Abstract:
An inkjet printer is used to apply an ink that is substantially opaque to actinic radiation in at least one wavelength region effective to cure the photosensitive printing plate to the edges and corners, of a printing plate after the plate has been trimmed (i.e., cut) to a suitable size and shape for mounting on a printing sleeve or cylinder. Use of inkjet printing allows for the cut surfaces of the plate to quickly and accurately be coated with a UV-opaque ink and prevents, or substantially eliminates, undesirable curing of cut surfaces of a photosensitive printing plate. The ink covers the photocurable surfaces exposed by the cutting process and prevents the cut surfaces of the printing plate from undesirably curing until proper exposure and development of the printing plate.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a method and an apparatus for applying a surface treatment composition to a photosensitive printing element during thermal processing. A photosensitive printing element is contacted with a web of absorbent material that is capable of absorbing material that is melted or softened from an imaged and exposed surface of a photosensitive printing element. The web of absorbent material is coated with a surface treatment composition to transfer the surface treatment composition from the web of absorbent material to the imaged and exposed surface of the photosensitive printing element. Applying the surface treatment composition during thermal processing provides for more complete and more uniform coverage of the surface treatment composition on the photosensitive printing element.
Abstract:
A method of tailoring the shape of a plurality of relief dots created in a photosensitive printing blank during a digital platemaking process is provided. The photosensitive printing blank comprises a laser ablatable mask layer disposed on at least one phoiocisrahle layer which is mountab!e on a printing sleeve. The method comprises the steps of (1) placing a barrier layer on top of the laser ablatable mask layer; (2) laser ablating the laser ablatable mask layer to create an in situ negative in the laser ablatable layer; (3) exposing the at least one photocurable layer to actinic radiation through the in situ negative; (4) removing the barrier layer; and (5) developing the imaged and exposed photosensitive printing blank to reveal the relief image therein, the relief image comprising the plurality of relief dots. The presence of the barrier layer produces printing dots having desired geometric characteristics.
Abstract:
A photocurable printing blank comprises a backing layer having a photocurable layer disposed thereon, a barrier layer disposed on the photocurable layer, and a laser ablatable mask layer disposed on top of the barrier layer. The method includes the steps of (1 ) imaging the at least one photo curable layer by ablating the laser ablatable mask layer to create the relief pattern on the photocurable printing blank; (2) exposing the printing blank to actinic radiation through the barrier layer and mask layer to selectively crosslink portions of the photocurable layer, thereby creating the relief pattern; (3) developing the printing blank to remove the barrier layer, the laser ablated mask layer and uncured portions of the photo curable layer and reveal the relief pattern. The method can also be used with an analog platemaking process that uses a negative instead of an ablatable mask layer.
Abstract:
An apparatus for thermally processing a relief image printing element and a method of using the same are described. The printing element comprises at least one photopolymer layer and is selectively exposed to actinic radiation to crosslink portions of the at least one photopolymer layer. The apparatus comprises: (a) means for supporting the printing element; (b) heating means for melting or softening non-crosslinked portions of the at least one photopolymer layer; (c) at least one rotatable roll that is capable of bringing a blotting material into contact with the at least one photopolymer layer to remove the melted or softened non-crosslinked portions of the at least one photopolymer layer,; and (d) an element arranged adjacent to the at least one rotatable roll for removing non-crosslinked photopolymer remaining on a surface of the at least one rotatable roll after step c). The apparatus may alternatively be operated without a blotting material.
Abstract:
A method of making a relief image printing element having a relief pattern, the method comprising the steps of: a) selectively ablating the masking layer to create an overall image in the masking layer, such that the overall image comprises a sub-image, comprising a pattern of cells, in it; b) applying an oxygen barrier layer on top of the masking layer; c) exposing the printing element to actinic radiation through the oxygen barrier layer and the masking layer to selectively crosslink: and cure the at least one photocurable layer, thereby creating the relief image therein and a textured surface on the printing element; and d) developing the printing blank by removing the barrier layer and the uncured portions of the photocmable layer to reveal the relief image.
