Abstract:
A method for making a flexographic printing master including: a first step of providing a flexographic printing support (1); a second step of applying image wise with a first resolution a layer of a radiation curable liquid (2) partially covering the printing side of the support; a third step of flood exposing the applied radiation curable layer to fully cure the layer; and a fourth step of image wise laser engraving the cured layer with a second resolution (3) which is higher than the resolution of the second step. An imaging apparatus for performing the above method is also disclosed.
Abstract:
A method of making a flexographic printing sleeve forme comprising the steps of: (i) formation of a sleeve body by providing one or more at least partially cured uniform layers on a sleeve carrier; (ii) formation of a relief image on said sleeve body by imagewise jetting a curable jetting fluid; (iii) optionally overall post-curing;
characterized in that between formation of the sleeve body and formation of the relief image no polishing or grinding is performed.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a curable jettable fluid for making a flexographic printing master comprising a cyclic monofunctional acrylate monomer and a difunctional (meth)acrylate monomer characterized in that the fluid further comprises a copolymerizable plasticizing monomer preferably selected from the group consisting of diallyl phthalate and a low Tg monomer, of which the corresponding homopolymer has a glass transition temperature (Tg) below -15°C.