A Durable Sleeve Solution


Sleeve damage and sleeve swelling is a major pain point for many printing businesses. Proper sleeve management and operation is crucial to reduce these issue, but another factor is how the sleeves are constructed and what materials that are used that ensure a longer lifespan. In order to reduce possible sleeve damage, we first must understand the main types of damage that sleeves can have. These are:


Surface Damage & Swelling

Surface damage occurs due to a few main reasons. This can due to mishandling and improper storage procedures. Sleeves require to be stored in secure areas preferably on a raised surface that does not damage areas of the sleeves. Additionally, employing a cushioned surface is important but the best solution is to incorporate a sleeve storage system that can allow quick access and safe storage. Another reason for surface damage is repeated cutting and using sleeves that are not properly reinforced with durable materials where they are not sufficiently resistant to chemicals and water.


Edge Damage

Edge damage occurs due to mainly the repeated mounting and demount of sleeves. These corners can face drops and impacts often over time and the challenge is to ensure that this area is constructed with the strongest materials. Furthermore as mentioned earlier, if sleeves are stored vertically on a hard surface, this can lead to degradation over time and the outcome will be problems during the printing process.


Slot Damage

Slot damage occurs when their is a slot that the sleeve needs to latch onto. This can be mitigated with a slot depression point on the sleeve that allows for easy mounting which ensures no slippage but also no damage to the sleeve itself.

The inner layer area of the sleeve is designed to be flexible and expandable to ensure a proper fit on to mandrels. Additionally, it includes Dyneema which is one of the strongest fibres on the planet which adds stability and strength. The overall build is light-weight and ensures that slippage is prevented. Furthermore, the unique material combination means that the inner area is water-resistant and chemical resistance which reduces various forms of damage from solvents during the printing process.

The foam layer prevents rebound issues during the printing process and allows the sleeve to be resilient from deformation. Furthermore, during fast press runs, this prevents bouncing that could damage sleeves.

The core of the sleeve is a fibreglass infused epoxy Vinyl Ester Resin which has extreme stability and flexural strength without deformation.

The outer section is chemical resistant and has great fatigue resistant properties. This reduces the damage that can occur to slight impacts and additionally, sleeves come with a cutting line that means less damage inflicted when mounting and cutting tape.

This compressible layer is for the soft versions of the sleeve portfolio. It is constructed with foamed polyurethane which and can be adjusted when order with different shore hardness.

  • Sleeve damage is costly and the best way to reduce it is proper sleeve handling procedures.

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