With increasing demand in the printing industry for equipment that enables more frequent and faster job changes on press, Flint Group has introduced a new, lightweight family of rotec sleeves and bridges designed to increase press efficiency.  The new rotec product line provides the same polyurethane coating that is known for its durability and solvent resistance in a series of sleeves and adapters that are lighter and easier to handle.

The rotec Lightweight Premium Sleeve – a high performance, plate mounting sleeve offering weight savings up to 40% compared to similar premium sleeves – exhibits excellent dimensional stability for high printing speeds, making it particularly effective in the wide web printing sector. The key to its all-around performance is the combination of its light weight and ease of use, coupled with the premium construction that provides added strength and stability. The sleeve is further enhanced with an aluminum end plate that seals the edges for extra protection against inks, cleaning liquids and humidity and provides optimum performance and longevity to the sleeve life. 

According to Bob Adler, sales director at Flint Group, “Press operators find that the extremely low tolerances of these sleeves over time result in more consistent register accuracy, thereby delivering unparalleled print results.  Presses can run faster with a tight tolerance product. They are also less susceptible to damage and wear and tear over time, thereby having sleeves last a little longer in use.” 

The weight savings in press and mounter applications is further extended to the rotec ULW Bridge – an ultra-lightweight adapter offering up to 65% reduction in weight – a significant weight savings for improved safety and handling by press operators. The rotec ULW Bridge is suitable for all press widths, and offers particular benefits where higher wall thicknesses are most commonly used, such as in cantilevered mounter applications and unusually large print applications, including corrugated pre-print.

The rotec ULW Bridge construction is available in either the rotec Airo design, for systems with a dedicated air conduction system, or the rotec Unifit design, with a pass-through air conduction system, to work with virtually all types of air cylinders. Additionally, the rotec ULW Bridge can be custom-made with special features such as the rotec Eco Bridge Technology with a breathable metal ring, which creates an air pillow for easier and faster mounting, or the rotec Omega Surface Technology for conductivity properties. Special end rings and air supply configurations are also available.

To complete the lightweight family of sleeves and bridges, the rotec Atlas CFX Bridge offers an enhanced construction in a lightweight sleeve designed to reduce press vibrations in high-speed printing. The key to the performance lies in the carbon fiber reinforcement layer, which lends excellent strength and stability to the fiberglass base, which when coupled with the hard polyurethane outer coating provides maxium stability for high print performance at high press speeds. The lightweight bridge is capped with aluminum end rings for added protection and support.