Patent ID: 8443516

Claim:
A process for refurbishing a used gravure printing roller having a cylindrical core member extending along an axial length and having an outer printing layer plated thereon, the method comprising the steps of: removing the outer printing layer from the core member to expose a cylindrical outer peripheral core surface having a surface roughness between 150 to 500 Ra, said step of removing being selected from precision machining, precision grinding and manual grinding; applying by one of brushing, spraying and pouring a binder layer having a radial thickness of less than 5 mm onto said outer core surface; applying circumferentially about said binder layer a concentric conductive intermediate polymer material layer having a radial thickness between 5 mm to 100 mm; said intermediate polymer material layer comprising an effective amount of conductive particles to permit electro-plating of said intermediate polymer material layer; curing said intermediate polymer material layer, said step of curing comprising curing parameters selected from a temperature range between 250 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, a pressure range between 60 to 100 psi and a curing time between 4 to 12 hours; finishing said cured intermediate polymer material layer, said step of finishing comprising sizing said cured intermediate polymer material layer to a pre-selected diameter; and forming a concentric outer peripheral intermediate surface having a surface roughness between 10 to 30 Ra; electro-plating an image-carrying layer directly onto said outer intermediate surface, said image-carrying layer defining an outer printing surface; forming a printing image in said printing surface, said step of forming selected from one of engraving and etching into said printing surface; plating a protective outer layer over said printing surface.