METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SPIRAL WOUND SLEEVES FOR PRINTING CYLINDERS AND PRODUCT THEREOF

摘要

A printing sleeve for a flexographic printing process is prepared by spirally winding successive adhesive coated tapes (40, 42) onto a forming mandrel (22) such that the outer tape covers the seam in the previous layer, providing heat to the thermoplastic adhesive layers at the initial contact point bet veen two tapes, providing sufficient tension to ensure consolidation, and advacing the resultant printing sleeve off the mandrel by means of a drive belt (60).