Abstract: A method of printing is disclosed which comprises the steps of (i) providing a lithographic printing plate precursor comprising a support and a heat- or light-sensitive coating; (ii) image-wise exposure of the coating to heat or light; (iii) prior to step (ii) or (iv), mounting the lithographic printing plate precursor in a printing unit of a printing press, said printing unit comprising a dampening system and an inking system; (iv) development by supplying a processing liquid to the coating by means of the dampening system, thereby obtaining a lithographic printing plate; (v) printing by supplying single-fluid ink or driographic ink to the lithographic printing plate by means of the inking system. This method allows on-press processing of printing plate materials that require wet processing.

Abstract: A method of lithographic printing is disclosed which comprises the steps of unwinding a web of a flexible lithographic base from a supply spool, the lithographic base having a hydrophilic surface, wrapping the lithographic base around a cylinder of a printing press, applying on the lithographic base an image-recording layer which is removable in a single-fluid ink or can be rendered removable in a single-fluid ink by exposure to heat or light, image-wise exposing the image-recording layer to heat or light, processing the image-recording layer by supplying single-fluid ink, thereby obtaining a printing master, printing by supplying single-fluid ink to the printing master which is mounted on a plate cylinder of the printing press; and removing the printing master from the plate cylinder, preferably by winding up on an uptake spool.

Abstract: An off-press plate-making apparatus is provided which comprises an apparatus for removing the lithographic image from the substrate of a used printing master and an apparatus for recoating the recycled substrate with a new image-recording layer. The off-press cleaning and recoating of the substrate provides a short press down-time. The recoated substrate forms an imaging material which can be exposed either on-press in a digital press comprising an integrated exposure apparatus or off-press in an exposure apparatus, which can be integrated in the plate-making apparatus or mechanically coupled thereto.

Abstract: A direct-to-plate method of lithographic printing is disclosed wherein a printing press is used that is coupled to a coating apparatus and to a cleaning apparatus; wherein the coating apparatus applies an image-recording layer on a substrate so as to obtain a printing plate, which is mechanically transferred to the printing press; and wherein, after the print job, the printing plate is mechanically transferred to the cleaning apparatus wherein the substrate is recycled, so that the recycled substrated can be reused in a next cycle of coating, printing and cleaning. The off-press coating and the off-press cleaning step provide a fully automated printing method wherein the press down-time is minimized. The method comprises also an off-press or an on-press exposure step.

Abstract: A method of printing is disclosed which comprises the steps of

Abstract: A method of lithographic printing is disclosed which comprises the steps of unwinding a web of a flexible lithographic base from a supply spool, the lithographic base having a hydrophilic surface, wrapping the lithographic base around a cylinder of a printing press, applying on the lithographic base an image-recording layer which is removable in a single-fluid ink or can be rendered removable in a single-fluid ink by exposure to heat or light, image-wise exposing the image-recording layer to heat or light, processing the image-recording layer by supplying single-fluid ink, thereby obtaining a printing master, printing by supplying single-fluid ink to the printing master which is mounted on a plate cylinder of the printing press; and removing the printing master from the plate cylinder, preferably by winding up on an uptake spool.

Abstract: An off-press plate-making apparatus is provided which comprises means for removing the lithographic image from the substrate of a used printing master and means for recoating the recycled substrate with a new image-recording layer. The off-press cleaning and recoating of the substrate provides a short press down-time. The recoated substrate forms an imaging material which can be exposed either on-press in a digital press comprising an integrated exposure apparatus or off-press in an exposure apparatus, which can be integrated in the plate-making apparatus or mechanically coupled thereto.