Abstract:
Se provee un método para producir un elemento de impresión de imagen en relieve desde una plantilla de impresión fotosensible. Una plantilla de impresión fotosensible con una capa erosionable con laser dispuesta en cuando menos una capa fotocurable se erosiona con un láser para crear una máscara in situ. La plantilla de impresión entonces se expone a cuando menos una fuente de radiación actínica a través de la máscara in situ para reticular selectivamente y curar las porciones de la capa fotocurable. La difusión de aire en la cuando menos una capa fotocurable se limita durante la etapa de exposición y preferentemente cuando menos se altera una del tipo, la potencia y el ángulo de incidencia de la iluminación de cuando menos una fuente de radiación actínica, durante la etapa de exposición. La imagen en relieve resultante comprende una pluralidad de puntos y una forma de puntos de la pluralidad de puntos que proporciona un desempeño de impresión óptimo en varios sustratos, incluyendo el cartón corrugado.
Abstract:
Un sistema (10) para formar una imagen en relieve en un elemento de impresión fotosensible (14), donde el elemento de impresión fotosensible (14) incluye un sustrato flexible y al menos una capa de material fotosensible depositada sobre el sustrato flexible, incluyendo el sistema: un recinto (12); un transportador (20) incluyendo un bucle continuo (21) soportado por al menos un primer rodillo (23) y un segundo rodillo (24), donde el elemento de impresión fotosensible (14) se coloca sobre el bucle continuo (21) del transportador (20); un rodillo calentable (28) capaz de ser empujado hacia el elemento de impresión fotosensible (14) colocado en el transportador (20), donde un material absorbente (32) es conducido sobre al menos una porción de una superficie exterior del rodillo calentable (28), y donde el material absorbente (32) es capaz de absorber material que se licua o ablanda del elemento de impresión fotosensible (14) cuando el rodillo calentable (28) es calentado y gira y el material absorbente (32) contacta al menos una porción del elemento de impresión fotosensible (14); un medio para hacer que la al menos única capa de material fotosensible y el material absorbente (32) entren en contacto en un punto entre el transportador (20) y el rodillo calentable (28) de tal manera que al menos una porción del material licuado o ablandado sea absorbida por el material absorbente (32); un medio de ventilación (50) conectado operativamente al recinto (12) para tratar y reciclar aire conteniendo compuestos orgánicos volátiles en el recinto (12), donde los compuestos orgánicos volátiles son liberados al recinto (12) cuando la porción del material fotosensible es calentada y luego se licua o ablanda, y donde el medio de ventilación (50) incluye (i) un medio (56) para la evacuación de un flujo de aire conteniendo los compuestos orgánicos volátiles y otros contaminantes del recinto (12), (ii) un filtro de partículas (53) para quitar particulados del flujo de aire, (iii) un medio para adsorber compuestos orgánicos volátiles del flujo de aire para producir una corriente de aire purificado donde el medio para adsorber compuestos orgánicos volátiles incluye un lecho de material adsorbente (54) y el flujo de aire conteniendo los compuestos orgánicos volátiles se pasa sobre el lecho de material adsorbente (54), (iv) un medio (58) para reciclar el flujo de aire purificado de nuevo al recinto (12), y (v) un medio (52) para controlar la temperatura del flujo de aire conteniendo los compuestos orgánicos volátiles introducido al medio de ventilación (50) desde el recinto (12).
Abstract:
método para melhorar o desempenho de impressão em placas de impressão flexográficas. um método de produção de um elemento de impressão de imagem em relevo a partir de um braco de impressão fotossensível é fornecido. um branco de impressão fotossensível com uma camada passível de ablação a laser disposta em pelo menos uma camada fotocurável é submetida a ablação com um laser para criar uma máscara in situ. o branco impressão é, então, exposto a pelo menos uma fonte de radiação actínica através da mascara in situ para seletivamente reticular e curar porções da camada fotocurável. difusão de ar na pelo menos uma camada fotocurável é limitada durante a etapa de exposição e, preferivelmente, pelo menos um entre tipo, energia e ângulo incidente de iluminação da pelo menos uma fonte de radiação actínica é alterada durante a etapa de exposição. a imagem em relevo resultante compreende uma pluralidade de pontos e formato de ponto da pluralidade de pontos que provê desempenho de impressão ideal em vários substratos, incluindo papelão corrugado.
Abstract:
A method of making a relief image printing element having a relief pattern, the method comprising the steps of: a) selectively ablating the masking layer to create an overall image in the masking layer, such that the overall image comprises a sub-image, comprising a pattern of cells, in it; b) applying an oxygen barrier layer on top of the masking layer; c) exposing the printing element to actinic radiation through the oxygen barrier layer and the masking layer to selectively crosslink: and cure the at least one photocurable layer, thereby creating the relief image therein and a textured surface on the printing element; and d) developing the printing blank by removing the barrier layer and the uncured portions of the photocmable layer to reveal the relief image.