Curved Metal Blankets

Tag : Printing Blankets


With the CONTI-AIR® STEEL HF 10, ContiTech has developed theworld’s only curved printing blanket. The patented processoffers users a number of advantages. Thanks to the blanket’scurved shape, the residual gap on the plate cylinder is reduced to0.5 mm. As a result the machine operates with minimal vibration.What is more, since the minimized gap on the plate cylinder allowsfor use of the full printing length, the amount of paper scrap isreduced considerably. “At the same time, the narrowerclamping groove almost completely eliminates gear marks due to thedesign of the cylinder gap,” explains Stefan Füllgraf,head of the Metal Printing Blanket segment at ContiTech ElastomerCoatings. “So higher printing speeds are possible.”Metal printing blankets have proven themselves especially inwaterless offset.

The CONTI-AIR® STEEL CE 11 has been designed specifically forcoldset printing. It provides excellent color rendition andexhibits neutral paper transport behavior. Its clamping grooves aremuch narrower than for fabric printing blankets. This limitsoscillations when the blanket rolls over the paper. A new featureof this product is that a thermofoil is melded to the backside ofthe printing blanket. (The foil was just stuck on to the backsideof the predecessor model, the STEEL CE 11.) The foil provides for ahigh degree of stability throughout the printing process. Theneutral way the printing blanket transports the paper is the reasonwhy paper travel is so extremely smooth and why the individuallayers are able to adhere so superbly. Paper jams less and, as aresult, there are fewer crease marks. Buildup of paper dust is alsoreduced to a minimum. STEEL CE 11 is ideal for four-high units andsatellite designs.

As only one fabric layer is required in the case of metal printingblankets, they have a correspondingly larger, compressible rubberlayer that guarantees optimum printing results. The rubber layeritself is permanently vulcanized onto the metal. Having only onefabric layer, CONTI-AIR® metal printing blankets exhibit onlyminimal sinking. The printer can thus count on a consistentthickness and good impression behavior throughout the service lifeof the blanket.