Intaglio engraving method and apparatus

A method for engraving a screenless intaglio pattern on a cylinder for use in a printing press for printing said intaglio pattern comprising the steps of:

• rotatably driving the cylinder;
• generating an intaglio engraving signal generally corresponding to said intaglio pattern, said intaglio pattern comprising at least one engraved area defining a screenless pattern;
• and
• engraving said intaglio pattern on the cylinder in response to said intaglio engraving signal.

A method of printing an intaglio pattern using a cylinder having an intaglio pattern engraved thereon, said method comprising the steps of:

• rotatably mounting a cylinder in a printing press;
• said cylinder comprising a plurality of engraved areas which define a screenless intaglio pattern engraved using an engraver;
• and
• feeding a web of material through the press;
• and
• printing said intaglio pattern on the web of material as the material is fed through the press.

A method engraving an intaglio pattern on a cylinder comprising the steps of:

• providing an engraving head having a response time suitable for engraving said intaglio pattern;
• generating an intaglio engraving signal based upon said intaglio pattern;
• and
• energizing said engraving head with said intaglio engraving signal, thereby engraving a plurality of engraved areas which cooperate to define a screenless intaglio pattern.

An engraver for engraving a cylinder for printing an intaglio pattern comprising:

• drive means for rotatably driving the cylinder;
• controller means coupled to said drive means for controlling an operation of the engraver and for generating an intaglio engraving signal corresponding to said intaglio pattern, said intaglio engraving signal being a pulse-width modulated signal;
• and
• engraving means coupled to said controller means for engraving said cylinder with said intaglio pattern during the rotation of the cylinder in response to the intaglio engraving signal.