Closing the Loop

Rotec, and other sleeve manufacturers such as Polywest and Axcyl, are pioneering the next generation of sleeves with softer, compressible surfaces. According to Scherrman, Rotec's Print Pro compressible surface can be ground to within ±0.0005˝ on the sleeve diameter, thereby eliminating a number of press variants caused by inconsistent gauge thickness inherent in sticky back foam. Says Scherrman, "When you start out with a surface that is more accurate, you can give a lot less impression to get good ink transfer in solid areas. Less impression extends your plate life and minimizes dot gain."