Abstract

A method for assembling a hollow cylinder (100) on, or removing a hollow cylinder (100) from a further cylinder is proposed, wherein the hollow cylinder (100) comprises a cylindrical body in which openings for creating an air cushion are arranged within a first portion (110) of a shell (102) and a second portion (120) of the shell (102) is designed to be gas-impervious or has openings, for creating an air cushion, of a reduced quantity and/or size compared to the first portion (110), wherein the openings in the first portion of the shell are connected to at least one gas feed, which is connected to at least one gas inlet on the inside of the cylindrical body, and wherein the further cylinder has openings on a shell and gas can be fed though the openings via an internal gas supply. For assembling, the method comprises the following steps: the provision of the hollow cylinder (100), the application of a seal to the first portion (110) of the shell (102) of the hollow cylinder (100) so as to prevent or at least reduce an escape of gas from the first portion (110) of the shell (102), the provision of the further cylinder, the application of gas to the further cylinder so that gas escapes from the openings, and pushing the hollow cylinder (100) onto the further cylinder. Further objects of the invention are an assembly aid (400) and an arrangement comprising a hollow cylinder (100) and such an assembly aid (400).

IPC Classes  ?

• B41F 27/10 - Devices for attaching printing elements or formes to supports for attaching non-deformable curved printing formes to forme cylinders
• B41F 13/10 - Forme cylinders
• B41F 27/14 - Devices for attaching printing elements or formes to supports for attaching printing formes to intermediate supports, e.g. adapter members
• F16C 13/00 - Rolls, drums, discs, or the like; Bearings or mountings therefor

Abstract

A method for thermally developing a relief precursor comprising a supporting layer and photopolymer layer having cured and uncured portions comprising the steps: (a) fixing the relief precursor with the supporting layer adjacent to a movable support; (b) repeatedly moving the support with the relief precursor fixed thereon in a multitude of movement cycles; (c) heating the relief precursor to a temperature sufficient to cause the uncured portions of the photopolymer layer to soften or liquefy; (d) contacting the relief precursor with a development medium to allow the liquefied material of the uncured portions to be adhered to and removed by the development medium; wherein the heating and contacting is carried out in cycles A, B, C or D each corresponding to a single movement cycle such that (i) in a cycle A, the relief precursor is heated with higher heating power and not contacted the relief precursor with the development medium; (ii) in a cycle B, the relief precursor is heated with higher heating power and contacted with the development medium; (iii) in a cycle C, the relief precursor is not heated or heated with lower heating power and contacted with the development medium; (iv) in a cycle D, the relief precursor is not heated or heated with lower heating power and not contacted with the development medium; wherein cycle B is carried out once or more and at least one of cycles A, C or D is carried out once or more.

IPC Classes  ?

• B41N 1/12 - Printing plates or foils; Materials therefor non-metallic other than stone

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus for producing flexographic printing plates from flexographic printing elements that can be provided with digital images. Said apparatus makes it possible to carry out in an automated manner at least the method steps of exposing the rear side, a main exposing process, developing the plates using washout substances, drying and after-treating the plates. The disclosed apparatus comprises at least two different conveying devices which convey the flexographic printing elements and plates through the apparatus. Also disclosed is a method for producing flexographic printing plates using the aforementioned apparatus.

IPC Classes  ?

• G03F 7/14 - Production of collotype printing forms
• G03F 7/20 - Exposure; Apparatus therefor

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for automatically carrying out a rear-face pre-exposure process and a main exposure process and for developing flexographic printing elements which can be digitally imaged and to a method for producing flexographic printing plates on the basis of digitally imaged flexographic printing elements using said device.

IPC Classes  ?

• G03F 7/20 - Exposure; Apparatus therefor

Abstract

The invention relates to digitally exposable flexographic printing elements for producing flexographic printing plates, said elements comprising an organically soluble relief-forming layer, a water-soluble barrier layer for oxygen, in addition to a water-soluble laser-ablatable mask layer. The invention also relates to the production of flexographic printing plates using flexographic printing elements of this type, said method comprising a two-stage washout method using aqueous and organic washout agents.

IPC Classes  ?

• G03F 7/20 - Exposure; Apparatus therefor
• G03F 7/09 - Photosensitive materials - characterised by structural details, e.g. supports, auxiliary layers
• G03F 7/30 - Imagewise removal using liquid means

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing flexographic printing plates, wherein a photopolymerizable flexographic printing element is used as the starting material, said element comprising at least the following, arranged one on top of the other: a dimensionally stable carrier; and at least one photopolymerizable layer forming a relief, which comprises at least an elastomeric binding agent, an ethylenically unsaturated compound, and a photoinitiator; optionally a rough UV-transparent layer, comprising at least a particulate substance; and a layer that can be digitally imaged. The method according to the invention comprises at least the following steps: (a) generating a mask by imaging the layer that can be digitally imaged; (b) illuminating the photopolymerizable layer forming the relief through the mask, using actinic light, and photopolymerizing the image areas of the layer; and (c) developing the photopolymerizable layer by washing out the non-photopolymerized areas of the layer forming the relief with an organic solvent or by thermal development. Said method is characterized in that step (b) comprises two illumination steps (b-1) and (b-2), wherein in a first step (b-1), illumination is carried out using actinic light having an intensity of = 100 mW/cm2 from a plurality of UV LEDs, and subsequently, in a second step (b-2), illumination is carried out using actinic light having an intensity of < 100 mW/cm2 from a UV radiation source other than UV LEDs.

IPC Classes  ?

• G03F 1/00 - Originals for photomechanical production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. masks, photo-masks or reticles; Mask blanks or pellicles therefor; Containers specially adapted therefor; Preparation thereof
• G03F 7/20 - Exposure; Apparatus therefor