blanketcylinder

Blanket cylinder, sometimes written as blanket cylinder in printed materials, is a central component of offset printing presses. It is a cylindrical shell wrapped in a compressible blanket material, typically rubber or a rubber-like compound, which serves as the intermediate image carrier between the plate cylinder and the impression (or build) cylinder. The blanket cylinder receives the inked image from the plate cylinder and transfers it to the substrate, usually paper, in a single or multiple passes depending on the press configuration.

In operation, ink is first applied to the plate cylinder, which carries the image to be printed. The image is then transferred to the blanket on the blanket cylinder. From there, the blanket presses the ink onto the substrate with controlled pressure through the impression cylinder. The blanket’s elasticity helps produce even ink transfer across the page, accommodates minor substrate irregularities, and protects the plate from direct contact with the substrate, extending plate life.

Construction and maintenance vary, but most blanket cylinders consist of a rigid core with a wrap of blanket material tensioned around it. They are designed for replacement or re-wrapping when wear reduces print品質. In multi-color work, separate blanket cylinders are used for each color station, with precise registration controls to align colors.

Although the term blanket cylinder is standard in offset printing, the concatenated form blanketcylinder is uncommon and generally discouraged in technical writing. See also offset lithography, plate cylinder, impression cylinder, and press maintenance.