refined impression cylinder jacket replacement

[Bill Rothwell]

I had posted this on the general forum by accident and now realized that I should have post this on the heidelberg forum.
Can anyone tell me the procedure to remove and install a "refined impression cylinder jacket" on a 102 40" heidelberg perfector? also can you tell me where I can get the "presser bar" installing tool and the cost of the tool? is it worth buying the jacket from an after market company or from heidelberg? heidelberg wants $2400.00 for the jacket alone without installation, that's pretty steep. I have done some extensive repairs over the years on heidelbergs so, I am very temted to try this repair. I have read a few forums, have a general idea how to do the job but would greatly appreciate any input. thanks, bill

 

[Paul Cavanaugh]

Having seen the results of many attempts to save money and hang the jackets, I feel it would be prudent to share some insights.

The jackets are are specially made to prevent marking, more importantly to prevent patterns in screens by having the surface non-symetrical from jacket to jacket. This is done in the manufacturing process and no two jackets are alike.

Hanging the jackets is not a difficult procedure for someone who has the correct tools and has done them many times, some machines are much more difficult then others, such as the SM52 due to the space to work in. Because of the value of the jackets and their importance in producing a quality printed product does it warrant taking the chance of damaging one by trying to save some money by not having a technician install it?

The problems encountered with installing the jackets is the ease in which you can dent one if not being careful. Also if the lead edge and tail edge are not installed perfectly a crack will develop eventually causing marking on the sheet at the very least and damage to the cylinders if it comes loose at the worst. Improperly mounted lead and rear edge are the leading cause of jacket failure other then not being cleaned regularly.

The tensioning of the jacket once it is mounted is also important. An over tensioned jacket will also crack along the edge.

There are many customers who mount their own jackets successfully. It is recommended before doing them on your own to have an experienced technician come in and teach you how to do it properly. Otherwise you are taking a gamble with your valuable piece of equipment.