Abstract: A direct-to-plate method of lithographic printing is disclosed wherein a printing press is used that is coupled to a coating apparatus and to a cleaning apparatus; wherein the coating apparatus applies an image-recording layer on a substrate so as to obtain a printing plate, which is mechanically transferred to the printing press; and wherein, after the print job, the printing plate is mechanically transferred to the cleaning apparatus wherein the substrate is recycled, so that the recycled substrated can be reused in a next cycle of coating, printing and cleaning. The off-press coating and the off-press cleaning step provide a fully automated printing method wherein the press down-time is minimized. The method comprises also an off-press or an on-press exposure step.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for making a module that can be used in an electric or electronic device such as a flat panel display, a light emitting diode or a photovoltaic cell. The figure shows as a preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention a schematic section of a panel consisting of three adjacent modules (liquid crystal display cells; only one is shown completely). The panel is obtained by assembling two substrates (2) and (8) which carry functional layer (3) and (9) respectively. The substrates are preferably flexible plastic foils. Thin glass sheets (1, 7) are laminated to the substrates (2, 8) so as to obtain an efficient barrier layer which protects the functional layers (3, 9) from mechanical damage, heat and degradation due to diffusion of oxygen or water vapor. The method is especially suitable for making flexible, low-weight flat panel displays, e.g. LCDs comprising a liquid crystal composition (6), spacers (4) and seals (5).

Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device is disclosed which comprises the step of applying a functional layer on a substrate, characterized in that said substrate is a laminate which comprises a support and a glass layer, said glass layer having a thickness of less than 700 &mgr;m. The support is preferably a plastic foil. The laminate has the combined benefits of low weight and high strength and is therefore a suitable substrate for making flat panel displays such as liquid crystal displays, plasma displays, field emission displays or organic light-emitting polymer displays. Preferred examples of the functional layer are e.g. electroconductive layers, liquid crystal orientation layers, color filters, electroluminescent layers, passivation layers and phosphor layers.

Abstract: A material is disclosed which comprises a substrate and an organic electroconductive layer provided on said substrate, characterised in that the substrate is a laminate comprising a glass layer and a support. The glass layer is preferably a flexible glass layer having a thickness from 10 to 500 &mgr;m. The material can be used as an electrode in electric or semiconductor devices thereby providing an improved lifetime, e.g. displays, photovoltaic cells or light-emitting diodes.

Abstract: There is provided a silver halide photographic, black-and-white medical hard copy material, comprising an opaque reflecting polymeric support and at least one hydrophilic colloid outermost layer, characterized in that:(i) the material comprises a silver halide emulsion layer A and a silver halide emulsion layer B, coated on the same side of said support, the emulsion layer B being closest to said support and(ii) the silver halide emulsion layer A is faster than the silver halide emulsion layer B.Emulsion layer A is preferably between 1.25 and 3.20 times faster than emulsion layer B.A method is also provided for printing radiological images in combination with the protocol describing said radiological images onto a single sheet of hard-copy film.

Abstract: A photographic light-sensitive silver halide material is disclosed comprising a support and one or more hydrophylic colloid layers including at least one light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer characterized in that in said emulsion layer is a gold and sulphur sensitized silver bromide or silver bromoiodide emulsion having cubic crystal habit and in that said emulsion and/or a hydrophylic colloid layer in water-permeable relationship therewith comprises a 3-pyrazolidinone compound.

Abstract: A photographic laser recording material is disclosed comprising a transparent base and at least one emulsion layer containing a silver halide emulsion which is sensitized to the near infra-red by the combination of a heptamethine chain containing dye according to general formula (I) and a supersensitizer characterized in that said emulsion layer further contains a compound according to general formula (II): ##STR1## wherein, Z.sup.1 and Z.sup.2 represent a non metallic atomic group necessary to complete a benzothiazole, benzoxazole, naphtothiazole or naphtoxazole nucleus; R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 each represent an alkyl or substituted alkyl group;R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, and R.sub.4 each represent a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkoxy, amino, phenyl or benzyl group; R.sub.1 and R.sub.3, or R.sub.2 and R.sub.4 respectively may combine with each other to form a substituted or unsubstituted 5- or 6-membered ring;X-.sub.n is an anion of the type commonly present in sensitizing dyes, e.g.

Abstract: Polyetherpolyols containing residues of catalysts of the double metal cyanide complex class are treated with a strong base and ion exchanged or neutralized and filtered to provide a stable polyol with reduced tendency to form allophanates with diisocyanates. Further, the addition of ethylene oxide to the polyol while in contact with the strong base serves to end cap the polyol to provide it with primary hydroxyl groups.