Abstract:
A set comprising an aqueous clean-out solution and an aqueous preservation solution, said set being suitable for developing a lithographic printing plate precursor, both said solutions having a pH between 2 and 10, characterized in that the clean-out solution has an aggressiveness towards an image area of said developed precursor as defined in the description of three or more, while the preservation solution has such an aggressiveness of less than three.
Abstract:
A method of making a lithographic printing plate comprising the steps of: a) image-wise exposing a lithographic printing plate precursor, the printing plate precursor comprising a hydrophilic support and a coating comprising a colorant precursor provided thereon, thereby forming a lithographic image consisting of printing areas and non-printing areas; and b) developing the plate precursor, thereby removing the coating in the non-printing areas from the support; and c) drying the plate precursor; and d) subjecting the lithographic plate to heat or radiation, thereby inducing a colour change of the coating in the printing areas; wherein - before step b) the coating in the non-printing areas and the support are characterised by a CIE 1976 colour difference Δ E 1 which is 5.0 or less; - after step d) the CIE 1976 colour difference Δ E 2 between the coating in the printing areas and the non-printing areas is more than 6.8.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method for processing a lithographic printing plate is disclosed. The apparatus (10) comprises (i) plate transport means (4, 12, 12') for conveying the plate (14) through the apparatus; (ii) plate detection means (8) for locating the plate in the apparatus and for determining the plate width; (iii) one or more nozzle (s) (20) for depositing developer on the plate, wherein said nozzle (s) are arranged to shuttle over the plate or are arranged as a fixed array that spans at least the width of the plate. The plate detection means are coupled to the nozzles by means for selectively actuating the nozzles that are positioned to deposit developer across the plate area, which results in a significant reduction of developer consumption. In preferred embodiments, the nozzles apply developer in accordance with the image on the plate, which enables an even lower consumption of developer.
Abstract:
A method of making a lithographic printing plate comprising the steps of : a) image-wise exposing a lithographic printing plate precursor, comprising a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer and, thereon, a light or heat sensitive coating comprising a photopolymerisable composition, b) processing said precursor with a first solution, consecutively with a second solution, thereby removing the coating from the support in the non-printing areas, wherein said first and second solutions are provided by a cascade system, wherein said second solution overflows into said first solution and said first solution overflows into a container to be further treated as waste, wherein said second solution is regenerated by adding a replenishing solution or a mixture of replenishing solutions at a rate of at least 5 ml/m2 of treated precursor and at most 100 ml/m2 of treated precursor, wherein said first and second solutions are circulated respectively by a first and second liquid conveying system, wherein the first solution present in said first liquid conveying system has a volume of at least Vmin and at most Vmax respectively defined by formula 1 and formula 2, Vmin = [A + (processing width/0.95 m) ]. liter (formula 1) Vmax = [B + (processing width/0.95 m) ].liter (formula 2) wherein Vmin and Vmax represent respectively the minimum and maximum volume present in said first liquid conveying system, each of them expressed in liter, wherein A and B represents a constant value of respectively 2 and 15, and wherein said processing width represents the width, expressed in m, inside the processing unit, perpendicular to the processing direction, which is available for processing plate precursors in a uniform way across their width.
Abstract:
A lithographic printing plate precursor comprising an image- recording layer, said image -recording layer being photopolymerizable upon exposure to light having a wavelength of from 300 to 500 nm and containing a mixture of sensitizers.
Abstract:
A system for exposing a heat and/or light sensitive printing plate precursor including a coating on a support is disclosed comprising a platesetter including a laser head for generating a laser beam to create an image, characterized in that the platesetter further comprises an electrostatic generator capable of electrostatically charging the surface of said coating.
Abstract:
A method of preparing a lithographic printing plate in which no pre-heat step is used comprising the steps of: - providing a lithographic printing plate precursor comprising a support and a photopolymerizable image-recording layer, the image- recording layer comprising a monomer and a binder; - image-wise exposing the precursor in an exposure unit; - off press developing the exposed precursor with an aqueous solution in a processing unit; characterized in that the ratio of the total amount of monomer to the total amount of binder is at least 1 and the time lapse between exposing an image-area of the precursor and contacting the image-area with the aqueous solution is at least 1 minute.
Abstract:
A method for making a lithographic printing plate precursor is disclosed comprising the steps of a. providing a lithographic printing plate precursor including a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, a photopolymerizable coating comprising a photopolymerizable composition, and an overcoat layer comprising a water soluble low molecular weight acid, wherein said overcoat layer has a surface pH-value ranging between 1 to 6; b. image -wise exposing the precursor; c. optionally heating the exposed precursor; d. processing the obtained precursor by applying a gum solution and optionally brushing the precursor, and/or by mounting the precursor on a plate cylinder of a lithographic printing press and rotating the plate cylinder while feeding dampening liquid and/or ink to the coating. The printing plate obtained after imaging and processing in an off- press configuration with a gum solution or in an on-press configuration with fountain solution and ink shows an improved roll- up performance in the start-up of a printing process on a printing press.
Abstract:
A gum solution is provided which comprises a film- forming hydrophilic polymer or surfactant, and a salt formed by reaction of an acid, selected from phosphoric acid and phosphorous acid, with a di- or tri-alkanolamine. The gum solution is suitable for developing and gumming a lithographic photopolymer printing plate precursor. Also provided is a method for preparing a lithographic printing plate wherein this gum solution is used, and whereby printing plates are obtained which exhibit an improved clean-out performance.
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.