Patent ID: 7409909

Claim:
A process for changing printing sleeves of a printing machine, comprising: mounting the printing sleeves that are not required for a printing process in at least one storage device; transporting the printing sleeves necessary for replacement between the storage device and the printing machine with at least one transportation device having printing sleeve retaining devices that bring the printing sleeves into a position for replacement; determining an arrangement of the printing sleeves in the transportation device with a processing and control unit to which set positions of the printing sleeves in the printing machine during a next printing job are known; adjusting with the processing and control unit the arrangement of the printing sleeves such that at least one printing sleeve retaining device remains free in the transportation device; and controlling with the processing and control unit, based on the determined arrangement of the printing sleeves in the transportation device, a position of printing sleeves accommodation devices in the transportation device such that (i) empty printing sleeve retaining devices are brought into a removal position to roller mandrels that are loaded with the printing sleeves to be replaced, and (ii) subsequently the printing sleeve retaining devices loaded with the new printing sleeves are brought into the replacement position.