Abstract:
A method of making a lithographic printing plate comprising the steps of: a) providing a lithographic printing plate precursor comprising (i) a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, (ii) a coating on said support, comprising a photopolymerizable layer, a toplayer and, optionally, an intermediate layer between the photopolymerizable layer and the support,
wherein said photopolymerizable layer comprises a polymerizable compound, a polymerization initiator and a binder, b) image-wise exposing said coating in a plate setter, c) optionally, heating the precursor in a preheating unit, d) washing the precursor in a prewashing station by applying water or an aqueous solution to the coating, thereby removing at least part of the toplayer, and e) developing the precursor in a gumming station by applying a gum solution to the coating of the precursor, thereby removing the non-exposed areas of the photopolymerizable layer from the support and gumming the plate in a single step.
Abstract:
A method of preparing a lithographic printing plate comprising the steps of: - providing a lithographic printing plate precursor comprising a photopolymerizable coating provided on a hydrophilic support; - image-wise exposing the precursor; - pre-heating the exposed precursor; - developing the exposed precursor in a gum solution;
characterized in that after pre-heating and before developing the precursor an accelerated cooling of the precursor is carried out and the cooling does not essentially remove a part of the coating of the precursor.
Abstract:
A method for making a lithographic printing plate is disclosed wherein the method comprises the steps of: (i) providing a negative-working lithographic printing plate precursor comprising a photosensitive coating on a substrate having a hydrophilic surface, (ii) image-wise exposing said photosensitive coating, (iii) developing said exposed coating to form an image on said substrate and optionally gumming the plate and (iv) baking the image on the plate, wherein said baking step is carried out within a dwell-time of less than 1 minute and wherein the chemical resistance of the coating against printing liquids and press chemicals is improved. This baking step is preferably carried out by exposing the printing plate to an infrared radiation source, preferably in a dynamic configuration.
Abstract:
A method of making a lithographic printing plate comprising the steps of: a) providing a lithographic printing plate precursor comprising (i) a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, (ii) a coating on said support, comprising a photopolymerizable layer and, optionally, an intermediate layer between the photopolymerizable layer and the support, wherein said photopolymerizable layer comprises a polymerizable compound, a polymerization initiator and a binder, and
b) image-wise exposing said coating in a plate setter, c) heating the precursor in a preheating unit, d) treating the precursor in a gumming station, comprising at least a first gumming unit, by applying a gum solution to the coating of the precursor, thereby removing the non-exposed areas of the photopolymerizable layer from the support, and
wherein the steps (c) and (d) are carried out off-press in said preheating unit and said first gumming unit, and wherein said preheating unit and said first gumming unit are coupled to each other by mechanical plate conveying means or are integrated in a single apparatus.
Abstract:
A method of making a lithographic printing plate comprising the steps of: a) providing a lithographic printing plate precursor comprising (i) a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, (ii) a photopolymerizable coating on said support,
b) image-wise exposing said coating in a plate setter, c) developing the precursor, thereby removing the non-exposed areas of the coating from the support,
whereby the developing step is carried out off-press in a gumming unit by treating the coating of the precursor with a gum solution.