Cylinder Arrangement
Although the three cylinder arrangement is the most common for sheetfed presses, a number of other cylinder arrangements may also be encountered.
Two cylinder, a special design that combines the impression cylinder and plate cylinder into one large cylinder. The other cylinder is a standard blanket cylinder.
Three cylinder, the most common cylinder arrangement that contains a plate cylinder, a blanket cylinder, and an impression cylinder.
Four cylinder, this design is basically a three cylinder arrangement with the additional of a delivery cylinder.
Perfector (blanket to blanket), a flexible design that enables the sheet to be printed in two colors on one side or one color on both sides of the sheet during one pass through the press.
Two color common impression cylinder. A special press design that provides for two plate cylinders with complete inking and dampening systems and two blanket cylinders. A common impression cylinder accommodates both blanket cylinders.
Two color common blanket cylinder. This design entails two plate cylinders with complete inking and dampening systems and one blanket and impression cylinder. Both ink colors from the two plates are transferred to the one blanket.
Exceptions exist to this nearly right angle arrangement of cylinders. With one type of metal decorating press, the cylinders are stacked directly above each other so that the rigid metal sheets can pass through the printing nip, the line of contact between the blanket and impression cylinders without being bent around the impression cylinder. Another exception is a press that has a single, oversize cylinder that is used as both the plate and impression cylinder. Yet another exception is a press that has a single oversize cylinder functioning as the impression cylinder for two printing units.
Edit By Vikas
April 11, 2012
