Abstract:
Aspects of the invention are related to a peelable film for a flexographic printing plate precursor. The peelable film includes an ultraviolet (UV)-transparent sheet which acts as a barrier layer for water molecules, an ink receiving layer coated on a first surface of the UV- transparent sheet and an adhesive layer coated on a second surface of the UV-transparent sheet. The peelable film is configured to be laminated to a photopolymeric layer prior to inkjet printing a photomask layer on the ink receiving layer and to be peeled off from the photopolymeric layer after exposure to UV radiation and prior to removal of masked portions of the photopolymeric layer.
Abstract:
A system or machine 10 is disclosed which takes pre-stretched emulsion coated screens 34, digitally prints thereon and exposes them before further processing and use in a screen printing machine.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a process for forming a stacked transparent structure comprising providing a support, coating one side of said support with a multicolored mask, coating the other side of the support with a layer curable by visible light, and exposing the light-curable layer through the mask with visible light to cure the layer curable by light in exposed portions to form a cured pattern.
Abstract:
A method for producing a digital screen printing blank usable in a screen printing process, directly from digital information in the computer, in an economical fashion. In a preferred embodiment, a screen (28) is provided with a photosensitive layer (38), and a digitally determined image from a computer is printed on the screen by means of an inkjet printer. Preferably, a flat bed ink-jet imaging system is used so that the screen can be strectched in a frame and directly placed under the ink-jet head (44). The ink (46) used need not have strong colorant, but functions as a UV mask and thus must contain a UV absorbing pigment. The ink is not absorbed into the photosensitive layer, but remains as an undried image (56) on the surface. The ink must remain wet so that it does not spread and therefore gives a sharp image, and so that the UV absorbent material remains concentrated. The solvent of the ink must be chosen so as to assure that it will not affect the screen. The screen is then irradiated with UV, and the areas which have been printed with ink serve to mask the photosensitive layer from the UV light, while those areas having no ink are exposed so that the photosensitive layer is polymerised by the UV. After the UV irradiation stage, the screen is washed so as to remove the ink and the unpolymerised photosensitive layer. Any liquid that is suitable for washing out the unpolymerised photosensitive layer will also wash away the ink. This leaves the screen with only the polymerised areas of the photosensitive layer that create the blocked areas through which the ink will not pass. Thus, the inventive method provides a digitally imaged screen, directly from a digital image in the computer, which can then be used in any conventional screen printing process.
Abstract:
High-quality composite printing elements are prepared without the need for precise registration of constituent photocurable elements by disposing at least one photocurable element, and preferably a plurality of photocurable elements, upon a surface of a substantially planar carrier sheet in approximate register and then transferring a computer-generated negative onto a surface of the elements.
Abstract:
A method of forming a component having multiple material properties includes forming, by additive manufacturing, a particle containment structure on a base layer; filling the particle containment structure with a first layer of particles, the layer of particles being contained by the particle containment structure; curing the first layer of particles; repeating the forming the particle containment structure, filling the particle containment structure with one or more additional layers of particles and curing the one or more additional layers of particles until a desired component dimension is achieved; forming, by additive manufacturing, a cover to encapsulate any exposed particles; and fully curing the particle containment structure, particles and cover.
Abstract:
Lithographic printing plates are imaged using an inkjet printer to imagewise apply a chemical or masking agent onto the plate surface. In some embodiments, the chemical causes an affinity change, thereby facilitating lithographic printing.
Abstract:
Provided are an original printing plate for relief printing that solves both the problems of the prior-art negative film or its alternatives, and problems of mask pattern formation directly on the surface of the photosensitive resin layer by an ink composition, as well as a method for forming an relief printing plate using the same. Employing a photosensitive original printing plate for relief printing including a support substrate (A); a photosensitive resin layer (B) provided thereon and having a photosensitivity to light in a predetermined wavelength region; and an ink holding layer (C) provided thereon; wherein the layer (C) is capable of retaining a light-shielding ink, and capable of constituting a light-shielding pattern inside the layer (C), the light-shielding pattern being formed by applying the light-shielding ink to the (C) in accordance with the pattern; and wherein the (C) at the area to which the light-shielding ink is not applied is substantially transparent to the light in the predetermined wavelength region.
Abstract:
A UV-mask, a system and method for making the mask and a method of using the mask for producing an image a print medium are disclosed. The system includes a donor element having a substrate coated with a layer of IR-sensitive material and a layers of UV-absorbing material, and a receptor element. The IR-sensitive material is capable of detaching a significant portion of the itself and the UV-absorbing material from the donor element and transfer the detached materials to the receptor element when irradiated by an IR radiation. The method for making a UV-mask includes irradiating such a donor element with an IR radiation. The method of using includes overlaying a digital UV mask on a UV-sensitive medium, exposing the medium to a UV radiation through the UV mask, and developing the UV-sensitive medium.