Inhalts-Bereich:

Elastomer covered sleeves for flexography, retrogravure and industrial applications

Sleeve technology

 

Sleeve technology has been used to an increasing ex­tent in a wide range of graphic and technical applica­tions during the past several years. The technology offers a number of advantages:

 

  • Elastomer roller coverings can be changed quickly.
  • Different working widths/offset dimensions can be realized on a single core.
  • Fewer additional cores are needed for a given press (lower investment costs).
  • Only sleeves are transported; metal mandrels and rollers remain in place.
  • Storage of covered press roller cores is no longer necessary.
  • Less warehouse space is required, as sleeves can be stored vertically.
  • Low sleeve weight facilitates handling.

Sleeves for flexography

Sleeves for rotogravure

  • Air mandrel dimensions
    • Stork system for flexo sleeves (cylindrical system, gradations in outside diameter are oriented indirectly to repeat lengths (sleeve circumference))
    • Speedwell system (SHM) (conical system, both the outside diameter of the mandrel and the taper angle are standardized)
  • Chemical properties of sleeves

    In flexography:

    • elastomer covered sleeves for water-based inks
    • elastomer covered sleeves for solvant based inks

    Other applications:

    • NBR compounds resistant to oil, petrole etc.
    • EPDM compounds resistant to ester and ketones
    • silicone compounds
    • and many special compounds more.
  • Applications in the printing industry
    • printing forms in flexo printing (laser-engraved, rubberized sleeve bases)
    • in web offset presses with sleeve technology
    • impression roller sleeves in rotogravure printing (conventional and electrostatic printing assist (ESA))
  • Industrial sleeve applications
    • varnishing rollers in the aluminum industry
    • coating rollers in the wood-processing industry
    • for laminating, siliconizing and coating in foil and paper processing
  • Electrical properties of sleeves

    Depending on the sleeve specification, the following characteristics are possible:

    • conductive sleeve bases (antistatic)
    • non-conductive base sleeves
    • conductive elastomer coverings (antistatic)
    • semi-conductive elastomer coverings (ESA applications in rotogravure)
    • non-conductive elastomer coverings