Patent ID: 7207271

Claim:
A method for controlling circumferential register in a shaftless web printing press having a first print unit having a first drive and a first plate cylinder and first blanket cylinder printing a web and a second print unit having a second drive independently controllable from the first drive and a second plate cylinder and a second blanket cylinder printing the web on a same side as the first plate cylinder and first blanket cylinder, the method comprising the steps of: printing the web using the first plate cylinder and first blanket cylinder and printing the web using the second plate cylinder and second blanket cylinder so as to form at least one printed section of the web; sensing the circumferential register between the first plate cylinder and second plate cylinder via the at least one printed section; and controlling the circumferential register of the second plate cylinder during printing via the second drive as a function of the sensing, the controlling including pulling the second plate cylinder off impression and phasing the second plate cylinder with respect to the first plate cylinder using the second drive.