loop control device for deriving actual values representing inking of the print control strip from the first picture signals and comparing the actual values to desired values for deriving resultant comparison values. A fifth step of determining ink adjusting signals for controlling ink distribution devices from the resultant comparison values for varying inking of the print product until a desired value is reached during a printer tuning phase.

Abstract: A loading table for flexographic printing plates is disclosed wherein pneumatic suction is employed to secure the printing plate to the loading table and pneumatic pressure is employed to reduce the friction when conveying the printing plate from the loading table to an imaging cylinder. The loading table comprises a plurality of openings connected to a reversible pump. Pneumatic suction or pressure from the pump is transferred to the printing plate via the openings in the loading table. While immobilized on the loading table with pneumatic suction, the flexographic plates can be prepared for imaging by peeling the protective coating from the active layer. The coupling of the plate to the loading table surface facilitates such preparatory steps without excessive handling of the plate. After preparation, the pneumatic pressure is reversed and a thin layer of air is created underneath the plate reducing the friction and permitting simple transfer of the plate to an imaging cylinder for further processing.

Abstract: Ink is accurately metered in the defined transfer thereof from a fountain roller to a first ink roller in a printing unit. A ductor roller is swiveled back and forth between the ink fountain and the ink roller with a swivel mechanism. The swivel mechanism is driven independently of a main drive of the printing unit and with a discontinuous drive. Several parameters are thereby individually adjusted, among them a phase relationship between the ductor roller and a plate cylinder of the printing unit, a number of ductor beats per revolution of the cylinders of the printing unit, and a contact time of the ductor roller at the fountain roller and a contact time of the ductor roller at the first ink roller.

Abstract: Print rolls having subtle identifying markings impressed in the side thereof at a depth sufficient for detection at 45.degree. angle or less. The print rolls can be prepared in a print roll press fitted with a platen containing the desired image raised above the surface of said platen. The printing press can be one used in the manufacture of the print roll.

Abstract: An ink knife duct-adjusting screw unit for an ink fountain in a printing press, having a contact pressure bolt engaging in the bore hole of the housing of an ink fountain and acting upon the ink knife, and a device indicating the position of the duct-adjusting screw and having a control lever. The duct-adjusting screw unit has a modified adaptor element which can be inserted into the existing threaded bore holes of the housing of an existing ink fountain. The remaining elements of the duct-adjusting screw unit can be used according to the type of the machine.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide an inking device for a printing machine, which enables a work for replacing a plate cylinder to be carried out easily without removing a form roller or readjusting a nip pressure. Over a bearing 10 of the first swing roller 9a are supported a roller supporting lever 35 supporting rotatably the first form roller 13a and a roller attaching/detaching lever 45 linked with link mechanisms 49,47 and 48 each mounted on a machine frame 1, a compression coil spring 63 is mounted in each lever via a guide rod for biasing the first form roller 13a against a plate cylinder 4, and the first form roller 13a is able to be moved to a retreat position separated from a running position into the axial direction of the plate cylinder by a prescribed distance via both the levers 35 and 45.

Abstract: An intaglio printing method and an intaglio printer are proposed, which are suitable for forming a wiring pattern and/or bumps such as bump electrodes on a print receiving material on which printing is to be performed, such as a substrate and a semiconductor package, using a paste or a fused metal. In addition, a method of forming the wiring pattern and the bumps such as bump electrodes on the printing substrate, using the intaglio printing method, a method for forming a wiring pattern, an apparatus for carrying out the method of forming the wiring pattern, the bump electrode and the wiring pattern are proposed.

Abstract: A folding device in which printing-material webs are cooled in an effective manner includes guide rollers and/or feed rollers designed as cooling rollers. Alternatively or in conjunction with the cooling rollers, there are cooling arrangements in the folder superstructure and compressed cooling air flows from these cooling arrangements onto the surfaces of the printing-material webs.

Abstract: The web fed or sheet fed printing machine for security papers, in particular banknotes, possesses a principal printing group. It further has an additional, independent printing group (20) placed upstream of the principal printing group in the feed direction of the paper and allowing a pattern in at least one predetermined color to be printed over the entire width of the paper before the paper passes into the principal printing group.

Abstract: A method of operating a rotary printing press, wherein, during printing with a first printing form, a second printing form is imaged. A device for implementing the method has at least one imaging apparatus associated with the printing forms.

Abstract: An overprint stamper is provided with three print surface retainer portions positioned flush with each other in the non-depressed condition, print surface portions each comprising a thermoplastic expanded sheet fixed to each print surface retainer portion, a slider portion for supporting the print surface retainer portions rotatably by means of a resilient hinge means while being generally movable, and a guide bar for guiding the direction in which the slider portion moves. Further, in order to control the position where the slider portion stops so that each print surface portion is positioned at a predetermined printing position, three grooves are provided on the guide bar and a spring having a protrusion fitting therein is fixed to the slider portion.

Abstract: A rubber roller in a printing press inker or dampener is force loaded against its adjacent rollers with hydraulic cylinders. The bearings of the adjacent rollers are fixed in the machine frame, while the position setting sockets of the rubber roller are supported on the hydraulic cylinders. The rubber roller can be thrown on and off by actuating the hydraulic cylinders and the loading force can be adjusted by the hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic cylinders.

Abstract: A device for filling depressions in a cylinder of a printing machine with a fluid, e.g., an ink, which permits a quick change to a different fluid, includes at least two doctor blade devices arranged on the cylinder which doctor blade devices can be selectively moved individually into effective connection with the cylinder.

Abstract: A device and method for synchronizing at least two printing-unit groups (2, 3) which represent a sheet-fed printing machine (1). Between the two printing-unit groups (2, 3) there is provided a transfer unit (10) being operable by means of a separately controllable drive (12). The present invention is used in sheet-fed printing machines assembled in serial arrangement.

Abstract: A method for self-adjusting color and cut register control in rotary printing machines having individual or a plurality of webs is specified, according to which the amount of relative web stretching of the individual web sections is calculated from the operating points of the drives driving the web and the correcting variables for color and cut registers are derived from the production-dependent combination of all the stretching values.

Abstract: A paint injector for digital printing in which paint is deposited in metered amounts on a print medium comprises a wheel rotatable by a shaft of a motor, an idler disposed in a paint reservoir, and an endless cable disposed around the wheel and the idler. The motor is preferably computer controlled such that the rotation of the wheel and thus movement of the cable is selectively controlled. As the wheel is rotated, paint contained within the paint reservoir coats the cable and is thus drawn by the cable in front of an air stream. The air stream pulls the paint from the cable and carries it toward the print medium. By employing a plurality of such paint injectors into a single print head, each containing a different color of paint, and secured to a computer controlled, movable carriage positioned over the print medium, a digital image can be painted by the print head on the print medium.