Method and device for adjusting a contact pressure between ink-carrying cylinders of a printing machine

A system for adjusting a contact pressure of an ink-carrying cylinder of a printing machine, wherein the ink-carrying cylinder is coupled with a cylinder disengaging device, comprising:

• width measuring means for measuring a width of a contact strip transferred from the ink-carrying cylinder to a print material, said width measuring means being aimed at the print material on which the contact strip is imprinted;
• a control or regulating device connected to and receiving signals from said width measuring means;
• and
• adjusting members connected to said control or regulating device and operatively associated with the ink-carrying cylinder for adjusting a contact pressure thereof.

A method of adjusting a contact pressure between ink-carrying cylinders of a printing machine, wherein at least one of the cylinders is engagable with and disengageable from a printing form cylinder, which method comprises the steps of:

• inking an ink-carrying cylinder of a printing machine;
• engaging and disengaging the cylinder from a printing form cylinder while the printing machine is held at a stillstand and forming a contact strip on the printing form;
• producing at least one image of the contact strip formed on the printing form on a print material;
• aiming a measurement device at the print material and issuing, with the measurement device, signals representing a width of the at least one image of the contact strip;
• and
• comparing the signals in a control or regulating device with reference signals, and issuing adjusting signals for actuating adjusting members in dependence on a result obtained in the comparing step for adjusting a contact pressure of the cylinders with the adjusting members.