Abstract: A spray nozzle system is useful for applying imageable materials onto substrates. The system may be used for on-site fabrication of lithographic printing surfaces for use in printing. A wash nozzle and vacuum port are integrated with the spray nozzle for use in cleaning the printing residues from a used printing surface in preparation for a subsequent print job. The integrated nozzle assembly is useful in coating and cleaning operations, performed either on-press or off-press, and enables the reuse of a single printing substrate in a number of print jobs.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for printing with an in-line de-gassed fluid from at least one individual printhead of an inkjet printing system onto a first sheet of receiver medium held on the printing media carrier of the inkjet printing system. The method comprises the steps of in-line de-gassing of fluid supplied to the printhead, and the moving of the printing media carrier at either a constant or a varying speed relative to the printhead, while simultaneously performing more than one of the actions of a. loading another sheet of receiver medium onto the printing media carrier, b. unloading a previously printed sheet of receiver medium from the printing media carrier and c. ejecting droplets of the fluid from the individual printhead onto either the first sheet of receiver medium or a sheet of receiver medium previously loaded onto the printing media carrier.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for printing with an in-line de-gassed fluid from at least one individual printhead of an inkjet printing system onto a first sheet of receiver medium held on the printing media carrier of the inkjet printing system.

Abstract: A method for the on-site creation of a lithographic printing surface by imagewise illuminating an imaging element based on thermally imageable material, which is itself applied and prepared on-site, with a shaped laser recording spot. The shaped laser recording spot has an energy profile with a very sharp transition between the writing and non-writing area in both dimensions, and is created by a shaping the laser energy into a line narrower than the desired spot size and scanning this line to create a square spot. The sharp transition is less sensitive to variation in exposure characteristics of the imaging element. The imaging element is prepared on-site by coating an imageable material onto a lithographic surface and performing all the steps of curing, imaging and development on the press and/or in an off-press platemaking device. Subsequent cleaning of the printing surface, in order to reuse the lithographic base, may also be performed on the same equipment.