Gravure Cylinder

A gravure press most often prints from a gravure cylinder, which comprises a steel base, that can either be a sleeve cylinder or a shaft cylinder. A sleeve cylinder requires a shaft to be attached when it is mounted on the press, or when it is mounted in the engraving mechanism. The inaccuracies inherent in the fitting of separate shaft have bought about the development of the shaft cylinder, which come with shaft already mounted. And they are dominant gravure cylinder bases currently utilized. Aluminum base have be devised to hopefully replace steel, especially in presses used in the printing of packaging, but although they are lighter they are also harder to electroplate. Newer plastic cylinder bases are being developed that are much lighter than metal bases, and contain special surface coatings (most of which are proprietary) that facilitate electroplating.