US 11,712,885 B2 · Method of operating a flexographic printing press, flexographic printing press, system, flexographic printing forme and a sleeve for a flexographic printing forme

Abstract

A method operates a flexographic printing press. The press contains a printing cylinder carrying a sleeve with at least one flexographic printing forme or a flexographic printing cylinder and an impression cylinder forming a printing nip with the printing cylinder to print on a web of printing substrate. The method includes automatically adjusting the transport speed of the web of printing substrate as a function of a dot density of the flexographic printing forme, i.e. of a location-dependent density of printing elevations on the flexographic printing forme, or of data computationally derived therefrom, or as a function of gaps of the flexographic printing forme or printing cylinder or data computationally derived therefrom. The printing press advantageously provides a cost-efficient way of producing high-quality prints in an industrial flexographic printing process while avoiding undesired vibration. In addition, the method of the invention advantageously provides further automation of the printing process.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A method of operating a flexographic printing press, the flexographic printing press containing a printing cylinder carrying a sleeve with at least one flexographic printing forme or a flexographic printing cylinder, and an impression cylinder forming a printing nip with the printing cylinder to print on a web of printing substrate, the method comprises the step of:

automatically adjusting a transport speed of the web of printing substrate in dependence on a dot density measured on the flexographic printing forme, namely of a location-dependent density of printing elevations on the flexographic printing forme, or of data computationally derived from the dot density measured on the flexographic printing forme, or in dependence on gaps measured on the flexographic printing forme or the printing cylinder or data computationally derived from the gaps measured on the flexographic printing forme or the printing cylinder.

A flexographic printing press, comprising:

at least one flexographic printing unit having a printing cylinder carrying a sleeve with at least one flexographic printing forme or a flexographic printing cylinder, an impression cylinder forming a printing nip with said printing cylinder, and an anilox roller;
a motor for conveying a web of printing substrate;
at least one further drive motor for rotatively driving said printing cylinder and/or said impression cylinder and/or said anilox roller and/or for rotatively driving said motor for conveying the web of printing substrate;
and
the flexographic printing press operated to print on the web of printing substrate, the flexographic printing press configured to automatically adjust a transport speed of the web of printing substrate in dependence on a dot density measured on said flexographic printing forme, namely of a location-dependent density of printing elevations on the flexographic printing forme, or of data computationally derived from said dot density measured on said flexographic printing forme, or in dependence on gaps measured on the flexographic printing forme or the printing cylinder or data computationally derived from said gaps measured on the flexographic printing forme or the printing cylinder.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of operating a flexographic printing press, flexographic printing press, system, flexographic printing forme and a sleeve for a flexographic printing forme

Life of this patent

Method of operating a flexographic printing press, flexographic printing press, system, flexographic printing forme and a sleeve for a flexographic printing forme

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24